Greek Roasted Chicken with Lemon Orzo

🧂 Ingredients

• 4 lbs whole chicken
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

  extra virgin
• 1 lemon

  juiced and zested
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

  freshly cracked
• 1 cup dry orzo
• 2 cups chicken stock

  boiling
• 3 garlic cloves

  smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 lemon

  sliced
• 1/4 cup feta cheese,

  crumbled
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

  (or oregano), chopped

Instructions

• 1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• 2 Place whole chicken in an ovenproof baking dish that measures 12 inches in
  diameter. Truss the chicken legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the
  body of the chicken.
• 3 In a bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt, pepper, and
  cayenne pepper, if using. Mix until combined.
• 4 Rub the outside of the chicken with the olive oil marinade.
• 5 Roast the chicken for 50 minutes.
• 6 Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of dried
  oregano. Keep hot until you add the orzo to the roasting pan.
• 7 Once the chicken has roasted for about 50 minutes, sprinkle orzo around the base
  of the chicken and pour in boiling seasoned stock. Scatter the smashed garlic
  around the base and top with lemon slices that have their seeds removed.
• 8 Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pasta has
  absorbed the liquid and when checked with an instant-read thermometer, the
  chicken has reached 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.
• 9 Top the orzo with feta and stir in fresh chopped parsley. Serve from the baking
  dish family style.

Nutrition Info