Lemon Chicken Orzo

Ingredients

• 400g chicken breasts, cubed
• 700ml chicken stock
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100g baby spinach
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 300g gluten-free orzo
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tbsp capers, drained (optional)
• 40g Parmesan, finely grated
• 10g chives, chopped
• ciabatta, to serve
• crisp green salad, to serve

Method

1. Pat the cubed chicken dry on kitchen paper — water means steam, and steam means no browning. Season generously with salt and pepper before it hits the pan.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide stainless or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if needed — crowd the pan and the meat boils in its own juices instead of catching golden. Sear for 4–5 minutes until burnished on the outside and just cooked through, then lift out onto a plate to rest.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan — those brown stuck bits are flavour, leave them. Tip in the orzo and toast for 1 minute, stirring, until the grains smell nutty and look glossy. Toasting stops them clagging together and builds a deeper, more savoury base.
4. Pour in the chicken stock — it will hiss and lift the fond off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the orzo is al dente with a slight bite and the liquid has gone loose and creamy rather than soupy or dry.
5. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan with the halved cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice and thyme leaves. Stir through and let the tomatoes soften for 2 minutes so they collapse and bleed their juices into the orzo.
6. Off the heat, fold through the baby spinach and Parmesan until the leaves wilt and the dish turns glossy and cohesive. Stir in the capers if using — they bring a sharp, briny lift that plays off the lemon.
7. Taste, season, taste again. Adjust now — at the end, not at the table. It should be bright with lemon, savoury from the Parmesan and well-peppered.
8. Spoon into warm bowls, scatter the chives over the top, tuck a lemon wedge against the rim of each bowl and serve with warm ciabatta and a crisp green salad alongside.