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This slow cooker chicken and rice is a zesty chicken dinner with more flavor than ever! Inspired by Spanish arroz con pollo, this recipe combines tender brown rice and juicy bone-in chicken slow-braised in the crock pot with tomatoes and fragrant spices. Everyone always goes for seconds!
If you’re all about an easy one-pot dinner, check out my chicken and rice casserole and this veggie-loaded chicken rice skillet.
As a mom of two, I’m a BIG fan (huge) of a wholesome dinner that cooks itself, and today’s slow cooker chicken and rice delivers. This is a flavorful and easy comfort food dinner inspired by my daughter’s favorite arroz con pollo (Latin American chicken with rice). When I’m short on time, I make this version in the crockpot for a weeknight meal that’s just as delicious, and almost completely hands-free!
Why I’m Loving This Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
- Latin-inspired flavors. With bold seasonings like cumin, paprika, and garlic, this crockpot chicken with rice is still very mild and family-friendly. Of course, if you crave the flame, you can always amp up the heat with extra spices and chilies.
- (Almost) one pot. I like to take it a step further by browning the chicken and sautéing the onions with the canned tomatoes and seasonings to make the sauce. This is optional, but it’s a simple way to add tons of flavor to the dish, so I highly recommend it.
- Any night of the week. Even though this slow-cooked family favorite is ideal for a busy weeknight, you’ll catch me making it on lazy Sundays all the time.
Grab These Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make this slow cooker chicken and rice are affordable and easy to find at most local grocery stores.
- Olive Oil – Or any cooking oil you’d like for sautéeing.
- Yellow Onions and Garlic – Thinly slice the onions and mince the garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of jarred garlic or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
- Canned Tomatoes – Be sure to grab a can of diced tomatoes and not tomato purée. I suggest using canned tomatoes with the liquid. You can dice up fresh tomatoes instead if you’d like, just make sure they’re nice and ripe.
- Seasonings – Ground cumin, garlic powder, and paprika. Another option is to substitute the individual spices with taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
- Rice – I’ve always made this recipe with long-grain brown rice. The reason is simple: White rice is softer and more likely to overcook in slow-cooking recipes.
- Chicken Broth – I like to use fat-free, low-sodium broth. Feel free to use homemade or store-bought broth or stock.
- Chicken – My personal preference is to use bone-in chicken legs, which are extra flavorful and harder to overcook. However, any cut of chicken works in this recipe (see below for details).
- Dried Parsley – For garnish. If you aren’t opposed to cilantro, that works well here, too! You can swap dried herbs for fresh if you’d like.
What Cut of Chicken Should I Use?
Chicken thighs, legs, and breasts can all be used for this slow cooker recipe. I can usually fit up to six chicken legs, but this will depend on the size of your Crock Pot and chicken pieces.
For fewer calories and less fat, I recommend using skinless chicken. Bone-in and boneless cuts will both work well, so you can pick whichever one you like. The main thing to keep in mind is that different cuts of chicken will call for different cooking times. Boneless chicken will need less time to cook.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t substitute the rice in this recipe. The type of rice you use is very important. Be sure to use only long-grain brown rice. White rice will turn to mush in your slow cooker, and short-grain brown rice will still come out a bit too soft.
- Check the chicken for doneness. I like to check the internal temperature of my chicken about 30 minutes before the dish is done, as it can sometimes cook faster than the rice. It’s best to do this with an instant-read meat thermometer. Fully cooked chicken should register at 165°F.
- In a hurry? If you’re rushing to get your rice and chicken into the Crock Pot, you can skip the browning of the chicken and the sautéing of the veggies and tomatoes. Dinner will still be delicious! But if you have the time, I highly recommend going through with these steps, as they provide tons of added flavor.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken and rice recipe features both a main and a side dish, but there’s still room for more! Consider sprinkling homemade pico de gallo over top and adding a side of corn on the cob or air fryer roasted broccoli tossed with lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Finish off the meal with a fresh fruit salad or wash it down with a pineapple margarita.
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Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon (or to taste) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups long grain brown rice
- 1½ cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 6 (about 1.5 to 2 pounds) chicken pieces, you can use chicken legs, thighs, and/or breasts
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sliced onions to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue to cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes with the liquid, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until tender and heated through.
- Prep the rice. Layer the rice on the bottom of the insert of your slow cooker. Stir the prepared tomato mixture into the rice; stir in the chicken broth and set aside.
- Brown the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper and add the chicken pieces to the pan and brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the cut of chicken.
- Cook. Transfer the chicken pieces to the slow cooker and arrange over the rice and tomatoes. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 3.5 hours.
- Finish and serve. Fluff the rice before serving and garnish with parsley.
Equipment
Notes
- Stick to Long-Grain Brown Rice: The rice type matters. Use long-grain brown rice; white rice could get mushy, and short-grain brown rice might be too soft.
- Check Chicken Temperature: About 30 minutes before it’s done, check your chicken’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature is 165°F.
- Time-Saving Tips: You can skip browning the chicken and sautéing the veggies and tomatoes if pressed for time.
- To Store & Reheat: Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a covered pot over low heat, adding a splash of broth and stirring every couple of minutes until warmed through.
- To Freeze: Freeze cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Chicken and Rice in the Slow Cooker
With this hearty Crock Pot recipe, getting dinner on the table is a breeze. Just follow the instructions below:
- Sauté the veggies. Heat oil in a skillet, then add the sliced onions and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the garlic.
- Make the sauce. After 30 seconds, add the diced tomatoes and the liquid from the can, followed by the ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender and heated through.
- Combine the rice and sauce. Next, transfer the rice to the bottom of your slow cooker. Stir in the prepared tomato sauce and pour over the chicken broth.
- Brown the chicken. Meanwhile, season the chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium heat, and then brown the chicken on both sides. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side, but it will depend on the cut of your chicken.
- Slow cook. Arrange the seared chicken over the rice and tomatoes inside the slow cooker. Cover your Crock Pot and cook the rice and chicken on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-3 ½ hours.
- Garnish and serve. Fluff the rice before serving and garnish the dish with fresh or dried parsley.
Storage and Reheating
- Once they’ve cooled completely, leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container. They’ll stay good for 3-4 days. Reheat the rice and chicken in a single pot over low heat, covered. Add a little extra broth to make up for lost moisture and stir every couple of minutes until the rice and chicken are warmed through.
- To Freeze: Store chicken and rice in a freezer-safe container and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
This meal is great… I’m making it for the 2nd time, I actually use it for my husbands lunches.
Tried this today. The rice was cooked way before the chicken. Added more broth and still, the chicken was uncooked. I believe there is a mistake in the proportions. It should be 1 cup of rice, not 2. There is not enough liquid for 2 cups… This recipe was appealing as I like one-pot cooking when we’re camping. Unfortunately, I now have a frying pan going to finish cooking the chicken and a potful of rice due to the added liquid.
I have this recipe in the crockpot as we speak. Kind of. I only had instant white rice so I knew I couldn’t cook it that long. I followed the recipe, minus the onions, bf won’t eat them, added onion powder and poured it over the instant rice. It cooked instantly of course. The flavor is great! Browned the chicken and put it in the crock to cook. I will put the rice in for the last 1/2 hr for flavor.
That’s great! I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This recipe is awful. The suggested cooking times turn the rice into pudding and dry out the chicken. The results shown in the pictures are certainly not the result of following this recipe.
My rice came out mushy. Neither of my kids would touch it. My husband said he thinks it’s missing something flavore-wise. I gave it 4 stars because the chicken leg quarters were moist.