This was surprisingly excellent. The recipe said use bone in chicken thighs but I used chicken supreme larder trim as I feel like you get more meat. I enjoy a flaccid thigh but for bone in I favour a breast.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken supreme (or 6 bone in thighs)
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
250ml red wine
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp thyme (or 4 sprigs of fresh)
2 tbsp parsley
2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes
300ml chicken stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp capers
Handful of pitted green olives
300g orzo, rinsed (to keep it from getting too sticky when baked)
Method
Heat the oven to 200C fan/gas 7.
Rub 1 tbsp oil over the chicken and season well, then put skin-side up in an ovenproof casserole dish or roasting tin and bake for 20-25 mins until crisp and golden, but not cooked all the way though.
Remove from the dish and put on a plate.
Add the remaining oil to the dish, mixing it with the chicken fat.
Tip in the onion and garlic, then bake for 5-8 mins until the onion is tender.
Pour in the wine, stirring it with the onions, then leave to evaporate slightly in the residual heat before adding the bay, thyme, parsley and tomatoes.
Pour in the chicken stock.
Add the vinegar, capers, olives and orzo.
Stir well and season.
Nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up, and roast for 20 - 25 mins until the sauce is thickened, the orzo is tender and the meat is cooked through.
Give it a stir, then leave for 10 mins for the orzo to absorb the excess liquid.
