Description
This Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Orzo is a comforting and easy-to-make dish featuring tender cubed chicken breasts cooked in a flavorful mixture of garlic, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. The dish is enriched with creamy heavy cream, fresh spinach, and Parmesan cheese, combined with tender orzo pasta to create a rich and satisfying meal that slowly cooks itself to perfection in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (not in oil)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Liquids and Dairy
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 1 cup orzo pasta
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Place the cubed chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper evenly over the chicken.
- Add aromatics and vegetables: Scatter minced garlic and diced onion on top of the chicken. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ensuring they are spread across the ingredients to infuse the dish with flavor.
- Add broth and cook: Pour the low sodium chicken broth gently over the mixture. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 2-3 hours or on high for 1 to 1.5 hours, allowing the chicken to cook through and flavors to meld.
- Add cream and orzo: Once the chicken is nearly done, add the heavy cream and orzo pasta to the slow cooker. Continue cooking on low for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and cooked through.
- Finish with spinach and cheese: Stir in the fresh chopped spinach and Parmesan cheese until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts smoothly into the creamy sauce.
- Adjust and serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, enjoying this rich, creamy, and comforting Tuscan-inspired meal.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for an easy weeknight meal that you can set and forget in your slow cooker.
- Using low sodium chicken broth allows you to control the saltiness of the dish more precisely.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, you can add a little more chicken broth or heavy cream at the end of cooking.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream and Parmesan with suitable plant-based alternatives.
- Make sure the orzo is fully cooked before serving; cooking times may vary slightly between slow cooker models.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 594 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 532 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
