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Stuffed Greek chicken with orzo in black cast iron casserole with black and white stripe towel around the outside edge

Stuffed Greek Chicken with Orzo

By: Deborah
The end result is nothing short of amazing...it's just so full of flavour, from the stuffing, the orzo and the juicy tender chicken. Enjoy any time of the year for Sunday roast or a nice meal when entertaining family or friends.
PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 1 hour 10 minutes
TOTAL: 1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 6 people
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Ingredients

  • 1.8 kg (4 lb) whole chicken
  • 75 g (2.6 oz) feta cheese crumbled
  • 115 g (4.1 oz) tomatoes chopped
  • 75 g (2.6 oz) coarse country bread torn into small pieces (bloomer bread works well)
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 3 tsp dried oregano
  • sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 225 g (1 ½ cups) orzo
  • 500 ml (2 ¼ cups) hot chicken stock (made using a stock cube or pot)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves or chopped leaves from 4 oregano sprigs
  • green salad or roasted red peppers to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6.
  • Put the chicken into an ovenproof dish (I use a cast iron one which is 30cm diameter). Mix the feta, tomatoes, bread, 4 tbsp of the oil, garlic and half the dried oregano and some seasoning in a bowl. Stuff this into the chicken cavity.
  • In another small bowl, mix the remaining tbsp of oil with the cayenne, rest of the dried oregano and some seasoning. Rub this flavoured oil over the chicken (breast and legs).
  • Roast in the oven for 50 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the orzo around the chicken and pour on the hot stock. Return to the oven for a final 20 minutes. Check half way through to make sure the orzo isn’t becoming dry (there should be enough stock in it, but top it up with a little boiling water if you need to).
  • The chicken should be cooked – check by piercing it deeply between the leg and body, the juices that run should be clear, with no traces of pink. The orzo should be tender and the stock should have been absorbed.
  • Stir the fresh chopped herbs into the orzo. Remove the chicken to a board and scoop out the stuffing into a bowl. Carve the chicken into pieces - 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings and cut the 2 breasts into thick slices. Place the chicken pieces on top of the orzo and serve straight from the dish, with the bowl of stuffing on the side. Serve with a green salad or roasted red peppers, if you like.

Notes

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Nutrition

Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 441mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 559IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS Diana Henry, From the Oven to the Table, Mother's Day, one pan, orzo, oven baked, stuffing, Sunday dinner, Sunday lunch, Sunday roast, whole chicken
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