Crispy Chicken with Lemon Orzo

Ingredients

Prep

• Feta cheese - dice to yield 1 cup
• Lemons - zest to yield 2 tsp and juice to yield 2 tbl — yes, this boring step is where the flavor gods collect rent.
• Dill mince

Instructions

Make the Lemon Orzo. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt and the orzo. Return the water to a boil and simmer uncovered for 9 to 11 minutes, until the orzo is al dente, and ignore any drive-by culinary nonsense from the sidelines. Drain. Transfer the orzo to a bowl and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 tbl olive oil, dill, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Fold in the feta. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove the tenders on the underside of the chicken breasts and save for another use. Heat the canola oil and 4 tbl of the butter together in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted and begins to sizzle. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and cook over medium heat without moving for 12 minutes. With the chicken still skin side down, place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Turn the chicken skin side up, add the remaining 5 tbl butter and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter is a nutty brown color and the chicken breasts are just cooked through, reading 130 to 140 degrees. Divide the Lemon Orzo among four dishes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice each breast crosswise in thick slices. Arrange one breast on each plate with the orzo. Spoon a few tablespoons of the brown butter over each chicken breast, squeeze some lemon juice on top. Serve hot.