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If you love an easy slow cooker dinner that feels like so much more than a “throw it in the crockpot” meal, this Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken is for you. Tender chicken, creamy white beans, and hearty orzo all cook together in a rich, savory Tuscan-inspired sauce for a cozy one-pot meal the whole family will love! It’s easy, comforting, packed with protein and fiber, and completely weeknight-friendly. And if my family is any indication, you’ll want to keep this one in the regular rotation.
This is my heartier take on classic Tuscan chicken, and honestly, it has quickly become one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. Everything goes into the slow cooker in about five minutes, then you can let it do its thing while the rest of the day happens. By dinnertime, you have tender chicken, perfectly cooked orzo, and a flavorful sauce that tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant… not something you tossed together before heading out the door!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe!
- Genuinely one-pot — the orzo cooks right in the sauce, no separate pasta pot to wash
- Heartier than typical Tuscan chicken — white beans add real fiber and body, turning this into more of a stew-like main than a thin cream sauce
- Hands-off — chicken thighs slow cook for hours while you do literally anything else
- Restaurant-style flavor — sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and a rich cream cheese finish, without the restaurant effort
How to Make Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- Season your chicken thighs with Italian seasoning and salt and place inside the slow cooker. Top with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
- Check your chicken at the 3 hour mark (it may take up to 4 hours). If it’s tender and cooked, remove from the slow cooker and shred, keeping the broth and artichoke hearts/sun-dried tomatoes inside the slow cooker. Set the chicken aside.
- Add the orzo, ensuring that it’s completely covered by the liquid. Set the slow cooker to high and top with the lid.
- Let cook for another 30 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed by the orzo. Stir in the cream cheese, spinach, white beans, and shredded chicken. Keep the slow cooker on the warm setting and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until everything is well incorporated.
- Serve hot with fresh parmesan cheese.
Tips for Success
- Save the cream cheese for last. Stir it in after the orzo is tender, off the heat or on warm, for the smoothest sauce.
- Pull the chicken out once it’s cooked, and keep it out. After the initial 3-4 hours, the chicken is done. It only goes back into the pot at the very end. Leaving it in through the orzo stage risks overcooking it further, since it’s already fully done.
- Check your liquid level before adding the orzo. Several hours of slow cooking will have reduced the broth some. Orzo needs to be fully submerged to cook evenly, so top it off with additional broth if needed.
- Orzo cooks fast — don’t walk away for the full time range. Check at the 15-minute mark on high. It can go from underdone to overdone faster than you’d expect for something cooked in a slow cooker.
How to Serve
This is filling enough to stand on its own, but a simple green salad or some crusty bread for soaking up the extra sauce rounds it out nicely.
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Orzo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, (possibly more if needed*)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, (drained and chopped)
- 1 cup arthichoke hearts , (canned or jarred, drained and quartered)
- 1.5 cups orzo pasta
- 4 oz cream cheese, (cubed and softened)
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, (drained and rinsed)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Italian seasoning and salt. Pour the chicken broth on top. Set your slow cooker to low for 3 hours,
- Check the chicken at the 3 hour mark. It it's tender and cooked, remove from the pot and shred with a fork. If not, let it cook another hour. Not all slow cookers cook the same! Once the chicken is shredded, set it aside and cover it, keeping it warm.
- Add the orzo to the pot of broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes. Ensure you have enough broth to completely submerge the orzo. You may need to add another 1/2 cup – 1 cup broth. Change the temperature to high and cover with the lid.
- Check the orzo at the 15 minute mark. It will be tender with most liquid absorbed between the 15 – 25 minute mark.
- Once the orzo is al dente (you don't want it to be too soft), stir in the cream cheese, spinach, beans, and the chicken. Cover with the lid and change the temperature of the slow cooker to warm. Let sit for another 5-10 minutes until everything is nice and incorporated.
- Serve hot with fresh parmesan and sea salt as needed.
