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Braised chicken with orzo green olives and goat cheese.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Orzo & Goat Cheese

Your next one-pan dinner just arrived! This is cozy, delicious, and takes about 30 minutes to make. It is so flavorful and the chicken comes out so tender. Plus the combination of briny green olives and savory goat cheese are to die for!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 tbsp butter divided
  • 4-5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 14 oz can petite diced tomato and its juice
  • 1 cup artichoke hearts roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup green pitted olives I used castelvetrano olives
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz goat cheese to top each serving

Equipment

  • 1 Cast-Iron Skillet or Dutch Oven

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400℉.
  2. To a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add in seasoned chicken thighs. I seasoned with lemon pepper and cajun seasoning, but you can do plain salt and pepper here. Brown the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes each. Move the chicken thighs to a plate and set aside after browning on each side.
  3. To the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and add in the minced garlic and orzo. Toast the orzo for 2 minutes until getting golden brown. Add in the can of petite diced tomatoes with the juice, do not drain! Add in artichokes, olives, and chicken broth. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
  4. Bring everything to a boil and stir well, making sure no orzo is stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Nestle in the chicken thighs back into the pan along with any juices that the chicken left on the plate. Place skillet uncovered into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check the chicken thighs until an internal temperature of 165 is reached.
  5. Once chicken is cooked, it is all done! Serve with plenty of goat cheese crumbled on top. Enjoy!