Provencal Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Orzo
Submitted by rmick
Provencal chicken breasts braised in white wine with tomatoes, leeks, kalamata olives, and orange zest, served over herb-tossed rosemary orzo. A French-inspired one-skillet dinner.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
55 minREADY
1 hrsBone-in chicken breasts get a golden sear, then braise in a sauce built from white wine, chopped tomatoes, leeks, and a full cup of briny kalamata olives. The surprise here is a teaspoon of fresh orange zest, which lifts the whole dish with a bright, citrusy note against the rich, savory tomato base.
Deglazing the pan after browning is key. Those browned bits on the skillet dissolve into the wine and become the flavor foundation for the entire sauce. Let it reduce until almost dry before adding the broth and tomatoes.
The rosemary orzo cooks separately and gets tossed with olive oil and fresh chopped rosemary while still hot, so the herb blooms right into the warm pasta. Spoon the thickened olive-tomato sauce generously over both the chicken and the orzo.
Pro Tips
- Brown the chicken skin-side down first for the crispiest texture; work in batches so the pan stays hot
- Wash leeks thoroughly after chopping; sand hides between the layers and ruins the dish
- Boil the sauce after removing the chicken to thicken it. You want it to coat a spoon lightly, not be watery
- Fresh rosemary is a must for the orzo; dried rosemary stays woody and won’t release the same fragrance
Variations
- Summer version: Add diced zucchini to the braising liquid for the last 5 minutes
- Spicy Provencal: Stir in ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic
- Grain swap: Serve over couscous or farro instead of orzo for a different texture
Ingredients
Directions
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken in 2 batches, transferring with tongs as browned to a large plate.
Add wine and boil, scraping up browned bits until almost evaporated.
Add garlic, leeks, broth, tomatoes, zest and chicken with any juices accumulated on plate and simmer, covered, turning chicken once, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a platter.
Add olives to tomato mixture and boil sauce until thickened slightly.
Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve with chicken and rosemary orzo.
For the Orzo:
Bring a 6 quart saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook orzo until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain orzo well, and in a large bowl toss with oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper.
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