Chicken & Orzo Skillet Bake in Red Pepper Sauce

By peridot728

Author: Joanie Simon
Recipe type: Entree Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 55 mins
Serves: 4 servings

An easy weeknight chicken dinner recipe with olives, red onions, tomatoes and a velvety red pepper sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs, skin on, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 Tbs cooking oil
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 8 oz cooked orzo pasta, prepared according to package directions
• feta cheese and parsley for optional garnish

Details

Adapted from joaniesimon.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to broil and place the peppers and 2 tomatoes in a 12'' cast iron skillet and broil, turning occasionally until slightly charred and hot. Remove from oven and discard stems from the peppers. (use a larger skillet if you plan to increase the quantity of ingredients)

Add the roasted tomatoes and peppers with 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbs red wine vinegar, ½ tsp paprika, ⅛ tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp salt to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Heat the emptied cast iron skillet over medium high heat with 2 Tbs cooking oil (grapeseed or canola) and sear the chicken, skin side down to start until browned and then flip and continue cooking until chicken reaches at least 135F internal temp (will continue cooking later).

Put the chicken aside, then add the ½ pint sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion and ½ cup kalamata olives to the skillet and sauté briefly until fragrant but not super soft. Then add in cooked orzo and sauce (only use enough sauce to make everything wet, but not too soupy) and stir until all combined.

Then nestle chicken thighs into the mixture.

Bake at 375F uncovered in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the top of the dish is nicely browned off and sauce is bubbling.
Garnish with feta and parsley and serve chicken thighs with a scoop of the orzo pasta.