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This chicken in a pot with orzo comes out juicy, tender, and full of bright lemon-pepper flavor. The orzo cooks right in the savory braising liquid along with the chicken and fresh vegetables. This is a cozy, delicious one-pot chicken dinner that’s perfect any night of the week!
A Classic Chicken-in-a-Pot Recipe
I truly love roasting a whole chicken. I think recipes like my maple roast chicken, spatchcock grilled chicken, beer can chicken, and so many more should give you a hint. This cozy chicken in a pot with orzo is another family favorite. It’s everything you want in a weeknight dinner: golden, tender chicken, bright lemon-pepper flavor, and a built-in side dish that cooks right in the same pot. The orzo soaks up all those rich, savory juices, the veggies get perfectly soft, and the whole thing feels like a warm, old-school meal without a lot of work.
Why You Should Make this Chicken in a Pot Recipe Tonight
- It’s a complete one-pot chicken dinner with orzo. Juicy whole chicken, tender lemony orzo, and veggies all cook together for an easy weeknight meal with minimal cleanup.
- You get foolproof, golden-brown roasted chicken every time thanks to the simple stovetop-to-oven method that keeps the meat tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned.
- It’s the best leftover-friendly whole chicken recipe. Use the meat for sandwiches and salads the next day, and simmer the bones into homemade chicken broth for even more budget-friendly meals.
What Ingredients Will I Need?
This recipe belongs to Nigella Lawson, and it is so beautiful, yet so simple. I really love the classic lemon flavor here, perfectly accentuated with basil and thyme. The orzo cooked in the chicken juices is the perfect addition!
- Olive Oil: Just a bit, for sauteing.
- Chicken: This recipe makes one 3 to 3.5 pound chicken. I recommend getting free-range chicken, if possible. It tends to be of better quality.
- Cooking Spray: My favorite cooking spray is just oil (such as olive oil or avocado oil) in a spray bottle. You can use any cooking spray you like.
- Seasonings, salt, and black pepper: For this version of chicken in a pot, I used dried thyme, dried basil, and store-bought lemon pepper seasoning.
- Garlic: Mince or press several cloves of garlic.
- Onions: You’ll need a couple of small onions, cut into wedges.
- Carrots: Cut the carrots into medium chunks.
- Leeks: Slice the leeks into rounds.
- Lemons: Up the ante with fresh lemons cut into wedges, just like the onions.
- Broth: You’ll need a little over one quart of chicken broth, or you can just use water.
- Orzo: If you don’t have orzo, you could use other small pasta shapes instead.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh, for garnish.
Recipe Tips
- Make it extra juicy: If you’re concerned about the breast meat drying out, you can actually turn the chicken upside down and cook it with the breast meat in the liquid for the first half of the cooking time. Then turn it right side up again.
- Broiling-time: You can get a nice golden-brown color and slight crisp to the chicken if you place it under the broiler for a few minutes after cooking. However, make sure to keep an eye on it, and don’t let it dry out. Keep in mind that food should not be broiled in glass baking dishes.
- Flavor it your way: The choice of herbs and seasonings is really up to you. If you follow the recipe as written, you’ll get a nice, well-balanced lemon pepper chicken, but you could just as easily use your favorite seasonings, like Cajun or my very popular homemade chicken seasoning.
A Few Fabulous Side Dishes
Chicken in a pot is already a complete one-pot chicken dinner, but if you want an easy side dish (or two!), make my crispy air fryer roasted broccoli for a quick, flavorful veggie! This traditional Macedonian shopska salad brings fresh, crunchy, bright flavor to the table, and simple roasted acorn squash adds a cozy touch with its tender texture, all with just a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Storing and Reheating the Leftovers
- To store, I recommend taking the chicken off of the bones and placing it in airtight storage containers. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat the leftover chicken in a covered skillet over low heat until heated through. You can add a splash of water or broth if it seems dry.
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Chicken in a Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 to 4 pound whole chicken
- cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more for the vegetables
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, use fresh ground black pepper if you do not have lemon pepper seasoning
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste, for the vegetables
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium leeks, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 2 lemons, cut into 4 to 6 wedges (use 1 lemon if you don't like a strong lemon flavor)
- 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
- 1¾ cups dry orzo pasta
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pot or Dutch oven with a lid that’s about 7 qt or bigger. Make sure that the pot you use is safe to use in the oven and on the stovetop.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Then, spray the chicken with cooking oil and season it with the thyme, salt, basil, and lemon pepper.
- Brown the chicken. Place the chicken in the heated oil, breast side down, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden; turn it over and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Add the aromatics and vegetables. Decrease the heat to low; add in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Add more oil, if needed. Scatter the onions, carrots, leeks, and lemons around the chicken; season the veggies with salt and pepper, then give them a stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Pour in about 5 to 6 cups of chicken broth, or just enough to come up about ¾ of the way up, but do not cover the entire chicken with liquid, especially not the breast part. Increase the heat to High and bring to a boil.
- Roast in the oven. Once boiling, cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Add the orzo and continue to cook. Take the pot out of the oven. Carefully remove the lid; stir in the orzo. Put the lid back on and continue to cook in the oven for 30 more minutes.
- Let it rest. Take the pot out of the oven, remove the lid, stir the orzo, and let it all rest for 15 minutes.
- Serve. Remove the lemon wedges and toss them out, garnish the chicken, veggies, and orzo with parsley, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Inspired by Nigella Lawson
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Roast Chicken In a Pot
Chicken in a pot is cooked mostly in the oven, but it’s really a roasting–braising hybrid. The braising step is what keeps the chicken incredibly juicy and tender, locking in moisture while it cooks.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Heat a large oven-safe Dutch oven (7-quart or bigger) over medium-high heat and add the oil. Pat the chicken dry, spritz with cooking spray, and season with thyme, basil, lemon pepper, and salt.
- Brown the chicken. Place the chicken breast-side down and sear until golden. Flip and brown the back side for about 3 minutes.
- Add the veggies and lemons. Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Scatter the veggies and lemon slices around the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and give them a quick stir.
- Add broth and braise. Pour in enough broth to come about ¾ of the way up the chicken (don’t submerge the breast). Bring to a boil, cover, turn off the heat, and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Add the orzo. Remove the pot from the oven, uncover, and stir in the orzo. Cover again and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let it rest. Take it out of the oven, uncover, stir the orzo, and let the dish rest for 15 minutes so the orzo finishes softening. Garnish and serve.
Oh my goodness! This recipe is amazing! The flavors and the tenderness of the roasted chicken are so great! Made it exactly as written (appreciate the mention of wedges from one lemon versus two, as my son isnโt thrilled with anything too lemony)! We all loved it! Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am thrilled to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! ๐
Sounds great but, where does all the fat from the chicken go?
Can I continue it in a slow cooker instead of the oven? And for how much time? Thanks
Hi! I havenโt tested this exact recipe in the slow cooker, but based on experience, a whole chicken usually needs about 5 to 6 hours on LOW. Add the orzo about 45 minutes before the chicken is done so it cooks through without turning mushy. The carrots, onions, leeks, etc, can go in at the beginning, with the chicken.