Hi dinner, sorted community! I’m Emily Eggers and I’m excited to be taking over for Rachel here today!
A bit about me, I’m a professionally trained recipe developer, private chef, and food writer based in New York City. I also have a substack: The Kitchen Table, where I share recipes for people who love to cook. I feature all kinds of recipes, with a heavy focus on seafood and pasta dishes. I also write essays and articles about food in a larger context. I hold a master’s degree in Food Studies from NYU, as well as a culinary degree from the Institute of Culinary Education.
When I’m not cooking or writing, I love to spend time walking my 2 golden retrievers, Frank and George, or exploring local spots in my Brooklyn neighborhood (S/O to Chez Ma Tante and Radio Bakery - two of my faves) with my new husband, Alex.
Drop a comment below if you have any questions about me or my doggos, or just to say hey!
And you can find me over on: Instagram, TikTok, Substack and my Website.
Today’s recipe has all the best of late summer produce, but it is just cozy enough for those of you craving fall! It is bright and acidic from the lemon and the sungold tomatoes, but also rich and creamy from the creme fraiche and the juicy chicken thighs. It's all done in one pot (okay, plus a sheet pan if you want to get technical) and takes just about 30 minutes from start to finish!
creamy lemon & sungold orzo with crispy chicken thighs
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 30
tips.
make it GF: ✅ Swap the orzo for a gluten-free orzo or small GF pasta like rice-shaped pasta. Everything else is naturally gluten-free.
make it DF: ✅ Skip the crème fraîche and parmesan. Finish with a squeeze of extra lemon juice and a generous drizzle of good olive oil to keep it rich and saucy. Nutritional yeast can sub for the parmesan if you want that savory depth.
You might be wondering:
why start the chicken in a cold pan: this gives the fat under the skin time to slowly render as the pan heats up, which means crispier, more evenly golden skin. If you have a weighted press, use it to keep the skin in contact with the pan; a heavy lid or smaller pan works too.
