Baking a whole chicken in stock produces some seriously tender and flavorful meat. Full of vegetables, fragrant herbs and a pinch of saffron, this is no ordinary chicken soup. Actually, Ina Garten doesn’t refer to her recipe as soup but rather “Chicken in a Pot with Orzo.” The whole chicken is definitely the star of this dish. Once it is done, cut the chicken into pieces or shred the chicken and add it back to the delicious broth. Don’t be afraid to use the fennel called for in the recipe. It mellows as it simmers with the other vegetables and herbs making a fantastic flavorful meal.
The original recipe calls for 8 cups of diced vegetables along with 24 sprigs of assorted herbs. I used a bit less (see recipe below) and it was plenty for the amount of liquid in the pot.
A little bit of saffron adds brilliant color and earthy, subtly sweet flavor to dishes like this one.
Ina Garten’s recipe calls for a 3 1/2 – 4 pound whole chicken. It’s rare to find such a small bird these days. I ended up with a 4 1/4 pound chicken that worked just fine.
Orzo is a wonderful addition to this dish. It’s readily available at most markets, however, you can substitute rice in a pinch.
Searing the chicken before adding the other ingredients creates more flavor. This step also allows part of the chicken skin to take on a nice color.
The vegetables pick up all the delicious browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Once the sautéed vegetables are done, the chicken goes back into the pot along with the herbs, chicken stock and water. Into the oven it goes.
What emerges from the oven is a gorgeous chicken in a pot. The orzo can be added once the chicken is out of the oven (off the heat for 20-25 minutes in covered pot) or simply added while the chicken is cooking in the oven (after 1 – 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your chicken). Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. I found that freezing leftovers is not ideal as the orzo absorbs quite a bit of the broth and the carrots can become quite soft. If you don’t mind these two factors, go ahead and freeze any leftovers. The flavors will still be terrific.
Chicken in a Pot with Orzo
4-6
servingsAdapted from Ina Garten’s recipe
Ingredients
Olive oil for searing chicken
1 (4 1/4 pound) whole chicken (or smaller, 3 1/2 – 4 pounds)
1 3/4 cups (1/3-inch) sliced peeled carrots, large pieces cut in half, about 8 ounces
1 3/4 cups (3/4-inch) diced celery, about 7 ounces
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 medium sized leeks)
1 cup chopped fennel, stalks and core removed, about 5 ounces
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 medium sized cloves)
4 cups simmering chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
6 sprigs fresh thyme
8 sprigs fresh parsley
10 sprigs fresh dill, plus extra for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup orzo
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium to medium-high heat. Dry the chicken all over, place it in the pot breast side down, and sear it for 5-7 minutes without moving, until the skin is nicely browned. A splatter guard is useful here. Turn the chicken breast side up and sear for another 4-5 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add the carrots, celery, leeks, and fennel to the pot and sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Return the chicken to the pot, breast side up, spreading the vegetables around the chicken. Add the chicken stock, saffron, and enough water (or stock) to cover the chicken with just an inch of the breastbone exposed. Tie thyme, parsley, and dill together and add to the pot along with 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in the orzo and continue baking for 15 minutes more. If you are using a smaller chicken (3 1/2 pound) add the orzo after baking 1 hour and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
- Discard the herb bundle. Transfer chicken to a large plate. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if needed. Separate the chicken into quarters. Carefully pull the breast meat away from the bones and pull meat apart into fairly large pieces or shred into smaller pieces (leave the bones in the leg portion). Spoon some of the chicken, broth, vegetables and orzo into large shallow bowls. Serve hot sprinkled with extra dill.
Notes
- A splatter guard comes in handy when searing the chicken
