Why this recipe sings

Greek Chicken Orzo-Giouvetsi Kotopoulo is a traditional Greek dish made with chicken, tomatoes, and orzo pasta.

This chicken orzo recipe is simple and fuss-free. The chicken is browned, then cooked until tender with tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices. At the end of cooking, it is combined with the orzo pasta and baked in the oven until the orzo is tender and all the flavors have melded together. A layer of kefalotiri or parmesan cheese is added in the last few minutes. It’s a hearty and delicious dish perfect for a family dinner.

Here is what you need

• Chicken thighs. This recipe uses free-range organic boneless chicken thighs with the skin on. I like using the skin because it adds flavor while browning and can be crispy and delicious. You can use bone-in thighs or boneless or a small whole chicken cut in pieces.
• Bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, whole allspice. The basic spices for a red sauce. Allspice is called Bahari in Greece and is widely used in many dishes.
• Tomatoes and tomato paste. The tomatoes can be crushed, diced, or passata. The tomato paste adds depth and flavor to the sauce.
• Onion and garlic.
• Red wine. Always use a wine you would drink in your cooking. It doesn’t have to be expensive but it must be good quality wine. Alternatively, use a nice rose or a dry white. If alcohol is not your cup of tea, you can skip this step.
• Orzo pasta. Other types of shortcut pasta can be used, like ditalini pasta or orecchiette. Avoid the larger shortcut pasta like penne and rigatoni; they are more suitable for pasta gratin dishes and casseroles. The same goes for the smaller cuts-pastina like acini di pepe, steline, which are more suitable for soups. Choose a medium size short-cut pasta.
• Parmesan cheese. This is my favorite cheese for pasta. Traditionally kefalotiri cheese or graviera (Greek gruyere) would be used, but parmesan, pecorino romano, and dry mizithra can all be grated in this dish. The one thing to keep in mind is how salty the cheese is. Kefalotiri and pecorino tend to be on the saltier side. Additionally, you might opt for feta or goat cheese for serving.
• Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

How to make this recipe

Serve giouvetsi immediately with more shredded parmesan to go around the table.

Helpful tips

• If you don’t have oven-safe cookware like a Dutch oven, you can cook the chicken and sauce on the stove, pour everything into a baking pan, add the orzo and follow the next steps of the recipe from there.
• A successful giouvetsi with chicken must be saucy when it comes out of the oven. Check the liquids in the pan often, and if necessary, add a little hot water during baking.
• The orzo pasta only needs about 17 to 20 minutes in the oven to be al dente. The extra five minutes of cooking with cheese on top are enough to ensure it will be tender yet still firm. The orzo will continue to absorb the liquids from the dish as it sits, so it is best to serve it as soon as it is out of the oven.
• It is not necessary to do the final step with the melty cheese. You can add grated parmesan or kefalotiri to the table while serving. Gruyere cheese or dry mizithra cheese are also good choices for this dish.
• Allow the dish to cool slightly then, and it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To reheat, add a little water or broth to loosen up the sauce and warm up in the oven. Keep the temperature low (around 250 degrees F) for 15-20 minutes.

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