This one pan pesto chicken and orzo has all of the components you’ll love. Protein rich crispy chicken thighs, creamy pesto orzo, briny olives and tons of flavour.

pesto chicken and orzo in cast iron skillet.

Crispy pan fried chicken thighs are definitely one of my favourite things to eat. Beyond being delicious, I also appreciate that they’re usually quite a bit more economical than other parts of chicken.

This recipe combines crispy chicken thighs with creamy orzo that has tons of flavour, thanks to it being cooked in chicken fat and chicken broth. Stir in some of your favourite pesto, olives and peas and you have a full, one pan meal that hits the spot. Serve it with a simple green salad to round it out.

I hope you love this pesto chicken and orzo as much as we do over here!

Ingredients

chicken thighs (skin on, bone-in)
kosher salt & black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
shallot
garlic cloves
orzo (dry)
chicken broth (or water)
frozen peas
pesto
castelvetrano olives
basil leaves

How to Make Pesto Chicken & Orzo

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WuRw-oitVPM

Let the chicken thighs sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes prior to cooking (if possible). Pat dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium-high and place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down and cook for two minutes. Lower the hear to medium-low and continue cooking for eight to ten minutes, rotating the chicken every few minutes, but not flipping them over.

Cook until the chicken skin is browned and crispy and then flip them over. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 20 to 24 minutes, until cooked through.

chicken thighs bone in, skin on in cast iron skillet.

Remove the chicken thighs and let rest. Discard all but about two tablespoons of chicken fat from the skillet. Over medium-low heat, add the shallot and cook for two minutes, until just starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

Pour in the orzo and stir to combine. Toast the orzo for about one minute and then pour in the chicken broth. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, stirring often. With about four minutes remaining, stir in the peas. If there is excess liquid and the orzo is done cooking, drain some of it with a spoon.

Spoon in the pesto and add the olives and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.

orzo, peas and olives cooked in skillet with pesto.

Add the chicken back into the skillet and garnish with basil.

Tips

If you want to save time making this pesto chicken and orzo, use chicken tenders, boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts which will cook in less time. This will make it a more approachable, weeknight meal.

Pat the chicken dry: in order to get crispy chicken skin, be sure to pat the chicken dry with paper towel first. Then season liberally with salt and pepper.
Move the chicken around: to avoid any sticking and ensure the chicken thighs cook evenly, move them around the skillet every so often. But don’t flip them until they’re ready to go in the oven.‍
Use a large skillet: if you’re making more than four to five chicken thighs, use a large skillet so the chicken has enough room to cook properly.
Toast the orzo: when you have the opportunity to toast orzo before adding a liquid, it’s a good idea to do so. It adds more flavour and only takes a few extra minutes to do so.
Dollop more pesto: after stirring in the pesto, I like to dollop a little more on the plates when serving.

Substitutions

Chicken thighs: if you prefer chicken breast, use a bone-in, skin on piece for the most flavour, similar to this recipe. The cook time will need to be adjusted.
No Chicken broth: use water instead.
Fresh peas: I usually have a bag of frozen peas on hand and prefer to use them over fresh most of the time. You can use fresh peas instead, they will take slightly less time to cook than frozen (about one minute less).
No olives: if you don’t like olives or don’t have any on hand, you can omit, or try adding some capers instead.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

Kosher salt:

I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Other Dinner Recipes to try

Ready to make this? Let’s go!

If you make this pesto chicken and orzo, please let me know by tagging me on Instagram, or leave a comment and/or review below!

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