Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put broth on simmer in a pan4 cups chicken broth
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Brown chicken skin side down for about 5 minutes at high heat untouched. You’ll get a nice crispy skin!1 chicken cut up. I used 4 thighs and 1 breast, 1/4 cup olive oil
- Remove chicken and place aside. Add onion to the pan at a low-medium heat and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute to bloom flavor. Add the tomato sauce. Add the cut up tomato. Add 1 cup of broth. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a simmer.1 onion diced, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 1 15 oz can tomato sauce, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tomato cut up, 2 tsp cinnamon or 1 stick, 2 whole cloves, salt, pepper or pinch of red pepper flakes
- I have so much chicken and the pan can’t fit the whole dish. I don’t have a dutch oven that’s large enough, so I pour the sauce into a baking dish. I put chicken pieces on top, cover with foil, and place into a 375 degree oven. I bake for about 30 – 35 minutes.1 bay leaf
- Remove from oven and take chicken out. Add the remaining 3 cups boiling broth and orzo and give a nice stir. Place chicken on top again, cover with foil and place in the oven lowered to 300. A hotter oven will cause the orzo to stick. Cook for 15 more minutes covered.1 lb orzo
- After 15 minutes, remove the cover. Give a little stir. Place back in the oven for a few more minutes if the pasta or chicken is not cooked enough. I try my best to keep the chicken from getting dry.
Notes
Once done, a trick I learned is to add a few ice cubes to the pasta. This keeps the orzo from getting gloppy and stops the cooking.
Serve with grated mizithra or Parmesan.