Chicken in a Pot with Lemon & Orzo

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Remove any bits from the cavity of the chicken, trim excess fat, if necessary, rinse and set aside.

3. Peel and cut the carrots into batons (3-inch sticks); thinly slice the trimmed leeks into half.

4. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven with a tightly fitting lid (oval enamel-coated cast iron casseroles fit the chicken neatly, if you have one). Place the chicken in the hot oil breast-side down, for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden. Carefully flip the chicken and brown the second side. Remove the pot from the heat and use tongs or spatula to transfer the chicken to a plate (take care of that crisp golden skin you just created!).

5. Add the carrots, leeks, garlic, and Onion Butter seasoning to the pot and give it a quick stir into the oil. Return the chicken to the pot, breast-side up.

6. Pour 5 cups of cold water into the chicken pot. Gradually add more, as needed, until the liquid comes up about two thirds of the leg of the chicken, leaving the golden breast clearly untouched. Stir in the lemon juice.

7. Turn up the heat and bring the pot to a boil, leaving it uncovered. Poke the vegetables down with a fork if they bob up too much. When the liquid comes to a boil, cover the pot and roast in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.

8. Take the pot out of the oven and carefully stir in the orzo around the edges of the chicken; cover the pot and bake for another 15 minutes. 

9. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to stand uncovered for 15 minutes. Give the orzo a gentle stir to loosen; the pasta will continue to soak up some of the broth as it stands.

10. Stir in the reserved lemon zest and chopped parsley. This chicken looks gorgeous in the pot, so it’s fun to serve at the table. Just place a separate dish alongside the pot for the bones and skin and serve the tender chicken in shallow bowls with the orzo and vegetables.