One-Pot Chicken and Vegetable Orzo

Cook once, feed everyone: tender chicken thighs, orzo and soft vegetables simmered in one pan into a gentle, risotto-like supper. Built unsalted so every age at the table can eat it. For baby (from 7 months): take out a portion before adding parmesan, then chop or mash to suit their stage.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 1 small courgette, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300 g orzo pasta
• 900 ml low-salt chicken stock
• 100 g frozen peas
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 40 g parmesan, grated (to finish, adults and toddlers)
• 1 squeeze lemon juice (to finish)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the chopped chicken thighs over a medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot and courgette and soften.
3. Stir in the garlic, oregano and orzo, then pour in the low-salt stock.
4. Simmer, stirring now and then so the orzo does not stick, until the pasta is tender and the liquid mostly absorbed. Add the peas for the final 3 minutes.
5. For baby (from 7 months): scoop out their portion now, before the cheese, and chop or mash to the texture they manage. Check for and remove any large chicken pieces they cannot chew.
6. Stir the parmesan and lemon juice through the rest. Adults season at the table — never the pot.

Chef's note: Cook once, feed everyone. Use low-salt or homemade stock — regular cubes push a baby past their daily sodium in one bowl. Baby portions freeze well in cubes; family leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge, reheated until piping hot.

Nutrition per serving

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• Margherita Pizza
• Risotto alla Milanese
• Chicken Parmigiana
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• Minestrone Soup
• Tiramisu