Preparation
Total Time
Serves
- 5slices Maple Leaf® Natural Bacon, cut into 1/2” pieces
- 8Maple Leaf Prime® Raised Without Antibiotics boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1onion, diced
- 1large clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1cup orzo pasta
- 1cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2cups low sodium chicken stock
- ½cup white wine
- 5spears asparagus, cut into ¼” rounds
- ½cup sweet peas, fresh or frozen
- 1cup baby spinach
- ¼cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½cup 35% cream
- ¼cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Chicken Rub:
- 1tsp garlic powder
- 1tsp Spanish paprika
- 1tsp dried oregano
- 1tsp kosher salt
- ½tsp black pepper
- ½tsp chili flakes, optional
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a small bowl, combine all the chicken rub ingredients and mix.
- Lay out the chicken thighs on a baking sheet and evenly sprinkle the rub on both sides of the chicken. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating, place a large sauté pan on medium heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until golden in colour. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour bacon fat into a small bowl and set aside as well.
- Return the pan back to stove top on medium heat and add half the olive oil and 4 chicken thighs. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden in colour, then flip and continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and repeat with the remaining oil and other 4 chicken thighs.
- Using the same pan on low heat (no need to clean the pan) add 1 Tbsp of bacon fat, onions, and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onions are soft.
- Stir in the orzo and toast for 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine and let reduce for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, cream, cherry tomatoes, and spinach and bring pan up to a boil.
- Place the chicken into the orzo. The chicken should almost be completely covered with the orzo mixture.
- Place the pan into the oven on the middle rack and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken thighs have reached 165 F with a meat thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the pan.
- To finish the orzo, add the asparagus, peas, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Stir together and then add the lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, spoon some orzo in a bowl and top with a couple pieces of chicken.
Serve with a big green salad.
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