Description

This One Pot Ginger Chilli Chicken Orzo is a flavorful and easy weeknight meal that combines tender chicken thighs with aromatic ginger, garlic, and chili flakes, all cooked together with orzo pasta in a savory Asian-style sauce. Finished with a drizzle of chili oil and sweet chili jam and garnished with fresh scallions and cilantro, this dish is perfect for a quick, satisfying dinner that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

1 lb chicken thighs (skinless, boneless, free-range)

Seasonings & Sauces

1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons chili oil
2 tablespoons sweet chili jam

Vegetables & Herbs

6 scallions (spring onions), sliced finely, white and green parts separated
1 inch piece of ginger, grated (or ginger paste)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
A handful of fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves

Pasta & Broth

1.5 cups orzo
3 cups chicken stock

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Instructions

Prepare Chicken: Toss the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, high-sided pan over high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes on each side until well charred and golden. Remove from the pan, cover, and keep warm while preparing the orzo.
Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium and add the white parts of the scallions, grated ginger, crushed garlic, and chili flakes to the pan with the reserved chicken cooking juices. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Cook Orzo: Add 1.5 cups of orzo to the pan and stir for 1 minute to coat it in the flavors. Pour in 3 cups of chicken stock, 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 0.5 tablespoon of fish sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Simmer and Thicken: Lower the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for about 10 minutes or until the orzo is al dente and the sauce has thickened nicely.
Combine and Finish: Nestle the cooked chicken thighs back into the orzo mixture. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of chili oil and 2 tablespoons of sweet chili jam over the top. Scatter the reserved scallion greens and fresh cilantro leaves over the dish.
Serve: Divide the ginger chili chicken orzo into plates or bowls and serve immediately while hot.

Notes

This one-pot recipe makes clean-up easy and is perfect for busy weeknights.
You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts if preferred but thighs stay juicier.
Adjust the amount of chili flakes and chili oil to control the level of spiciness.
Use gluten-free orzo pasta if a gluten-free diet is required.
Fresh cilantro adds brightness but can be omitted if not available.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 493 calories
Sugar: 5.3 g
Sodium: 1283.6 mg
Fat: 18.7 g
Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 43.9 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 36.1 g
Cholesterol: 122.9 mg