This delicious Barefoot Contessa Crispy Chicken with Lemon Orzo is a quick and easy meal perfect for any night of the week. With crispy chicken and zesty lemon orzo, it’s a flavour-packed dish that’s both simple and nutritious. You can easily adjust ingredients based on what you have in your kitchen!
Ingredients Needed
For the Chicken:
- 85g all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts (about 225g each)
- 60ml canola oil
- 130g good European-style unsalted butter, divided
- 30g minced fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
For the Lemon Orzo with Feta:
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200g orzo
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 30ml good olive oil
- 15g minced fresh dill
- 100g small-diced feta, preferably Greek
How To Make Crispy Chicken With Lemon Orzo
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
- Prepare the chicken: In a shallow bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Remove the tenders from the chicken breasts (set them aside for another use) and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the canola oil and 4 tablespoons of butter in a large 30cm cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts and sizzles, place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet. Cook for 12 minutes without moving the chicken.
- Roast the chicken: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes.
- Finish the chicken: After roasting, return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Carefully turn the chicken skin side up, add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the butter is a nutty brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 55-60°C.
- Add parsley: Remove from the heat and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
- Cook the orzo: In a large saucepan, bring 2 litres of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the orzo. Once the water returns to a boil, cook for 9-11 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Drain the orzo.
- Prepare the orzo with feta: Transfer the drained orzo to a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Fold in the crumbled feta.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 55-60°C (130-140°F) for perfect juiciness and crispiness.
- Use a cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet helps get the chicken skin perfectly crispy and evenly cooked.
- Rest the chicken: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to keep it juicy.
- Cook the orzo al dente: Don’t overcook the orzo; it should have a slight bite for the best texture.
- Fresh parsley makes a difference: Sprinkle fresh parsley just before serving for extra flavor and freshness.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover crispy chicken with lemon orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: Place crispy chicken with lemon orzo in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the oven.
- Reheating: To reheat leftover crispy chicken with lemon orzo, warm on the stovetop over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or microwave in 1-minute intervals for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
- Calories: 815
- Total Fat: 48g
- Saturated Fat: 16.5g
- Cholesterol: 185mg
- Sodium: 750mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 25g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 34g
Try More Recipes:
Barefoot Contessa Crispy Chicken With Lemon Orzo
Description
This delicious Barefoot Contessa Crispy Chicken with Lemon Orzo is a quick and easy meal perfect for any night of the week. With crispy chicken and zesty lemon orzo, it’s a flavour-packed dish that’s both simple and nutritious. You can easily adjust ingredients based on what you have in your kitchen!
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
For the Lemon Orzo with Feta:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
- Prepare the chicken: In a shallow bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Remove the tenders from the chicken breasts (set them aside for another use) and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the canola oil and 4 tablespoons of butter in a large 30cm cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts and sizzles, place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet. Cook for 12 minutes without moving the chicken.
- Roast the chicken: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes.
- Finish the chicken: After roasting, return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Carefully turn the chicken skin side up, add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the butter is a nutty brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 55-60°C.
- Add parsley: Remove from the heat and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
- Cook the orzo: In a large saucepan, bring 2 litres of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the orzo. Once the water returns to a boil, cook for 9-11 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Drain the orzo.
- Prepare the orzo with feta: Transfer the drained orzo to a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Fold in the crumbled feta.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 55-60°C (130-140°F) for perfect juiciness and crispiness.
- Use a cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet helps get the chicken skin perfectly crispy and evenly cooked.
- Rest the chicken: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to keep it juicy.
- Cook the orzo al dente: Don’t overcook the orzo; it should have a slight bite for the best texture.
- Fresh parsley makes a difference: Sprinkle fresh parsley just before serving for extra flavor and freshness.
Barefoot Contessa Crispy Chicken With Lemon Orzo