Chicken cacciatore one-pot with orzo

Enjoy comfort food at its best with this chicken cacciatore. The orzo soaks up the flavours of the chicken and tomatoes to make an unctuous pasta bake

Prep:5 mins
Cook:55 mins
plus resting

Serves 4
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 573
fat 19g
saturates 4g
carbs 61g
sugars 11g
fibre 6g
protein 26g
salt 1.1g

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
4-6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
250ml red wine
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
small bunch of parsley, stalks and leaves separated, finely chopped
2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp capers (optional)
handful of pitted green olives
300g orzo, rinsed (to keep it from getting too sticky when baked)

Tip

Make it a roast dinner

Swap the chicken thighs for a whole chicken, roasting it first for 1 hr before nestling it into the sauce and cooking for another 20-30 mins until cooked through and the orzo is tender.

Method

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub 1 tbsp oil over the chicken and season well, then put skin-side up in an ovenproof casserole dish or roasting tin and bake for 20-25 mins until crisp and golden, but not cooked all the way though. Remove from the dish and put on a plate.
Add the remaining oil to the dish, mixing it with the chicken fat. Tip in the onion and garlic, then bake for 5-8 mins until the onion is tender.
Pour in the wine, stirring it with the onions, then leave to evaporate slightly in the residual heat before adding the bay, thyme, rosemary, parsley stalks and tomatoes. Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml boiling water and pour this in, then add the vinegar, capers, if using, olives and orzo. Stir well and season.
Nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up, and roast for 20 mins until the sauce is thickened, the orzo is tender and the meat is cooked through. Give it a stir, then leave for 10 mins for the orzo to absorb the excess liquid. Scatter over the parsley leaves to serve.