Slow cooker parmesan herb chicken & orzo is an easy, no-fuss crockpot meal with hearty flavors that will please the whole family.
The slow cooker is constant around our house! If you’re loving yours too, try Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Soup, Best Easy Slow Cooker Ribs, and Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken.
It’s feeling very Fall-ish around here. The air has definitely cooled off, the leaves are every shade of red and orange you can possibly imagine, and a huge rain storm just rolled through over the past couple of days giving me the perfect excuse to pull out my favorite grey wanna-be-Hunter rain boots. (Scored those babies for a steal of a deal from Nordstrom Rack last Spring, pretty much lived in them until Summertime came and in typical Utah desert fashion, a lack of rain storms.) It’s feeling like Fall inside my house though too, or rather smelling like Fall. Between the pumpkin harvest candle burning non-stop (thank you Target) and something yummy in the slow cooker all day long, it’s a little slice of heaven up in here.
I’m a little bit obsessed with this simple crockpot meal. Chicken and buttery orzo made all together in your slow cooker with herbs and garlic and melty parmesan cheese?? It just doesn’t get better than this. All you have to do is brown your chicken on the stove for a couple of minutes, then throw it int he slow cooker with your orzo, liquids, mushrooms, and seasonings, and let it cook for a few hours.
A few minutes before you’re ready to eat, just stir the orzo and sprinkle parmesan cheese all over the top. Cover it for about 5 more minutes so it gets all melty and ooey gooey delicious and then serve it up! Put it on your menu for this week, you will be so glad you did.
What people are saying about this Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Chicken & Orzo
“We had this tonight for dinner. My picky eater hubby LOVED IT!! His exact words were “It’s pretty good. You have to keep this one. Its really good. I really like it. ” The only thing I didn’t do was add mushrooms because I don’t like them. He said next time I make this to add the mushrooms. So thank you for this recipe we thoroughly enjoyed it. 
” – Milihn
“My boyfriend has never been one to try new recipes or even let me cook. Sunday I made this dish and it was a huge hit and success. So much of a success that my boyfriend asked me to make it again so it is currently cooking. This is an amazing dish!” – Carol
“I just have to say this recipe is a WIN! My fiancé is incredibly picky. Literally he eats all of my cooking but never comments, and this one did the trick! I’m surprised by all the reviews saying the orzo was soggy, mine was perfect. Wish I could try it with mushrooms, I’ll have to plan a girls night soon so I can. This is probably THE best crock pot recipe I’ve ever used. Thank you for sharing, this will be a regular in my home!” – Katie
“Made this last night – it was perfect. SO good. I fried the mushrooms in butter and added them at the end for a super great extra taste. Thanks for the great recipe! (The orzo was perfect, adding it about 45 minutes before we ate!” – Kayleigh
Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Chicken & Orzo
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - OR 4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning - divided
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta - (see note)
- 4 tablespoons butter - melted
- 1 cup sliced - mushrooms
- 1 medium white or yellow onion - finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt - (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - (or to taste)
- ½ cup shaved or finely shredded parmesan cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper and herbs (such as thyme or parsley) for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken with a bit of the Italian seasonings and salt and pepper on both sides. Cook in a large nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes on each side until browned on the outsides.
- Transfer chicken to a greased slow cooker. Add chicken broth, butter, mushrooms, onions, garlic, remaining Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours. Stir in orzo, cover and cook for another 30-45 minutes on high.
- Uncover and use a fork to pull chicken out of the slow cooker. Stir contents of slow cooker, then return chicken to slow cooker, on top of the orzo mixture.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over chicken. Cover and cook until cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes. Serve with fresh herbs and cracked black pepper if desired.
Andrea, it calls for 1 cup of orzo and you add it in with the rest of the ingredients on top of the chicken. I have this dish in my crock pot right now. 🙂
Thank you. When I originally posted orzo wasn’t listed, but I see that she’s updated it now!
I made this tonight and followed the recipe exactly. I cooked it on low for four hours. At four hours, when it was time to take the chicken out and stir the orzo, there was really a lot of liquid, and the orzo had just about turned to mush. The result was a very tasty dish, but the orzo was really mushy. I think the next time I make it, I will do it either on top of the stove or in the oven. For me, the longer cook time didn’t work for the orzo.
U dont add the orzo until after chox is done 1-2 hrs on high or 3-4hrs on low than add orzo cook for 30-45mins on high than take chix out and stir orzo. Add cheese lef melt and than serve
It was really good
If you out the whole package of orzo it doesn’t get mushy. I did 30 min on high when I put the orzo and ten min with the cheese on top
Thanks for your feedback!
You are totally right. The whole family will love today’s dinner ! 🙂
I like orzo, and the picture was yummy looking, so I made it tonight. I cooked it on low for 3 1/2 hours and then checked it. I checked it before the 4 hour mark because of Ginger’s review. But, just like Ginger said, the orzo even at the 3 1/2 hour mark, was mushy and looked nothing like the picture. The orzo was the consistency of stuffing.
Tiffany, did you cook yours on high? I’m thinking that maybe the shorter 2 hour cook time might work better even though it’s on the high temp?
If I make it again, it won’t be in the crock pot.
TO KATHY & GINGER: The reason for this is because chicken parts, (& also whole chickens) are being injected with a huge amount of water & sodium…. and only heaven knows what else! That’s why you had excess liquid. It wasn’t anything you did wrong, it was the lousy chicken which we’re now forced to buy! The only way to avoid this, is to purchase Organic Chicken, and yes….it costs a LOT more per lb. I used to roast a 4 – 5 lb. chicken in the oven with no problem. When I recently roasted a chicken in the oven, there was about 8ozs. of liquid left in the roasting pan….that never happened before, and I’ve been cooking for many years. I’m almost afraid to roast my Thanksgiving turkey this year, since it might braise, instead of roasting. I hope this info was helpful to you.
Well, no, that wasn’t my problem since I always buy organic chicken for the last few years now. And my chicken thighs were pretty small—which organic usually is, since they aren’t all plumped up with salt water.
So maybe 3 cups of chicken broth is too much for only one cup of orzo?
My guess is that it was too much broth …. or maybe trying to do the 2 hour cook on high might work better? I do plan to try again some time, because yours turned out and looks so good.
A point well taken, so I’ll try it again by using less broth. Thanks.
The reason your orzo is mushy is because you’re putting it in at the wrong time and it is cooking for too long. The directions state to put the chicken, mushrooms, onions, etc in your slow cooker then cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours. AFTER THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, you stir in the orzo, cover and cook for another 30-45 minutes on high. Try it this way and you should have perfect orzo. 🙂
I made this last night to have lunches ready for us to grab for a couple days. I did the 2 hour cook time on high and my orzo went to mush as well. It smells delicious and I’m sure the flavors will be great but sadly was not nearly as pretty as the pictures were! Thought I did something wrong as well, but looks to be similar to some other comments about mushy orzo. I never cook with orzo so how much less broth would you recommend for this recipe?
I love all of your recipes and always look forward to getting new emailed menu ideas!