This chicken, bacon and leek orzo is super hearty, simple to make and oozes comfort!
This is the kind of comfort food that sticks to your ribs. Not only is it really easy to make, but you only need one pan to whip it up in! Follow me…
Chicken and Bacon
For this recipe, we’ll be using chicken breasts. ‘Why not use thighs?’ I hear you cry! Whilst you could, I prefer using breast for this recipe for two reasons:
- The sauce is pretty rich with the bacon and cream, so it’s nice to offset that with a cut of chicken that’s not as fatty.
- I like to serve the chicken sliced on top, instead of cooking it in the sauce. It comes out much more tender and is visually more appealing than using thigh (although that is just my opinion).
Before we fry the chicken, we’ll be frying the bacon. This way, you can render out the fat and recycle it to fry the chicken (don’t let that liquid gold go to waste!).
To most efficiently extract the fat from the bacon, I recommend starting in a cold pan and frying at no higher than medium. You need to gently draw it out.
Process shots: slice chicken then season (photos 1&2), add bacon to pan (photo 3), fry then remove (photo 4), add chicken (photo 5), fry then remove (photo 6).
Creamy Leek Orzo
If you’ve been here for a while, you know I love a one pot orzo recipe as much as the next person. Cooking the orzo in with everything else is awesome for a few different reasons:
- Flavour – the orzo soaks in all the gorgeous flavours in the sauce as it cooks.
- Starch – the orzo releases starch as it cooks, which helps turn the sauce extra glossy and creamy.
- One Pot – the clue is in the name – rejoice for less washing up!
Orzo Consistency
It’ll seem like there’s a lot of liquid at the start, but the orzo will absorb a fair bit. You want the end result to be similar to a risotto. If you run out of liquid just simply add in more as needed. Keep in mind it’ll thicken up even more as you plate up.
Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), add leeks, garlic and thyme (photo 2), fry (photo 3), stir in orzo (photo 4), simmer with stock, cream, dijon and nutmeg (photo 5), stir in bacon and parmesan (photo 6).
How to serve Chicken, Bacon & Leek Orzo
I like to plate up the orzo and add the sliced chicken on top. When slicing the chicken, make sure you do it at a slight angle and preferably against the natural grain of the meat – just for maximum tenderness!
I also like to serve with a wedge of lemon. I find this really brightens up the dish and brings everything together. Just work to taste when squeezing it over.
For another chicken and bacon recipe check out my Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake!
For more orzo recipes check out my Orzo Roundup!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken, bacon and leek orzo shall we?!
How to make Chicken, Bacon & Leek Orzo (Full Recipe & Video)
Chicken, Bacon and Leek Orzo
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Deep Saucepan & Wooden Spoon
- Slotted Spoon (for removing bacon)
- Tongs (for chicken)
- Aluminium Foil (for resting chicken)
- Jug (for stock)
- Fine Cheese Grater (for parmesan)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2x 200g/7oz Chicken Breasts
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Olive Oil, as needed
Orzo
- 220g / 7.8oz Streaky Bacon, diced (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 medium/large Leeks, dark green part removed then finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 3-4 sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- 400g / 2 cups uncooked Orzo (see notes)
- 1 litre / 4 cups Chicken Stock, or as needed
- 240ml / 1 cup Double/Heavy Cream, leave at room temp
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 40g / 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
- 4 Lemon Wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Horizontally slice both chicken breasts right through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts, then coat both sides in the seasoning. Place to one side.
- Add the bacon to a large, deep saucepan with the heat off. Turn the heat to medium and fry the bacon until crisp with the fat rendered out. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving the excess fat in the pan.
- Top the pan up with oil if there's less than a tbsp or so of fat (just eyeball it), then raise the heat slightly to medium-high. Add the chicken and fry both sides for around 3 minutes until lightly charred on the outside and just about cooked through the centre. Remove and place on a plate to one side, then loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
- Melt the butter in the pan, then add the leeks, garlic and thyme. Sweat the leeks right down until they're nicely soft and golden (lower the heat if you need to). Stir in the uncooked orzo, pour in the stock and cream, then stir in the mustard and nutmeg. Simmer until the orzo is cooked through and the sauce thickens to a risotto-style consistency (it thickens more as it rests). Give a good stir now and then. If the sauce dries up before the orzo cooks, just add in more stock (or boiling water) as needed.
- Stir in the resting juices from the chicken, then stir in the parmesan and bacon. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Plate up the orzo (removing the thyme stalks as and when you find them) with the chicken thinly sliced on top. Serve with extra parmesan and lemon juice to taste. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
