The analytical expression for the transmission spectra of coupled cavity waveguides (CCWs) in photonic crystals (PCs) is derived based on the coupled-mode theory (CMT). Parameters in the analytical expression can be extracted by simple numerical simulations. We reveal that it is the phase shift between the two adjacent PC defects that uniquely determines the flatness of the impurity bands of CCWs. In addition, it is found that the phase shift also greatly affects the bandwidth of CCWs. Thus, the engineering of the impurity bands of CCWs can be realized through the adjustment of the phase shift. Based on the theoretical results, an interesting phenomenon in which a CCW acts as a single PC defect and its impurity band possesses a Lorentz lineshape is predicted. Very good agreement between the analytical results and the numerical simulations based on transfer matrix method has been achieved.