Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Orzo Risotto & Zucchini

Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Orzo Risotto

& Zucchini

Wellness at Blue Apron
Find recipes that suit your lifestyle with our new nutritionist-approved dietary tags.
Vegetarian
Our vegetarian recipes contain no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood, but may include eggs, and animal-based dairy products, such as cheese and sour cream, as well as honey.
600 Calories Or Less
All of these delicious recipes come in at 600 calories or less per serving, ideal for those who choose to monitor their caloric intake, without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration recommends a 2000 calorie daily intake for the general population. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
WW Recommended
If you spot the WW logo next to a recipe, get excited! These recipes factor in calories, sugar, saturated fats, and protein to help guide you toward nutritious foods—while still keeping dinner satisfying and delicious. PersonalPoints™ are assigned to recipes on an “as packaged” basis. To learn more about WW (formerly Weight Watchers) visit our partner’s website at WW.com.
Carb Conscious
Our Carb Conscious recipes provide a balanced approach to carbohydrate consumption by replacing refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Our Carb Conscious recipes have 42g or less of net carbohydrates (total carbohydrates minus dietary fiber) per serving, a 25% reduction in net carbs compared to the average Blue Apron recipe served in 2019. Due to the natural variation in size of and contribution of produce in our recipes, some recipes can be badged as Carb Conscious at 45g or less net carbs per serving.

From the Test Kitchen

Risotto actually refers to the method often used to prepare rice, not the rice dish itself. In this case, orzo, a small, flat pasta, and sweet potato are cooked in this style, slowly with lots of stirring. The slow simmering and frequent stirring help achieve the creamy consistency (usually produced by Carnaroli or Arborio rice) while the pasta maintains its al dente texture.

Get Cooking
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Orzo Risotto & Zucchini
Title
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 2 Small Zucchinis
  • 1 bunch Basil
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Sweet Potato
  • 1 cup Orzo
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth
  • 4 Boneless Chicken Thighs
  • 1 Lemon
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
step-by-step
instructions
Cook Along Triangle Created with Sketch.
Prepare your ingredients:
1 Prepare your ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and slice the garlic. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into ½-inch-thick sticks. Pick the basil leaves off their stems. Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and small dice the sweet potato.
Start cooking the sweet potato orzo:
2 Start cooking the sweet potato orzo:
In a medium pot, heat some olive oil on high until hot. Add the onion and sweet potato, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sweet potato starts to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the orzo, and cook 1 minute to lightly toast the orzo, stirring.
Simmer the orzo:
3 Simmer the orzo:
Add the chicken broth and 1¼ cups of water. Bring the orzo mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 12 to 14 minutes or until the orzo and sweet potato are cooked through and the mixture has thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. (If the mixture seems too thick while it simmers, you can add about ¼ cup more water.)
Cook the chicken:
4 Cook the chicken:
While the orzo simmers, cook the chicken. In a large pan, heat some olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook 7 to 9 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. (If you like, you can cover the pan with foil to help the chicken cook more quickly.) Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest. Meanwhile, thinly chiffonade, or slice the basil by stacking then rolling up the leaves, and cutting the roll crosswise into thin ribbons.
Cook the zucchini:
5 Cook the zucchini:
Drain off any excess grease from the pan used for the chicken, and heat the pan on medium-high. Add the garlic and the zucchini to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the sliced basil over the zucchini. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze some lemon juice over the zucchini.
Plate your dish:
6 Plate your dish:
Place some of the orzo and zucchini on plates. Top with some of the chicken. Squeeze some lemon juice over the chicken and zucchini. Garnish with lemon wedges and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Orzo Risotto

Prepare your ingredients:
1 Prepare your ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and slice the garlic. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into ½-inch-thick sticks. Pick the basil leaves off their stems. Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and small dice the sweet potato.
2 Start cooking the sweet potato orzo:
In a medium pot, heat some olive oil on high until hot. Add the onion and sweet potato, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sweet potato starts to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the orzo, and cook 1 minute to lightly toast the orzo, stirring.
Start cooking the sweet potato orzo:
Simmer the orzo:
3 Simmer the orzo:
Add the chicken broth and 1¼ cups of water. Bring the orzo mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 12 to 14 minutes or until the orzo and sweet potato are cooked through and the mixture has thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. (If the mixture seems too thick while it simmers, you can add about ¼ cup more water.)
4 Cook the chicken:
While the orzo simmers, cook the chicken. In a large pan, heat some olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook 7 to 9 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. (If you like, you can cover the pan with foil to help the chicken cook more quickly.) Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest. Meanwhile, thinly chiffonade, or slice the basil by stacking then rolling up the leaves, and cutting the roll crosswise into thin ribbons.
Cook the chicken:
Cook the zucchini:
5 Cook the zucchini:
Drain off any excess grease from the pan used for the chicken, and heat the pan on medium-high. Add the garlic and the zucchini to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the sliced basil over the zucchini. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze some lemon juice over the zucchini.
6 Plate your dish:
Place some of the orzo and zucchini on plates. Top with some of the chicken. Squeeze some lemon juice over the chicken and zucchini. Garnish with lemon wedges and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Plate your dish:
Browse Steps
1 of 6