Chicken in a Pot with Lemon and Orzo

Nigella’s whole chicken, gently poached in a covered pot with lemon, leeks and carrots, finished with orzo cooked right in the broth.

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Recipe Info
Servings: 4
Prep: 20m
Cook: 1h 45m
Total: 2h 5m
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.5kg), preferably free-range and organic
  • Zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 2 medium-large carrots (about 350-400g), cut into batons
  • 2 medium-large leeks (about 400g trimmed), cut into rounds
  • 2 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp dried tarragon
  • 300g orzo pasta
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 6 tbsp finely chopped leaves), plus more to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Untruss the chicken and remove any string. Peel and cut the carrots into batons, and cut the trimmed leeks into rounds about 1.5-2.5cm.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid. Place the chicken breast-side down in the hot oil and colour over high heat for about 3 minutes until golden, then turn the right way up.
  3. Turn down the heat (or take off the heat) and add the lemon zest and garlic around the chicken, stirring into the oil as best you can.
  4. Scatter the prepared vegetables around the chicken, followed by the salt, chilli flakes and tarragon.
  5. Pour about 1.25 litres of cold water into the pot, then gradually add more until the liquid comes about two-thirds up the leg of the chicken, leaving the breast clear. Add the lemon juice.
  6. Bring to the boil uncovered, poking the vegetables down if they float. Once boiling, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and stir in the orzo around the edges of the chicken. Cover and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, until the orzo is soft and swollen.
  8. Remove from the oven, take off the lid, and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring the orzo to loosen any that has stuck to the bottom.
  9. Stir in 4 tbsp of the chopped parsley, then sprinkle over the remaining 2 tbsp, with more on the table to serve.
  10. To serve, strip the meat from the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Stir the meat and orzo together before serving, with more parsley and parmesan to grate over, if you like.
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