Poussin With Orzo

Change up your chicken dinners with my roast poussin recipe. Incredibly easy to make all in one pot and perfect for date night or an impressive dinner.

Got leftovers? Make my Chicken Pastina Soup!

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

I remember that I served poussin to my now husband on our first Valentine’s Day dinner – with homemade choux for dessert. Nothing if not ambitious!

But while the choux were quite tricky, the roast poussin was delicious and very easy to make. If you are not familiar with poussin then read on!

Poussin (Chicken / Coquelet)

Poussin (pronounced poo-SAHN) sounds terribly fancy but is simply the French word for a young chicken. These small spring chickens weigh only about 450-500g (about a pound) and are perfect as a single serving.

The taste is similar to chicken but the meat is all white, lean, moist and very tender. You can find poussin in most large supermarkets in the UK. Poussin are less well known in the US but small Cornish Hens are an excellent substitute.

How to Cook Poussin

You can roast whole poussin in the oven or your air fryer. Spatchcock poussin can also be grilled.

Prepping poussin is super-easy – they are nothing but mini chickens after all. Just brush them with butter or oil, add seasoning and herbs and roast them.

Poussin with Orzo

This recipe is based on Greek family fave lemon chicken with orzo which I make quite a lot! This delicious dish cooks in a single pot, with the chicken juices adding extra flavor to the orzo.

You simply need butter, olive oil, shallots, garlic, lemon zest and juice, orzo, chicken broth, herbs and poussins.

I only made two when photographing this recipe but you can allow one per person for a more substantial meal.

How to Roast Poussin with Lemon Orzo

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat the butter in a large shallow casserole dish. Add the shallots and cook over low heat, stirring, for about five minutes or until slightly softened.

Add in the minced garlic, lemon juice and zest then stir in the orzo, coating it in the butter.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Place the poussin on top of the orzo and brush with olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme.

Transfer to the oven and roast for about 45 minutes, checking occasionally to see if you need to top the pan with some water.

The poussin is cooked when the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F) checked with an instant read thermometer. The juices should run clear when you insert the probe.

Rest for 10 minutes. Fluff the orzo with a fork and check the seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions, Parmesan and extra lemon zest.

Halve the poussin and serve with the orzo or roast one per person for a more satisfying meal!

Recipe Tips

• Do not rinse the chicken, simply pat dry with paper towels. Make sure to wash your hands, tools and any surfaces when preparing raw poultry.
• Save the poussin carcasses to use in my chicken carcass soup or to make chicken stock.
• Orzo absorbs a lot of liquid so make sure to check whether the pan is getting a bit dry while roasting. Top up with hot water or a little extra broth.

HAVE YOU MADE MY POUSSIN RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #Nusde and make my day!