Slow Cooker

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken with Tomatoes & Kalamata Olives

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Drescription

Let your slow cooker do the bulk of the work and end up with a meal that fulfills all your Mediterranean-food cravings. The mix of onions, tomatoes, kalamata olives, oregano and parsley adds pleasing acidity to the browned chicken, while toasted pine nuts lend interest to the orzo.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh juice (from 1 medium lemon)
  • 1 ¾ cups roughly chopped yellow onions (from 2 medium onions)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (about 12 medium olives)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 large breasts)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ¼ cups uncooked whole-wheat orzo pasta
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions

  1. Place the lemon zest in a bowl; cover and refrigerate. Stir together the lemon juice, onions, tomatoes, olives, and 2 tablespoons each oregano and parsley in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Sprinkle the chicken with the pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the oil to the skillet; swirl to coat. Add the chicken to the skillet; cook, turning once, until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 hours.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the orzo according to the package directions, omitting the salt and fat; drain. Stir the pine nuts and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt into the orzo.
  4. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, reserving the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones. Stir the chicken and lemon zest into the cooking liquid. Divide the orzo among 6 bowls. Serve the chicken mixture over the orzo, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each oregano and parsley.
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