Welcome back to Revenge of the Crockpot!!
A few months ago, I started this series to heal your slow cooker trauma, one recipe at a time. You know the pain—years of soupy, sloppy recipes you can’t exactly identify, except you’re really sure that there’s a full block of cream cheese and a couple cans of something in there.
In fact, those recipes are what led me away from the slow cooker for years, feeling almost certain that nothing truly delicious could be made in it. Then I took back my power and vowed to seek vengeance.
And justice is truly mine.
It started with Crockpot pollo a la brasa (ish), then it was Marry Me Chicken: Spring Edit, then Crockpot Thai mango coconut curry chicken—recipes I refuse to be identifiably of the slow cooker.
Now? We’re switching gears and going lemony, briny, fall-apart tender. Greek inspired, heavy on the comfort whilst also feeling light and bright.
Basically, it’s what you need in your back pocket as we head back to school, sports, and more obligations than we have time in our days.
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What you need to know:
Thighs only here — breasts will dry out in the slow cooker and you’ll miss the whole point.
The orzo will keep absorbing liquid as it sits, so leftovers will be thicker and more risotto-adjacent. Stir in broth as you reheat, until it suits your texture preferences.
You could absolutely reheat this as an avgolemono-style soup, with extra chicken broth and lemon juice. Authentic? Nah. Delicious? Absolutely.
What you need to do:
Set it
Forget it
Let’s get into it!
Slow Cooker Greek Lemon Chicken with Orzo
For the chicken
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
2 tsp lemon zest
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 small yellow onion, diced
For finishing
1 cup dry orzo
2 cups baby spinach
½ cup crumbled feta
That ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice from above
For serving
Fresh dill or parsley, chopped
Extra feta
Lemon wedges
Kalamata olives (optional but nooootttt really)
Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker. Whisk the broth, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper together in a measuring cup, then pour it all over the chicken. Scatter the diced onion on top.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
Shred the chicken right there in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir in the orzo and lemon juice, cover, and cook on high for another 20 to 25 minutes until the orzo is tender and has drunk up most of the liquid. Give it a stir halfway through if you’re walking by.
Once the orzo is done, stir in the spinach and feta. The residual heat wilts the spinach and melts the feta into something silky and a little creamy. Taste — it’ll probably want a little more salt or another squeeze of lemon.
Serve in wide bowls with fresh dill, extra feta, a lemon wedge, and a handful of kalamatas.