Make this chicken and orzo bake from Joe Wicks’ in big batches and freeze for another day or enjoy leftovers cold with salad for lunch.
If you’ve made Joe Wicks chicken pie recipe and have some leftover chicken you need to use, this orzo bake is a great option. It’s perfect for sharing with friends and family and takes only 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 red onion, peeled and diced
- 1 courgette, trimmed and diced (250g)
- 1 aubergine, trimmed and diced (250g)
- 4 sprigs of fresh oregano
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 250g orzo
- 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 250ml chicken stock
- 2 x 200g chicken breasts, cut into 1cm slices
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- salt and black pepper
- small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
- small bunch of chives, finely chopped
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6).
- Melt half of the oil in a heavy-based flameproof casserole dish over a medium to high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute, then throw in the courgette, aubergine, oregano, thyme and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Fry, stirring regularly for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Add the tomato puree and orzo and mix to combine. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock and bring the mixture quickly to the boil, stirring regularly. Put the lid on and slide the dish into the oven.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the sliced chicken and the remaining chopped garlic clove. Stir-fry the chicken so that it is virtually cooked through – it is more important at this stage to colour the meat than to cook it through.
- Sprinkle in the paprika along with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss the whole lot together.
- Remove the pasta from the oven and carefully take off the lid, stir in the chicken, slide the lid back on and bake the whole lot together for 10 more minutes.
- After 10 minutes, take the dish from the oven and stir through the parsley and chives. Serve straight from the dish to the masses.
Top tips for making Joe Wicks' chicken and orzo bake
This recipe can be made ahead and frozen. It was designed by Joe to be eaten after a workout so why not smash out a 20 minute HIIT session and then cook this up to refuel. For more tips and ingredient suggestions, continue reading below.
Is orzo a rice or pasta?
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta which is usually made from semolina flour. When cooked it has a soft texture but as with most pasta, it is best enjoyed al dente. You can cook orzo as a pasta bake, like in this recipe, or in a pot of salted boiling water as you would regular pasta. You can also use it to make a risotto-like meal.
What can I add to my chicken and orzo bake?
You could fry off some chorizo before frying the chicken and then stir both through the orzo to finish cooking. You can also swap the vegetables depending on what you have in the fridge. Peppers, mushrooms and sliced green beans are all tasty options.
How to freeze chicken and orzo bake?
Allow the bake to cool completely before diving into portions and freezing. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave, on the hob or in the oven until piping hot. You can serve the bake with a side salad if you like.
We have more Joe Wicks recipes that you might like. Including Joe Wicks’ satay chicken with Asian slaw and his healthy butter chicken.
Extracted from Joe’s 30 Minute Meals by Joe Wicks is out now (Bluebird)
