Sharing is caring!

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken and Orzo

This Crockpot Marry Me Chicken and Orzo is a creamy, cheesy, one-pot dinner made with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings, and orzo pasta. Everything comes together in the slow cooker for an easy family dinner with all the rich, savory flavor of classic Marry Me Chicken.

The chicken cooks low and slow until it’s incredibly tender, while sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, and seasonings create the base for the sauce. Toward the end of cooking, orzo is stirred right into the Crockpot where it absorbs all that delicious flavor. Heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach finish the dish and turn it into a creamy, comforting dinner.

If you already love Marry Me Chicken, this version makes it even easier to serve because you don’t need to cook pasta separately. The orzo is right there in the creamy sauce with the chicken.

It’s cozy enough for fall and winter but easy enough for a busy weeknight.

Why You’ll Love Marry Me Chicken and Orzo

This is one of those slow cooker dinners that feels a little special without requiring a lot of work.

You’ll love it because it’s:

• Made in the Crockpot
• Creamy and cheesy
• Packed with sun-dried tomato flavor
• Made with tender chicken
• A complete dinner with orzo
• Easy enough for weeknights
• Perfect for family dinner
• Delicious for fall and winter
• Made with simple ingredients
• Finished with Parmesan and spinach

And cooking the orzo right in the sauce means fewer dishes to wash afterward.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil, optional
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• Fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
• Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

What Is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy chicken dish typically made with Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasonings.

The name comes from the idea that the chicken is so delicious someone might want to marry you after eating it.

Whether that’s actually going to happen is questionable.

But it is really good chicken.

There are all kinds of variations now, including Marry Me Chicken pasta, soup, meatballs, and slow cooker versions.

For this recipe, I’m combining those classic flavors with orzo to create an easy Crockpot dinner.

What Is Orzo?

Orzo looks a little like a large grain of rice, but it’s actually pasta.

Because the pieces are so small, orzo works especially well in creamy dishes and soups.

It absorbs broth and sauce while cooking, which is exactly what we want for this recipe.

Instead of serving Marry Me Chicken over pasta, we’re cooking the orzo directly in the flavorful sauce.

How to Make Crockpot Marry Me Chicken and Orzo

Season the Chicken

Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a large slow cooker.

Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika.

Sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the chicken.

Add the Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, you can add about a tablespoon of the flavorful oil from the jar.

This is optional, but it adds even more sun-dried tomato flavor to the chicken.

Add the Broth

Pour 2 cups of chicken broth around the chicken.

Don’t add the heavy cream yet.

Dairy can sometimes separate when cooked for several hours in a slow cooker, so we’ll add the cream near the end.

Cover the Crockpot.

How Long to Cook Marry Me Chicken

Cook on LOW for approximately 4–6 hours or HIGH for approximately 2–3 hours.

Cooking time can vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken breasts and your particular slow cooker.

The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Once it’s cooked, you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cut them into bite-size pieces, or shred them.

For Marry Me Chicken and Orzo, I like cutting the chicken into large bite-size pieces so you get plenty of chicken in every bowl.

When to Add the Orzo

This is important.

Don’t add the orzo at the beginning.

If orzo cooks in the slow cooker for several hours, it can become extremely soft and mushy.

Instead, add it near the end of cooking.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, stir 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo into the liquid in the Crockpot.

Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth.

Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 20–30 minutes.

Stir after about 15 minutes so the orzo doesn’t clump together or stick to the bottom.

Slow cookers vary considerably, so begin checking the pasta early.

You want the orzo tender but not mushy.

Make It Creamy

Once the orzo is almost tender, stir in:

• Heavy cream
• Butter
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh spinach

Add red pepper flakes if you’d like a little heat.

Stir everything together gently.

Cover and cook for another 5–10 minutes, just until the spinach wilts, the Parmesan melts, and the sauce becomes creamy.

The Sauce Will Thicken

Don’t worry if the sauce looks slightly thinner than you’d like when you first add the heavy cream.

Orzo continues absorbing liquid as it sits.

After several minutes, the sauce will become thicker and creamier.

In fact, leftovers can become quite thick because the pasta keeps absorbing sauce.

If the dish becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of warm chicken broth or heavy cream.

Use Freshly Grated Parmesan

For the smoothest sauce, I recommend freshly grating Parmesan cheese from a block.

Pre-shredded or grated Parmesan often contains anti-caking ingredients that can prevent it from melting as smoothly.

Add the Parmesan gradually and stir until it melts into the warm sauce.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs?

Yes.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are delicious in this recipe and tend to stay especially juicy in the slow cooker.

Use approximately 2 pounds and cook until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature.

Because thighs can vary in size, check them for doneness rather than relying only on cooking time.

Can I Use Half-and-Half Instead of Heavy Cream?

Yes.

Half-and-half can be substituted for the heavy cream if you’d like a slightly lighter sauce.

The finished dish won’t be quite as rich or thick, but it will still be creamy.

I prefer heavy cream because it gives Marry Me Chicken that signature rich sauce.

Don’t Skip the Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are one of the ingredients that gives Marry Me Chicken its distinctive flavor.

They’re slightly sweet, tangy, and intensely tomato-y.

Drain them before chopping, but if they’re packed in seasoned oil, save a tablespoon of that oil and add it to the Crockpot.

It adds even more flavor.

Add Spinach at the End

Fresh spinach only needs a few minutes to wilt.

If you add it at the beginning, it will cook for far too long.

Stir the spinach into the Crockpot at the same time you add the cream and Parmesan.

The heat from the sauce will wilt it quickly.

What If My Orzo Isn’t Cooked?

Slow cookers don’t all heat at exactly the same temperature.

If your orzo is still too firm after 30 minutes, stir it and continue cooking in 5–10 minute intervals.

If it has absorbed most of the liquid but still isn’t tender, add another splash of hot chicken broth.

Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender.

What If My Marry Me Chicken and Orzo Is Too Thick?

Orzo loves liquid.

As the dish sits, the pasta will continue soaking up the creamy sauce.

If it becomes thicker than you’d like, stir in:

• Chicken broth
• Heavy cream
• Half-and-half
• Milk

Add a little at a time until the sauce is creamy again.

What to Serve with Crockpot Marry Me Chicken and Orzo

Because this recipe already contains chicken, pasta, spinach, and a creamy sauce, you really don’t need much else.

I like serving it with:

• Garlic bread
• Crusty Italian bread
• Homemade dinner rolls
• Garlic knots
• Caesar salad
• Italian salad
• Roasted broccoli
• Green beans
• Asparagus
• Roasted Brussels sprouts

A simple salad and warm garlic bread would make this a complete dinner.

Make It Extra Cheesy

If your family loves cheese, add another 1/4–1/2 cup Parmesan.

You can also sprinkle additional Parmesan over each serving.

I wouldn’t add mozzarella to the sauce because it can make it overly stringy.

Parmesan gives you that savory, salty cheese flavor while keeping the sauce creamy.

Add a Little Heat

Red pepper flakes are optional, but they’re delicious with the creamy Parmesan and sun-dried tomato sauce.

Start with about 1/4 teaspoon if you only want a little warmth.

For more noticeable heat, use 1/2 teaspoon.

You can also place red pepper flakes on the table so everyone can add their own.

How to Store Leftovers

Transfer leftover Marry Me Chicken and Orzo to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

The orzo will continue absorbing sauce while refrigerated, so don’t be surprised if the leftovers are much thicker the next day.

How to Reheat Marry Me Chicken and Orzo

Add the leftovers to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.

Stir in a splash of chicken broth or cream.

Warm gently, stirring occasionally.

Add additional liquid as needed until the sauce becomes creamy again.

Finish with a little freshly grated Parmesan before serving.

Recipe Notes

Don’t add the orzo at the beginning of the slow-cooking time. It should be added near the end so it doesn’t become mushy.

Cooking times for orzo can vary between slow cookers. Begin checking it after about 20 minutes.

The orzo will continue absorbing liquid as the dish sits. Keep extra chicken broth nearby so you can thin the sauce if needed.

Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded Parmesan.

Add the heavy cream near the end of cooking rather than at the beginning.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken breasts.

For extra flavor, add a tablespoon of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes.

An Easy Marry Me Chicken Dinner in the Crockpot

There’s a reason Marry Me Chicken has become such a popular dinner. Creamy Parmesan sauce, garlic, Italian seasonings, tender chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes are just really good together.

Adding orzo makes it even more comforting.

Instead of cooking pasta in another pot and spooning the chicken over it, the orzo cooks right in those flavorful juices toward the end. Then the heavy cream, butter, Parmesan, and spinach turn everything into one big Crockpot full of creamy chicken and pasta.

Serve this Crockpot Marry Me Chicken and Orzo with warm garlic bread and a simple salad, and you’ve got an easy family dinner that tastes like you put a whole lot more work into it than you actually did.