Slow Cooker Chicken Diavolo With Orzo

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 12 oz sliced roasted red peppers (Drained)
• 1 bell pepper (Red, orange, or yellow; chopped)
• 8 garlic cloves (Smashed and chopped)
• 1 shallot (Thinly sliced)
• 0.333 cup tomato paste
• 0.333 cup sun-dried tomatoes (Chopped; plain or packed in oil and drained)
• 0.333 cup hot cherry peppers (Jarred, drained, and sliced)
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt (Such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (Or to taste)
• black pepper (Several generous grinds)
• 0.75 cup orzo
• 0.25 cup heavy cream (Optional)
• fresh parsley (Chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the chicken thighs in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker.

2. 2

   Add the drained roasted red peppers, chopped bell pepper, garlic, sliced shallot, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, hot cherry peppers, olive oil, kosher salt, crushed red pepper, and several generous grinds of black pepper.

3. 3

   Stir thoroughly so the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with the tomato paste, oil, and seasonings.

4. 4

   Cover and cook on the low setting for 5 hours, until the chicken is tender and the peppers have released enough moisture to form a rich sauce.

5. 5

   Stir in the orzo, cover the slow cooker again, and cook on low for 15 minutes more, until the orzo is plumped and just tender. If the orzo is not tender, continue cooking briefly and check frequently to avoid overcooking.

6. 6

   Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the heavy cream, if using, to enrich the sauce and temper the heat.

7. 7

   Coarsely shred the chicken with two forks directly in the slow cooker, leaving some substantial pieces rather than shredding it finely.

8. 8

   Taste and adjust the seasoning or crushed red pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

The recipe notes that one teaspoon of fresh crushed red pepper gives a medium-spicy result; adjust it up or down to taste. The cream is optional and helps mellow the heat. The finished dish can be somewhat rich because of the olive oil and cream, so the cream may be omitted if desired.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• slow-cooked
• one-pot
• Italian-American
• spicy
• chicken
• pasta
• comfort food