One-Pan Chicken and Orzo

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Add Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, paprika, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Use your hands or tongs to coat the chicken thoroughly with the mixture.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt completely. Add the chicken and sear on each side for 6 to 7 minutes until browned, but not fully cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, slice the lemon into thin rounds. In the last few minutes of cooking, nestle the lemon slices into the skillet with the chicken. Once the chicken and lemon have browned slightly, remove them from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

Peel and finely chop the shallot. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Add both to the same skillet and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Pour in the orzo and stir, letting it toast lightly until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil.

While it heats, halve the cherry tomatoes and roughly chop the spinach. Add both to the skillet and stir to combine.

Return the chicken and lemon slices (along with any juices) to the skillet, nestling them on top of the orzo mixture. Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the chicken is fully cooked through.

Serve hot, topped with crumbled feta.