Kotopoulo Giouvetsi Recipe (Greek Baked Chicken with Orzo)

Kotopoulo giouvetsi takes the classic giouvetsi idea, orzo baked directly in a rich, cinnamon-spiced meat and tomato sauce, and lightens it considerably by using chicken rather than the traditional beef, which needs nowhere near the same hours-long braise before the orzo stage even begins.

This makes it a genuinely realistic weeknight version of a dish that otherwise takes the better part of an afternoon, without losing the specific comfort of orzo that has properly absorbed a rich, meaty tomato sauce.

The technique still splits into two stages, building the chicken and tomato base first, then baking the orzo directly in it, but the whole process from start to finish fits into about an hour rather than giouvetsi's usual half-day commitment.

Key preparation steps

1. Brown chicken pieces well.
2. Build a cinnamon-spiced tomato sauce around the chicken.
3. Simmer until the chicken is tender.
4. Add orzo and bake until it has absorbed the sauce.

Browning and building the sauce

Brown bone-in chicken pieces, thighs work particularly well here, in a wide ovenproof pot, then cook onion and garlic in the same fat, add tomato paste, tinned tomato, a cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and enough water to come partway up the chicken.

Simmering the chicken

Simmer gently, covered, for around thirty minutes, considerably less than beef would need, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, since chicken thigh becomes properly tender far faster than any beef braising cut.

Adding the orzo and baking

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, stir in the orzo directly along with a little extra hot water, and transfer to a hot oven, uncovered, for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the orzo has absorbed the sauce and turned tender, checking regularly since orzo cooks through quickly. Serve straight from the dish with grated cheese.

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