Baked Chicken with Orzo

Name: Baked Chicken with Orzo (Kotopoulo Youvetsi)
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 cups Chicken Stock, plus more if needed; Salt; 1 pound orzo or elbow macaroni, cooked in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drained; 1 pound orzo or elbow macaroni, cooked in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drained; 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch crushed red pepper flakes; 2 cups grated ripe tomatoes (see Note) or canned diced tomatoes with their juice; 2 cups grated ripe tomatoes (see Note) or canned diced tomatoes with their juice; ½ cup coarsely grated hard myzithra, kefalotyri, pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; ½ cup coarsely grated hard myzithra, kefalotyri, pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 1 pound orzo or elbow macaroni, cooked in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drained; 1 pound orzo or elbow macaroni, cooked in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drained; ½ cup coarsely grated hard myzithra, kefalotyri, pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced; ⅓ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled; ⅓ cup olive oil; 1 4½-pound free-range chicken or capon, cut into 6 pieces, or 6 turkey drumsticks; 1 4½-pound free-range chicken or capon, cut into 6 pieces, or 6 turkey drumsticks; 1 4½-pound free-range chicken or capon, cut into 6 pieces, or 6 turkey drumsticks

Kotopoulo Youvetsi

Preparation info

Makes
6
servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Foods of the Greek Islands

By Aglaia Kremezi

Published 2000

About

THIS CHICKEN DISH is a common Sunday one-pot meal of the islands. In her wonderful taverna in Avgonima, Chios, Kalliopi Delios cooks homemade macaroni in the chicken-tomato stock. Orzo, elbow macaroni, ziti and penne rigate are good alternatives. This recipe is based on Kalliopi’s.

Ingredients

⅓ cup olive oil
1 4½-pound free-range chicken or capon, cut into 6 pieces, or 6

Europe
Greece
Main course
Mediterranean

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the chicken or turkey in batches until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.

Add the onion to the pot and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cinnamon sti