TARRAGON, CHICKEN & LEEK ORZO BAKE

I’ve been making versions of this for years but this is a really yummy quick and simple one. Great served with panfried garlic beans.

I’ve said this serves 2-4 because my husband will happily polish off half of this on his own.

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

20g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 boneless skin on chicken thighs
1 large leek or 2 small, trimmed, washed and diced
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup orzo
2 & 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon caster sugar
½ cup cream 
Sea salt 
Cracked pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180ºC. 

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with sea salt and cracked pepper. 

Heat butter and oil in a deep dish pan over a medium/high heat. Fry the chicken, skin side down first until golden brown. Turn over and briefly fry the other side, don’t cook the chicken through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pan and turn the temperature to low.

Add the leeks to the pan and gently fry for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the tarragon and garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the orzo, stir through then add the chicken stock, white wine, sugar and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add the chicken thighs and cover tightly with a lid or tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes then add the cream and return to the oven uncovered for 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and most but not all of the liquid has evaporated.

Note: Orzo comes in different sizes and may need more or less liquid, if it’s looking a bit dry, just add a little water to the pan.