Herb Spatchcock Chicken with Orzo
This herb roasted spatchcock chicken cooks in under 1 hour, along with creamy spinach orzo all in one pan. It's impressive meal, yet very easy to make. Perfect to keep you cozy this season!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 877kcal
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 pounds whole chicken neck and giblets removed
- ½ cup olive oil plus more as needed
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh italian parsley
- 2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the creamy orzo
- 2 cups dried orzo
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach tightly packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Spatchcock the chicken: Place the chicken breast-side down on a large and sturdy cutting board. Using strong kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone, removing it completely. Flip the chicken over (breast side up), and press firmly to flatten it. Set aside.
- Season chicken: In a bowl, whisk olive oil with minced garlic, Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, Kosher salt (3 tsp) and pepper (½ tsp). Spread this mixture over the chicken and under the skin. Tip: Use a spoon to separate the skin from the breast.
- Roast: Place the chicken on a large 14-inch cast iron skillet, breast side up. Roast for 15 minutes at 425 F, then lower to 375 F and continue roasting for another 10 minutes (it will finish cooking later with the orzo).
- Whisk the liquid for the orzo: Meanwhile, whisk chicken broth with heavy cream, and heat microwave until it’s pretty warm (hotter than just lukewarm). Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt (¾ tsp) and pepper. Note: It's important that the cooking liquid is hot before adding it.
- Add orzo: Remove the skillet from the oven. Evenly scatter the dried orzo around the chicken. Stir in the hot liquid mixture on the orzo evenly, and then top with a few dollops of butter.
- Finish cooking: Return to the oven and continue cooking for another 25 minutes at 375 F. The chicken should be fully cooked through and the orzo almost fully tender.
- Finish: Once the chicken is fully cooked through, give the orzo a quick fluff and stir in the chopped baby spinach. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes until the spinach is softened and the orzo is fully tender.
- Serve: Let it rest for 10 minutes and cool down before carving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Important: The liquid for the orzo needs to be hot before adding to make sure the orzo cooks fully and to prevent lowering the temperature of the chicken. Heat it up in the microwave or stovetop until lukewarm.
- To spatchcock the chicken, use sturdy kitchen shears or scissors to allow ease when cutting. A sharp knife works too.
- Prep ahead: Spatchcock the chicken up to 1-2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. The chicken can be seasoned overnight as well.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of cream to the orzo to make it creamy again.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 877kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 1946mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1761IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 3mg