10/04/2026
Here’s the recipe for the chicken and orzo I made the other night.
It was inspired by a segment I watched on Live with Kelly and Mark last week.
It sounded delicious and very fall like- and I was hooked.
I give it a 9/10!
It lost a point because I had a hard time finding fennel. 💁🏼♀️
INGREDIENTS
For the Marinade:
• 1 tbsp toasted fennel seed
• 1 apple (Honey Crisp), quartered and seeds removed
• 1 large shallot, peeled
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
For Cooking the Chicken:
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6-8 chicken legs, bone in, skin on
For the Orzo:
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1 large fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 2 cups orzo pasta
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter
For the Vinaigrette:
• 1 tsp toasted fennel seed, crushed
• 1 small Honey Crisp apple, finely diced
• 1 large tbsp honey
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, mint, or parsley
DIRECTIONS
Begin by making the marinade for the chicken. Add the toasted fennel seed, cored and quartered apple, shallot, garlic cloves, and olive oil into a blender. Blend until smooth and pour over chicken legs in a bowl. Make sure it's all coated and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is even better for a deeper flavor.
While the chicken marinates, prep all your veg. Finely chop the garlic, shallots, and fennel bulb for the orzo. Set aside until ready to cook.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Sear on both sides until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side. You want it to get golden all over. Remove the chicken and set it aside. If it gets burnt on the bottom, wipe the pan and add more oil before sautéing the shallots and fennel.
Add the prepared shallots and fennel to the same pot. Sauté until fragrant and softened, about 3-4 minutes, and scrape up all the brown bits. Add in the garlic, butter, and the orzo and stir to coat and lightly toast. Season well with salt and pepper, and then pour in the water, and stir to combine.
Nestle the seared chicken legs back into the pot with the orzo mixture. Transfer the entire pot to the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and give it an extra 5 minutes in the oven.
Remove from oven and serve immediately. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and enjoy!
