Chicken Orzo Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Season the chicken thighs with salt and ground black pepper.
4 chicken thighs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet and sear the chicken thighs for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. It doesn’t have to be completely cooked at this point. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lower the heat to medium. In the same pan, add the shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning and red chili flakes and cook for a further minute.
1 large shallot
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Next, stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute until it darkens. Add the sundried tomatoes then the diced tomatoes, chicken stock and orzo. Stir well to combine.
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup sundried tomatoes
1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 cup orzo
Nestle the chicken thighs into the orzo mixture and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Scatter the basil leaves on top and serve immediately.
6-8 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese