Slow Cooker Chicken Diavolo With Orzo

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated February 5, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
5 hr 35 min
Rating
5(605)
Comments
Read comments

This pantry-friendly, one-pot meal is inspired by Italian chicken diavolo, a chile-slicked grilled chicken dish. But it’s most similar to the Italian-American invention fra diavolo, a spicy, tomato sauce often served with seafood. Here, chicken thighs braise in a rich, olive-oiled mix of tomato paste, peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. There’s no need to add extra liquid because all those ingredients give off their moisture as they cook, creating enough sauce to cook the orzo that’s added at the end. Enrich with a splash of cream to bring it all together and tame the heat, just a little. If your crushed red pepper flakes are fresh, one teaspoon will yield a medium spicy result. Feel free to adjust up or down, depending on your taste. 

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

  • 1 (12-ounce) jar sliced roasted red peppers, drained 

  • 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped

  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced

  • ⅓ cup tomato paste

  • ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (plain or packed in oil and drained)

  • ⅓ cup jarred, drained sliced hot cherry peppers

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

  • Black pepper

  • ¾ cup orzo

  • ¼ cup heavy cream (optional) 

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

25 grams carbs; 153 milligrams cholesterol; 409 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 738 milligrams sodium; 35 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, roasted peppers, bell pepper, garlic, shallot, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry peppers, oil, salt, crushed red pepper and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir well. Cook on low for 5 hours. 

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the orzo and cook on low for 15 minutes more, until the orzo is plumped and just tender.

  3. Step 3

    Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, if using. Coarsely shred the chicken with two forks. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
605 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Jan

I'm thinking that I would shred the chicken before adding the orzo for two reasons. One, so I won't have ozo clinging to the chicken thighs when I go to retrieve them and two, so that the ozo isn't sitting in the the pot getting softer during the time it takes me to shred the chicken.

J

I don’t have a slow cooker. How would you adjust the instructions for a Dutch oven?

kaela

Oh man, YUM. This recipe was the perfect combo of low effort, high reward, and maximum coziness that I really needed for dinner tonight! The only sub I made was using some pepperocinis instead of hot cherry peppers because I already had an open jar in the fridge. I might add a little more orzo next time, but otherwise this is going into the regular dinner rotation.

Todd

Ketchup is a spice in the Upper Midwest and this was just right. I accidentally bought mild cherry peppers, so I did add the pepper flakes. Spicy? Yes. Painful? No. Once the cream is added (it makes more sense to do this according to individual taste, after serving), the sharper edges mellow out and it is amazing in a way that wouldn’t happen without the pepper flakes. I also took the liberty of adding chicken stock so that I could double the orzo. It’s such a rich dish that more orzo could also be served on the side.

Kelly M

I deseeded all the peppers and only used half of the red pepper flakes. I added a quarter cup of heavy cream at the end and topped with mozzarella cheese. it was still spicy, but just the right amount. Delicious!

private noted

We enjoyed this very much. It wasn’t too hot at all.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.