Crock-Pot Lemon Parmesan Chicken Orzo

Steps

1. 1

   Place the 2 pounds of chicken thighs in a crock pot.

2. 2

   Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.

3. 3

   Add the zest of 1 lemon and 3 cups of unsalted chicken broth to the crock pot.

4. 4

   Cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.

   Start 4-hour timer
5. 5

   When the chicken is nearly done, prepare the creamy sauce. Add the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and approximately 1/2 cup of chicken broth to a blender.

6. 6

   Blend the cottage cheese, yogurt, and broth into a smooth creamy sauce.

7. 7

   Shred the cooked chicken in the crock pot.

8. 8

   Add 1 1/2 cups of chickpea protein orzo—the creator notes that this was the entire box—and mix it into the chicken and broth.

9. 9

   Cook the chicken and orzo together on high for another 30 minutes, until the orzo is cooked.

   Start 30-minute timer
10. 10

    Add the blended creamy sauce to the cooked chicken and orzo.

11. 11

    Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and mix until the cheese has melted into the sauce.

12. 12

    Squeeze the juice of 1 1/2 lemons into the orzo and stir to combine.

13. 13

    Wilt the spinach separately, then stir it into the finished orzo. The creator added it afterward because it was accidentally omitted from the crock pot.