Spinach Artichoke Chicken Orzo Bake Recipe
This Spinach Artichoke Chicken Orzo Bake is a flavorful and hearty slow-cooked dish featuring tender, spiced chicken thighs infused with aromatic Mediterranean spices, layered over red onions, and perfect for shredding and serving in various ways. It’s a versatile, comforting meal that can be enjoyed in pita, wraps, bowls, salads, or over rice, enhanced with optional tahini sauce and fresh lemon.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes (average between LOW and HIGH settings)
- Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
Optional Toppings
- Tahini sauce
- Chopped parsley
- Red pepper flakes
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Prep the chicken and marinade: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs and toss thoroughly to ensure each piece is well coated with the marinade.
- Layer in the slow cooker: Spread the thinly sliced red onion evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs evenly on top of the onions in a single layer to allow even cooking.
- Slow cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix to soak up the cooking juices and flavors.
- Serve: Serve the shredded chicken warm in pita bread, wraps, over bowls or salads, or alongside rice. Garnish with optional toppings such as tahini sauce, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, or a squeeze of fresh lemon for added brightness and flavor.
Notes
- Adjust the spices and salt according to your taste preference.
- The slow cooker method ensures tender, flavorful chicken with minimal hands-on time.
- For a complete meal, pair with cooked orzo pasta and sautéed spinach to turn it into a true spinach artichoke chicken orzo bake.
- If you want to speed up the cooking process, you can cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours instead of LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Keywords: spinach artichoke chicken, slow cooker chicken, Mediterranean chicken, shredded chicken, healthy chicken dinner, easy chicken recipe, slow cooked chicken thighs
