Not crazy about preparing dinner and a side dish separately? Make them together with Crockpot Chicken and Rice! This easy chicken dinner is protein-packed and full of healthy vegetables. Making dinner has never been so easy!
Easy Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Crockpot Chicken and Rice is my best friend when our schedule gets packed. The chicken breasts are always juicy and perfectly cooked, and the rice is so tender and flavorful.
The best thing about this meal, though, is that you can prepare it in the morning or early afternoon, go run errands, and then serve it immediately from the crockpot at dinnertime! And since the rice is included, there are no side dishes needing to be made.
Also, this chicken dinner is a hit with even the pickiest of eaters, which is definitely a plus. It’s very customizable, so if you’ve got kiddos that aren’t big on peas you can swap them out for carrots or other veggies – whatever pleases the crowd!
What You’ll Need
Should you use chicken breast or chicken thighs? What rice is best? Let’s discuss all things ingredients:
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is my go-to, but you can use other cooking oils like canola oil, too.
- Onion: I used 1 medium yellow onion, diced.
- Vegetables: Celery, also diced, sliced mushrooms, and frozen peas.
- Garlic: You’ll only need 2 cloves of garlic, minced.
- Chicken: I like to use chicken breasts for this healthy dinner. Cooking chicken thighs in the crockpot is a breeze, though, if you prefer those.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Lemon: Both the juice and the zest – for tanginess!
- Rice: I prefer to use brown rice for this recipe because it has more nutritious value than white rice does.
- Broth: I generally incorporate chicken broth, but vegetable broth could be used instead.
- Cheese: Add a sprinkle of grated parmesan for extra flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: To add silkiness to the rice.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped for garnish.
Can You Put Uncooked Rice in a Slow Cooker?
You can! It won’t have the fluffy texture that it gets when you cook it on the stovetop, though. Instead it will be creamier, and kind of like risotto. (In other words, really delicious!)
How to Make Chicken and Rice in the Crockpot
Making chicken and rice in the crockpot is really easy, but there are a couple of steps that happen before you put everything in the pot and walk away. First you’ll have to sear the chicken and sauté the vegetables, then you can start preparing the crockpot. (See tips below for alternative method.)
Cook the Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery and mushrooms. Sauté until softened and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker insert.
Sear the Chicken: Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in the pan and sear until browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Turn off heat and set aside.
Put Seasonings and Rice in the Crockpot: Add chicken broth, rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and additional salt and pepper to taste to the crock pot. Stir until well combined.
Add Chicken to the Crockpot: Place seared chicken breasts along with any accumulated juices from the skillet into the slow cooker.
Cook: Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Check chicken at 2.5-3 hours, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, they may be cooked through at this point. If so, remove from the slow cooker, transfer to a dish and cover with foil while rice continues to cook for the remaining time.
Add Butter, Peas & Parmesan: After 4 hours when rice is cooked and tender, remove the lid, add the butter, peas and parmesan and stir to combine until peas are heated through.
Prepare Chicken and Serve: Slice or chop chicken, add back into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Alternatively, serve the chicken on top of the rice mixture once plated. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Tips for Success
Though cooking chicken and rice is a pretty basic process, there are a couple of tips that make it even easier:
- If You Want to Skip Browning the Chicken: Browning the chicken in the skillet is an optional step, but it adds to the final flavor, texture, and color of the chicken. If you skip this step, season the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper and place directly into the slow cooker. Insert at step 4 as directed.
- Cook on High: I have not attempted this recipe on low, but the rice could turn out mushy, so I would stick to the high temperature to preserve the rice’s texture.
- Don’t Overcook the Chicken: Once the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken is done and ready to be removed.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken and rice is a side dish and a main course all in one, but there are other things you can serve with it if you choose to:
- Vegetables: A simple side of green beans or broccoli is a great complement to this chicken and rice.
- Salad: Mix up some chopped tomatoes with leafy greens, and you’re good to go!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to reheat the chicken and rice, simply microwave a plate for 30 seconds to a minute.
Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 ¾ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery and mushrooms. Sauté until softened and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker insert.
- 2. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in the pan and sear until browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Turn off heat and set aside. (*see note)
- 3. Add chicken broth, rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and additional salt and pepper to taste to the crock pot. Stir until well combined.
- 4. Place seared chicken breasts along with any accumulated juices from the skillet into the slow cooker.
- 5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Check chicken at 2.5-3 hours, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, they may be cooked through at this point. If so, remove from the slow cooker, transfer to a dish and cover with foil while rice continues to cook for the remaining time.
- 6. After 4 hours when rice is cooked and tender, remove the lid, add the butter, peas and parmesan and stir to combine until peas are heated through.
- 7. Slice or chop chicken, add back into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Alternatively, serve the chicken on top of the rice mixture once plated.
- 8. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
More Easy Crockpot Dinners
- Crockpot Tender Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
- Crockpot Whole Chicken
- Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
