Description
Comforting slow cooker chicken and rice delivers hearty warmth from kitchen to table. Tender chicken melds with fluffy rice, promising easy satisfaction for hungry families seeking simple, delicious meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) chicken breasts or thighs
Grains:
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
Vegetables:
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Liquids:
- 2 cups chicken broth
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Optional Topping:
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Arrange chicken breasts evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker, creating a uniform base layer.
- Distribute uncooked rice, diced onions, chopped carrots, green peas, and minced garlic over the chicken, ensuring even coverage.
- Generously season the entire mixture with salt, ground black pepper, aromatic paprika, and fragrant thyme, creating a flavorful seasoning blanket.
- Gently pour chicken broth across the ingredients, allowing liquid to seep through and moisten all components.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and select cooking duration: low heat for 4-5 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours until chicken is tender and rice is perfectly cooked.
- Once cooking is complete, use two forks to shred the chicken directly within the slow cooker, mixing it with the surrounding vegetables and grains.
- Optional: Sprinkle shredded cheese over the hot mixture, letting it melt and create a creamy texture.
- Serve immediately while warm, scooping generous portions that capture chicken, rice, and vegetables in each serving.
Notes
- Always choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for even cooking and easier shredding in this slow cooker dish.
- Consider using brown rice for added nutrition and a heartier texture, which might require slightly more liquid and cooking time.
- Prevent dry chicken by checking internal temperature reaches 165°F and avoiding overcooking, which can make meat tough and stringy.
- Transform this recipe into a gluten-free meal by ensuring your chicken broth is certified gluten-free and using certified gluten-free rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours (on Low) or 3 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg