Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet or shallow casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Place them skin-side down in the hot oil—you should hear a confident, steady sizzle. Let them cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes, until the skin is a deep, burnished gold and releases easily from the pan. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. The colour here is everything; a pale skin won't give you that same rich, savoury depth. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sweat the aromatics. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of the rendered fat from the pan (leave the lovely browned bits on the bottom). Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, letting the onion soften for 4-5 minutes until it turns translucent and smells sweet. The kitchen will start to smell wonderfully savoury at this point. Add the sliced garlic and cook for one minute more, just until fragrant—don't let it colour.

Add the vegetables. Tip in the diced courgettes and red pepper. Stir everything together and cook for 4-5 minutes. You want the courgettes to soften slightly but still hold their shape; they should look glossy and the pepper should have brightened in colour. Season with a pinch of salt and the dried oregano and smoked paprika, stirring to coat the vegetables in the spices.

Stir in the orzo and liquids. Add the dry orzo to the pan and stir for about a minute, letting the grains toast very lightly in the residual heat—this helps them hold their shape during baking. Pour in the warm chicken stock and the chopped tomatoes. Add the lemon zest and a good squeeze of lemon juice (about half the lemon). Stir well, scraping up any last bits from the bottom of the pan. The liquid should look vibrant and slightly orange from the tomatoes and paprika.

Nestle the chicken back in. Return the browned chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side up, nestling them into the orzo mixture. They should sit proud of the liquid so the skin stays crispy. Scatter the halved olives around the chicken. Bring the whole pan to a gentle simmer on the stovetop—you'll see small, lazy bubbles breaking the surface around the edges. This step is crucial for a good bake.

Bake to perfection. Transfer the pan to an oven preheated to 190°C (170°C fan) and bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes. Halfway through, the kitchen will smell intensely of lemon and herbs. The dish is ready when the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, leaving a creamy, risotto-like consistency, and the chicken skin is crisp and golden. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 75°C. If the top needs more colour, pop it under the grill for the final 2-3 minutes.

Rest and finish. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes—this allows the orzo to settle and the juices to redistribute through the chicken. Scatter over the crumbled feta (if using) and the fresh parsley. The steam will carry the scent of fresh herbs right to your nose. Serve directly from the pan, scooping up some of the creamy orzo with each piece of chicken.