Chicken and Orzo with Tomatoes (Kotopoulo Youvesti)

This kotopoulo youvesti recipe is a delicious Greek chicken and orzo dish with tomatoes. It’s flavorful and rich, with warming flavors of cinnamon, and it’s the perfect dish for the colder winter months for the whole family.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Chicken and Orzo

• Comfort Food: This chicken and orzo recipe is so comforting, it’ll warm you up from the inside out
• Quick Prep: Prep this recipe in only 20 minutes
• Crowd-Pleasing: Make this recipe for a dinner party or your family. It’ll for sure impress them, plus, it’s easy!

🍲 Ingredients

Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs provide a lean source of protein and I love using bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe because it brings a lot of flavor to the dish. Plus chick thighs can cook a little longer without getting too tough like a breast would. Leaving an optimal amount of time for it to soak up the flavors.

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Spices: You’ll notice some unique spices in this chicken and orzo recipe like cloves, cinnamon, and all-spice. These winter spices are perfect to add a unique twist to the dish and create a warming, aromatic meal that is so damn good.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Chicken and Orzo

1. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Add olive oil to a large dutch oven or braiser with a lid, heat over medium-high heat.
3. Sear the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown each side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate or bowl, set aside.
4. Turn the pan to medium heat, add the diced onion, minced garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, all spice, salt and pepper, cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the onion, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the tomato paste, cook down for 3 minutes, stir occasionally.
6. Add red wine and cook 3-4 minutes to reduce slightly. Then add 3/4 cup water and passata and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the chicken and their juices back, nestling into the sauce. Put the lid on and turn the heat to medium-low to keep at a simmer for 30 minutes. While simmering, preheat the oven to 350F.
7. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken to a new bowl or plate.
8. To the pot stir in 2 cups water and 1 cup orzo and bring to a simmer
9. Once simmering, nestle chicken back in to the pot with the orzo and sauce and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through. Add a bit more hot water to the orzo if needed when cooking.
10. Serve topped with minced fresh oregano, parmesan cheese, or feta cheese.

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• You can sub orzo for rice but note the difference in cooking time on the packages
• You can use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer, chicken breasts will work but I don’t find they get as juicy and flavorful. Chicken drums can also be a great option
• If you want to add in some veggies to this dish, hearty ones that don’t get too soft when cooking like carrots or potatoes can be great additions

🗒 Best served with

• Maroulosalata aka my Mamas Salad
• Greek Cabbage Salad

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I don’t find this recipe freezes well.

🤔 Common Questions

Chicken and Orzo with Tomatoes (Kotopoulo Youvesti)

5 from 5 votes

This chicken and orzo recipe is called kotopoula youvesti in Greek. It's so rich, warming and flavorful.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Servings 4 -6

Calories 483 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6-8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (use 6-8 depending on how many fit into your pot)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground all-spice
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups passata (we love using Mutti passata)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup orzo
• fresh oregano for garnish
• serve with parmesan cheese or feta cheese if desired

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Instructions

 

• Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Add olive oil to a large dutch oven or braiser with a lid, heat over medium-high heat.
• Sear the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown each side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate or bowl, set aside.
• Turn the pan to medium heat, add the diced onion, minced garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, all spice, salt and pepper, cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the onion, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomato paste, cook down for 3 minutes, stir occasionally.
• Add red wine and cook 3-4 minutes to reduce slightly. Then add 3/4 cup water and passata and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the chicken and their juices back, nestling into the sauce. Put the lid on and turn the heat to medium-low to keep at a simmer for 30 minutes. While simmering, preheat the oven to 350F.
• After 30 minutes, remove the chicken to a new bowl or plate.
• To the pot stir in 2 cups water and 1 cup orzo and bring to a simmer
• Once simmering, nestle chicken back in to the pot with the orzo and sauce and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through. Add a bit more hot water to the orzo if needed when cooking.
• Serve with topped with minced fresh oregano, parmesan cheese or feta cheese.

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Notes

• Serve with one of our favourie salads: Maroulosalata aka my Mamas Salad or Greek Cabbage Salad
• Store leftovers for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 65.2g | Fat: 12.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.3g | Cholesterol: 198.6mg | Sodium: 766.9mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 5.8g

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