10/26/2026
The cozy fall evenings deserve a pot of something really good and we're sharing a Chef Cat favorite recipe with you today, perfect for a Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Sage Brown Butter Chicken & Orzo
Ingredients
4-6 chicken thighs, patted dry
2 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
12–15 fresh sage leaves, plus 1 Tbsp chopped sage
1 large shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1½ cups orzo
½ cup dry white w**e
3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
4 packed cups baby spinach
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
Zest of 1 lemon plus juice
Small pinch of nutmeg
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Heat oven to 400°F
Season chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat
Lay 3 thighs skin side down and don't move them for 5-8 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases on its own
Flip and cook a few more minutes, then move them to a plate
Repeat with the other 3
Pour off all but about 1 Tbsp of fat
Lower the heat to medium-low and add butter
Swirl it until it foams and smells nutty with brown flecks on the bottom
Add the sage leaves and fry about 30 seconds until crisp
Lift the leaves out onto a paper towel. Spoon about 2 Tbsp of the brown butter into a small bowl and set it aside for finishing
Add shallot to the pot and cook 2 minutes
Stir in garlic, chopped sage, sun-dried tomatoes and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute
Stir in orzo and toast it until a few pieces turn golden
Add the w**e and scrape up the browned bits
Let it bubble until it's mostly absorbed
Add the warm broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom once more
Nestle the chicken in skin side up, with the skin sitting above the liquid
Pour any juices from the plate into the pot
Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes
It's done when the orzo is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken reads 170-185°F
Stir the spinach, Parmesan, lemon, and nutmeg into the orzo until the spinach wilts and the orzo turns creamy
Drizzle with the reserved brown butter and scatter on the crispy sage, parsley and Parmesan
