3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 lb. frozen, chopped broccoli

1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

pinch of salt

1/2 c. uncooked orzo or rice (optional) - For a gluten-free recipe, choose rice - or omit this ingredient!

Line your table or counter top with plastic wrap.

Lay the 3 chicken breasts on top. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap.

Then, pound with a rubber mallet until each chicken breast is between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick and roughly the diameter of your 5-quart crock pot.

Spray the crock with cooking oil, and if desired, put about 1/2 c. orzo or rice in the bottom.

The chicken and broccoli will let off a good amount of juices as they cook, making for a slightly soupy dish. But the orzo or rice will catch the drippings and cook up to be yummy and flavorful. This won't yield enough to make a proper side dish for the chicken, but you can set it aside for a later meal, or give everyone just a small portion. Alternately, you can add up to 1 lb. of the pasta or rice, but if you choose to do so, you'll need to add about 1/2 c. water or broth to the dry grains to hydrate the extra. (This entire step is completely optional. If you don't mind having the drippings in the crock when you serve the meal, you can totally skip the orzo/rice!)

Add one chicken breast to the crock.

Top with one pound of frozen, chopped broccoli.

Sprinkle with about 2 oz. cheese

Add another chicken breast.

Repeat layers, ending with the third chicken breast. Top with remaining cheese and cook on low for about 5 hours.

Slice into sections and serve with Rosemary Garlic Potatoes. (makes 8 good-sized portions.)