Easy Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Lemon Chicken Orzo
This bright slow cooker 5-ingredient lemon chicken orzo is a hands-off weeknight dinner. Tender chicken and pasta simmered in a zesty, comforting broth!
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- wooden spoon
- Citrus juicer and zester
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 lemon medium, juiced and zested
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly grease the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker in a single layer. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken.
- Pour the chicken broth and lemon juice over the chicken thighs. Add the lemon zest to the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
- 30 to 40 minutes before serving time, uncover the slow cooker and add the orzo pasta. Stir the pasta to make sure it’s coated with the broth.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Cover and cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Turn off the slow cooker and shred the chicken thighs in the pot with two forks. Mix the shredded chicken with the cooked orzo.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 30gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 465mgPotassium: 510mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 162IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
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