Lydia asked for a fresh, lemony, garlicky, herby chicken the other night, and I made her a version of this dish. She claimed it was one of the best things I’d ever made her. So, naturally, I felt compelled to recreate it as best I could with a few small tweaks.
I really love the combination of chicken and orzo—they go hand in hand in my mind. It’s the perfect base to soak up any sauce and I grew up eating it quite often, so it’s always had this special place on my palate. If you don’t have orzo, rice or any grain you prefer will work well. I also considered using just the sautéed kale as the base with no grain, but figured it wouldn’t be as well received. People love a grain.
If you’re making this with a whole chicken—which I recommend—I suggest breaking it down the day before. Use the bones and carcass to make a simple stock, and air-dry the two deboned half chickens, skin side up on a tray in the fridge overnight. This will dry out the skin and give you a crispier result.
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