Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 28 oz crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz Neufchâtel cheese
  • 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano
  • 12 oz whole wheat or gluten-free pasta

Instructions:

  1. Pat chicken thighs dry. In a hot cast-iron skillet, sear the chicken until a mahogany-colored crust forms on both sides to initiate the Maillard reaction.
  2. Place the seared chicken into the 6-quart slow cooker. Layer with diced onions, minced garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, and crushed tomatoes. Stir gently to ensure chicken is submerged.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours (or High for 3 hours) until the chicken is tender and connective tissue has broken down.
  4. Thirty minutes before serving, remove the chicken and shred coarsely. Whisk Neufchâtel cheese and Greek yogurt into the sauce until smooth.
  5. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Fold in fresh basil and Parmesan Reggiano. Serve over cooked whole wheat or gluten-free pasta.