Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice is a comforting dish complete with tender, seasoned chicken, veggies like carrots, celery, and peas, and a savory blend of herbs and spices. A simple meal for busy weeknights or a chilly night in.

Updated post and recipe card 2/26/2025

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What You’ll Love About Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice:

Chicken and rice combinations are a staple in our home. Try my One-Pan Lemony Chicken and Rice for refreshing citrus flavors, or maybe you enjoy a little heat, my popular One-Skillet Chicken and Rice has bold spices warming you right up!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice makes the most wonderful cozy meal anytime. The dish is built around simple ingredients like chicken, white rice, pantry seasonings, and veggies.

The slow cooking method allows the rice to cook perfectly and absorb all the savory flavors and broth, while the chicken comes out tender and juicy.

Cozy Comfort On Chilly Days

Slow cooker dinners make the best warm-up-meals for chilly days, and we have plenty of them here in the Pacific Northwest. This chicken and rice is hearty and so warming, there is no stopping the cozy factor when you make this dish.

The Perfect Busy Mom Meal

This is basically a one-pot meal (especially if you have a stovetop safe slow-cooker insert). I love mine and you can find it HERE. What mom doesn’t appreciate an easy slow cooker meal you can throw together late afternoon and have dinner ready in just a couple hours? I sure do!

Simple Ingredients:

• Chicken- I use three medium size chicken breasts, which works out to feed about 4 people.
• Seasonings for chicken– Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
• Rice– Basmati white rice is usually my long-grain rice of choice. It stays nice and fluffy.
• Veggies– Onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and frozen peas.
• Seasonings for rice– Dried rosemary, oregano, thyme, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
• Worcestershire sauce– Adds savory, umami flavor. Just a touch goes a long way.
• Chicken broth- Make sure to use a good quality chicken broth to infuse the rice with the most flavor.

Substitutions and Additions:

💡Highlighted Tip

Don’t overcook the rice- Overcooking the rice will result in mushy, gummy rice, and that’s no fun. Once the rice is finished cooking you’ll want to turn off your slow cooker, allow it to rest and fluff with a fork. Each slow cooker will vary with temperatures so use your best judgement with the suggested cooking times. You may need to cook less or more time.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice:

See full instructions in recipe card below

Step One. Season chicken breasts on both sides then brown in a skillet or stovetop safe slow cooker. Transfer to a plate.

Step Two. In the same skillet or pot brown onions and garlic until softened, then transfer to your slow cooker (unless using an insert) and add rice, carrots, celery, peas, and seasonings.

Step Three. Next add chicken broth and Worcestershire, stir to combine and nestle chicken down in the rice and broth. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Serving Suggestions:

This truly is a complete meal however adding a simple green salad, or if you want extra veggies on the side, try my Green Beans Almondine, which offers wonderful flavors and texture with the chicken and rice.

Important Tips:

Common Questions:

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Slow Cooker Lemony Chicken Chowder
• Slow Cooker Chicken Meal
• Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
• Island Slow Cooker Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice is a comforting dish complete with tender, seasoned chicken, veggies like carrots, celery, and peas, and a savory blend of herbs and spices. A simple meal for busy weeknights or a chilly night in.

3.50 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 549kcal

Equipment

• 1 6 Qt Slow Cooker
• 1 medium skillet if you don't have a stovetop safe slow cooker insert

Ingredients

Ingredients For Chicken:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 medium size boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• paprika

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice I use basmati
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp each, dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, and dried mustard
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cups quality chicken broth

Instructions

• In a medium skillet on medium-high heat (or a stovetop safe slow cooker insert) add olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Measure with your heart. Sear chicken on both sides until golden brown. You don't need to cook the chicken through at this point. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

  1 tbsp olive oil

  3-4 chicken breast
• To the same heated pot add onions and garlic and cook just until softened.

  1 small onion, diced

  2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• To the slow cooker add all the ingredients minus the chicken. Give it a gentle stir to combine. Over-stirring can cause the rice to turn out mushy. Nestle the chicken down in the rice and broth. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until the rice is fully cooked. Do not stir the rice during the cooking time. Note: Each slow cooker will vary with temperatures so use your best judgement with the suggested cooking times. See Important Tips Below.

  Fluff cooked rice with a fork and serve with chicken.

  1 1/2 cups white rice

  1 cup diced carrots

  1 cup diced celery

  1 cup from peas

  1/2 tsp each dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, and dried mustard

  3/4 tsp salt or to taste

  1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste

  1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  3 cups chicken broth

Notes

Important Tips:

• Sear the chicken first- Searing the chicken first offers so much flavor and creates a beautiful crust on the outside. You can skip this step but I would highly recommend it.
• For a creamier chicken and rice- Adding a touch of heavy cream and cheese to the cooked rice offers a creamier chicken and rice experience. Kids love this, especially!
• Don’t cook on low- Cooking the rice on low for a longer period of time will result in mushy rice. You’ll want to cook the rice and chicken on high for only 2-3 hours.
• Don’t stir the rice during the cooking time- To prevent mushy rice don’t stir the rice during the cooking time. Stirring will release more starch in the rice and may cause mushy, soggy rice.
• Don’t overcook the rice- Overcooking the rice will result in mushy, gummy rice, and that’s no fun. Once the rice is finished cooking you’ll want to turn off your slow cooker, allow it to rest and fluff with a fork. Each slow cooker will vary with temperatures so use your best judgement with the suggested cooking times.

 

Substitutions and Additions:

• Chicken- If you prefer chicken thighs use bone-in or boneless skinless.
• Veggies- For a short-cut use a package of your favorite frozen veggies, or you can add other fresh vegetables like mushrooms, green beans, or you can throw in some spinach at the very end and fluff it right into the rice.
• Rice- Use any long-grain white rice like classic white, basmati or jasmine. Don’t use short-grain as it will be mushy and minute rice doesn’t work for long cooking times. For this recipe, brown rice would also not be a good choice because it would take too long and your chicken would be overcooked.
• Cheese- Sprinkle in some shredded cheddar cheese for a rich flavor. Add it after the rice and chicken is cooked.
• Fresh herbs- Add fresh herbs like parsley or basil to the cooked rice to brighten the flavor.
• Lemon juice- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the chicken and rice adds a delicious burst of flavor.

 

Common Questions: 

Why is my chicken dry?

If your chicken is dry it’s likely that you overcooked it during the searing stage. You only want to brown both sides quickly but the center of the chicken should still be raw. The slow cooker will finish cooking it through. Also, using chicken breasts that are on the small side will cook much quicker. Aim for a medium to large breast.

Why is my rice mushy?

Rice can become mushy by cooking too long or stirring too much during the cooking time. Make sure to cook on high and start checking for doneness at 2 hours. Each slow cooker functions slightly different so use your best judgement. Once liquid is absorbed into the rice, the dish is done. It should easily fluff with a fork. 

Can I use frozen chicken?

No. Don’t use frozen chicken. Not only will you not be able to sear the outside of the chicken, it will not cook properly with the rice.

How do I prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of my slow cooker?

Before adding in all of your remaining veggies and rice, use non-stick cooking spray on the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

Can I freeze leftover chicken and rice?

Yes, however, the chicken has a slightly different texture after it’s cooked, frozen, and thawed. I like to freeze the leftovers and use the ingredients to make a chicken and rice soup. Yum!

 

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1355mg | Potassium: 1057mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5794IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg

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