Rosemary Roasted Chicken With Orzo, Porcini Mushrooms, Piment D'Espelette and Red Wine.

Oven roasted chicken with orzo is a typical Greek home dish. Nothing fancy just chicken and orzo. But the secret is how is this done....

Ingredients for 6:

• 1 whole chicken skin on 1 kg 800 gr.
• 10 sprigs of rosemary.
• 2 T olive oil.
• Freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients for the orzo:

• 1 litre of water.
• 500 gr of orzo.
• 10 slices of dried porcini mushrooms cut by scissors into small bits.
• 1 whole piment d'Espelette also cut by scissors into fine strips.
• 3 T tomato paste or concentrate or pure.
• Small glass of red whine.
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
• Place your chicken in a baking dish, brush with olive oil.
• Sprinkle with pepper and rosemary every where even in the chicken cavity.
• Roast for half an hour breast down.
• Roast for another half hour breast up.
• Make sure the chicken is cooked by inserting the meat thermometer in the thigh not touching the bone should be over 74 degrees Celsius.
• Take out from oven.

Method for orzo:

• Bring 1 liter of water to a boil, add the porcini mushrooms, piment d'Espelette, red wine. tomato concentrate, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
• As soon as the chicken is ready, bring out from oven add the raw orzo around the chicken and pour in the liquid mixture.
• Return into the oven, turn off the heat, and let the orzo absorb the liquid letting it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes .
• Done.

You can add grated cheese on the orzo if you wish

Enjoy!

Stelio