Crockpot Marry Me Chicken with Orzo

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 tbsp Butter (For searing the chicken)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (For drizzling over the chicken before seasoning; amount not stated in the transcript)
• Garlic and herb seasoning (For seasoning the chicken; amount and product details not stated)
• 2 tbsp Shallots (Diced in the description; minced in the transcript)
• 2 tbsp Garlic cloves (Minced; the description says “2T garlic cloves”)
• 0.75 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (Sliced)
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1.5 cup Low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup Dry orzo
• 2 cup Fresh baby spinach (Transcript specifies 2 cups uncooked; description gives 2–3 cups)
• 0.25 cup Heavy cream
• 0.25 cup Parmesan (Grated; transcript says 1/2 cup, while the description says 1/4 cup)
• Salt (To taste; adjust seasoning as needed)
• Black pepper (To taste; adjust seasoning as needed)
• Fresh parsley (Optional, for finishing; amount not stated)
• Onions (Sliced; mentioned in the instructions as a bed for the chicken, but no quantity is given)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the sauce mixture by combining the chicken broth, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, minced shallots, minced garlic, and tomato paste. Mix well and set aside.

2. 2

   Drizzle the chicken thighs with extra-virgin olive oil and season them with garlic and herb seasoning.

3. 3

   Hard-sear the seasoned chicken thighs in the butter.

4. 4

   Place sliced onions in the crockpot as a bed, then add the seared chicken thighs.

5. 5

   Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or HIGH for 2–2½ hours, until tender and the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

6. 6

   Remove the cooked chicken from the crockpot and set it aside. Stir the dry orzo into the sauce and cooking juices.

7. 7

   Cover and cook on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, stirring every 8–10 minutes so the orzo does not stick. Cook until the orzo is tender; it will absorb the broth and cooking juices.

8. 8

   Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan.

9. 9

   Cover and cook on HIGH for another 3–5 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and the sauce becomes creamy.

10. 10

    Dice the chicken, then turn off the crockpot.

11. 11

    Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.

12. 12

    Spoon the chicken and orzo onto plates and finish with fresh parsley, if using. Serve immediately, since the orzo will continue absorbing the creamy sauce as it sits.

Notes

The written description lists 1/4 cup Parmesan and 2–3 cups spinach; the transcript says 1/2 cup Parmesan and 2 cups spinach. Used the description’s Parmesan amount and the transcript’s spinach amount. The description names shallots, while the instructions mention sliced onions; no separate onion quantity is provided. The garlic-and-herb seasoning and olive oil amounts are unspecified. The transcript describes cooking LOW for 3–4 hours, while the description also gives a HIGH setting option.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• slow-cooked
• crockpot
• comfort food
• chicken
• creamy
• pasta
• family dinner