Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

This slow cooker chicken and rice is an easy, delicious recipe that you can get on the table on even the busiest days. It’s perfect for family meals or cooking for a crowd, and it’s loaded with delicious ingredients that everyone loves. 

Chicken and rice is a classic dish that almost everyone loves. Whether it’s chicken served with a side of rice, chicken and rice soup, or some sort of casserole, chicken and rice are always a great combination, and this slow cooker chicken and rice recipe is proof of that. This fast, easy recipe is filled with delicious flavor and comes together fast, making it the perfect weeknight meal or get-together feast. It’s a lot of flavor without a lot of work, and I think we all appreciate that. 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Recipe

My slow cooker chicken and cheesy rice casserole is the classic chicken and rice casserole combination with a delicious Tex-Mex twist. Tender, white meat chicken, rice, enchilada sauce, Rotel, chilis, and cheese all come together in the slow cooker to create a delicious feast that can feed your family or an army, depending on how much you make. It also has that great southwest flavor and heat that we all love so much here in Texas, as well. 

I love making this dish for parties and get-togethers of all kinds because it’s so easy, and I can just set the entire slow cooker out on the table, allowing everyone to take as much as they want. It’s a great way to cook for a crowd without spending all day in the kitchen, and the best part is you don’t sacrifice any flavor for all that convenience! 

Tips

This recipe is so easy, even newbies can make it. It’s simply a matter of mixing everything together and letting the slow cooker do all the heavy lifting. That being said, I have a couple of tips that will help make sure you end up with the best slow cooker chicken and rice possible. 

Coating the Chicken is Important

You might be tempted to skip cleaning a bowl and just throw the seasoning directly into the slow cooker, but don’t do it! Coating your chicken in the spices is what gives it a great kick of flavor in every bite. The spicy coating will mostly stick to the chicken, creating a Tex-Mex taste in every bite of chicken. If you just throw the seasoning directly into the slow cooker, you won’t get the flavor kick on your chicken. It will still be good, it just won’t be great. 

Don’t Add Water

If you’ve never made a recipe like this before, you might think that there isn’t enough liquid to cook the rice when you first pour it into the slow cooker. Don’t be fooled! There’s plenty of liquid, and the recipe is supposed to be thick. If you add water, you’ll end up with a soupy consistency rather than a nice, thick casserole-type dish. 

Add the Cheese at the End

It’s important to ad the cheese at the very last second. Don’t simply throw it into the slow cooker to melt while the rice cooks. It will disappear, and you’ll lose all the great cheesy taste and texture. By mixing in the cheese after everything else has cooked, you’ll end up with an ooey-gooey texture that tastes absolutely amazing.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Variations

This recipe is easy to tweak to fit your individual taste. It’s one of my favorite things about it. I don’t recommend changing anything about this recipe, as I think it’s absolutely amazing just as it is, but there are a couple of things you can do to make it exactly what you want it to be. 

Shred the Chicken

For a different texture, you can place whole chicken breasts into your slow cooker. After the entire recipe is cooked, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks or a shredding tool. Then return it to the slow cooker and add the cheese to melt as you would normally. 

Less Heat

The Slap Ya Mama seasoning is a key component of this recipe, and without it, the entire thing will be very bland. However, you can dial the heat back a bit by omitting the green chilis. You won’t get quite the depth and complexity of flavor, but you will remove a lot of the extra heat in this recipe. 

Adding Vegetables

To make this crockpot chicken recipe even more hearty, consider adding additional veggies like sliced mushrooms, carrots, celery, green beans and even broccoli florets. Just add a little chicken broth to the rice mixture if it’s too thick.

Serving and Storing Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

This slow cooker chicken and rice is the perfect meal for a crowd. All you need are spoons and bowls, and you’re set! I love to spoon up a hearty bowl and top it with some sour cream and chives or cilantro to finish the flavor. 

Serve this dish as a weeknight dinner, as a meal for a get-together, or even a dish for a potluck. Simply set out the entire slow cooker on the table and let everyone spoon out as much as they’d like. That’s all there is to it!

This recipe will keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for around three to four days. For longer storage, you can freeze it in an air-tight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to three months. Both the chicken and the rice will hold up very well. To defrost, place the chicken and rice in the fridge overnight and then heat it up in the oven or in the microwave. 

Ingredients To Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

• Skinless chicken breasts
• Onion
• Garlic powder
• Slap Ya Mama®
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Green enchilada sauce
• Rotel®
• Green chilis
• White rice
• Monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese
• Cooking spray

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prep

Spray a large slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray or line with a crock pot liner. Chop onions and cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. In a large bowl, add chicken and seasonings. Stir to evenly coat the chicken pieces.

Step 2 – Putting it all together

Add onions, seasoned chicken, green enchilada sauce, Rotel® and green chilies. Stir and cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

Step 3 – Adding the Rice

Add uncooked rice into the chicken mixture, stir, cover and continue to cook on high until rice is tender.

Step 4 – Finishing Touches

Add cheese and stir until melted. Spoon into individual serving bowl, garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve.

Try This Delicious Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Today

This cheesy chicken and rice is a Tex-Mex lover’s dream, and it’s so easy to make, too! Loaded with enchilada sauce, green chilis, Rotel, and of course, chicken, this recipe is the perfect hearty meal for a weeknight dinner or a great addition to any potluck or party. It’s also one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever try. With a combination like that, you have to give it a try. Trust me, you won’t be sorry!

More Delicious Chicken Recipes:

• Butter Chicken
• Crockpot Chuck Roast
• Easy Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
• Crockpot Chicken Broccoli and Rice
• Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips
• Spicy Chicken and Rice from Great Grub Delicious Treats

Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.