Skillet Chicken with Orzo, Dill and Feta

The Delaney Test Kitchen was excited to try this recipe from @NYTCooking that included Feta, since   a) I am always looking for something interesting to cook in our cast iron pan (it feels more Southern than a regular saute pan), and b) after the success of TikTok Feta, I was eager to try another Feta recipe.
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This one was more of a hit with the adults than the kids, but I really loved it since it included two of my favorite things – dill and olives. I think with one minor change it will work with everyone. The recipe calls for cooking the orzo in chicken broth or water.  I found it to be so much more flavorful with the broth, but not as appetizing to my little picky eater. So if you have one of those, you may want to just use water.
 
My favorite flavor in this dish was from the dill.  It was a nice change from what we normally expect from chicken and pasta, and it always pairs well with feta.
 
If you try this one, please let me know how it goes!

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Skillet Chicken with Orzo, Dill and Feta

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lemons
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 pounds chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups orzo
• 3 cups chicken broth or water
• 2 small or 1 large thin-skinned (English) cucumbers, chopped
• 5 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
•  Castelvetrano or other green olives, for serving

PREPARATION:

1. Cut one of the lemons into wedges and set aside. Juice the remaining lemon and combine with 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, in a large resealable plastic bag or in a bowl, along with the chicken pieces. Seal and shake the bag (or stir in the bowl) to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight.
2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and cook until lightly golden all over, turning when the chicken releases easily from the pan, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the pan and stir to coat with the remaining fat. Decrease heat to medium and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the orzo and the broth or water. Cook until the liquid is partly absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Top with the chicken legs and cover with a lid or foil. Continue cooking until the orzo is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more, depending on the size of your drumsticks or thighs. Remove from the heat and scatter the cucumber, feta and dill over the top. Serve from the skillet with lemon wedges and olives.

Tip:

• Some cast-iron skillets come with a matching lid, which is useful for making the skillet operate a bit like a mini stove-top oven, cooking evenly and basting the food with flavor and steam. If you don’t have one, use a lid from another pan, or two layers of thick foil, folded at the center and large enough to cover your pan.

Chicken, Orzo and Onion in the pan before adding cucumber, feta, dill or olives.