Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice (Crock Pot)

rice with chicken thighs, carrots and onions served with pickles.

5 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice (Crock Pot)

The slow cooker or crock pot chicken and rice offer a delightful combination of savory and aromatic flavors. It's a classic dish that is sure to please your appetite.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Course: Main Course, Pasta and Rice, Poultry

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 448kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Slow cooker or crock pot

Ingredients

1.7 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 800 g, Note 1
1 ½ cups basmati rice 300 g, Note 2
1 cup carrots chopped, 5 oz/ 150 g
¾ cup onions chopped, 3.5 oz/ 100 g
½ cup celery chopped, 2.5 oz/ 75 g
3 large garlic cloves minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ½ cups chicken broth 900 ml, Note 3
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup cheese Parmesan, Cheddar or Gouda shredded optional

Instructions

Chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces. Place them in the slow cooker, sprinkle them with some salt and pepper, and toss lightly.
1.7 lbs/ 800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
Combine: Add rice, carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, olive oil, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
1 ½ cup basmati + 1 cup/ 150 g carrots + ¾ cup/ 100 g onions + ½ cup/ 75 g celery + 3 garlic cloves + 1 teaspoon thyme + 1 teaspoon parsley + 1 tablespoon olive oil + 3 ½ / 900 ml chicken broth
Slow cook on HIGH for 3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender but not mushy (Note 4).
Add: Remove the lid; some cooking liquid will be set at the bottom of the pot. Add butter and lemon juice, and give everything a good stir.
2 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper.
Let the dish rest in the slow cooker with the lid on for 10 minutes. (Note 5 – Optional cheese).

Notes

Rice: You can substitute Jasmine for Basmati rice. Don’t substitute it with another sort of rice, as the cooking time and liquid ratio will differ.
Chicken: You can substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks for the boneless thighs, but I feel they are never quite as juicy as the thighs.
Chicken broth or stock: It’s preferable to use low-sodium to avoid a dish that’s too salty. You can always add more salt at the end if needed, but fixing the dish is difficult if it’s too salty.
I recommend cooking the dish on HIGH, I’ve tested this recipe on low, and we all found the rice to be mushy.
Cheese: You can stir about ½ cup Parmesan or grated Cheddar or Gouda into the finished dish and let the cheese melt before serving.

Nutrition