The EASIEST set-it-and-forget-it Chicken and Rice recipe. Chicken and rice cook up perfectly with garlic, lemon, and thyme for an easy, wholesome family meal. This Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice is a family-winning meal.
This is a healthy slow cooker recipe that is so incredibly simple to make and tastes delicious! Feel free to use any bone-in cut of chicken you like and with a few simple pantry staples and a fresh lemon dinner is DONE!
This recipe for Crockpot chicken and rice is easy. It is wholesome. It is cheap. It is gluten-free. And most importantly, delicious!
The rice is cooked to perfection and is richly flavored from the chicken thighs and garlic. The chicken is cooked to perfection and remains perfectly juicy and tender.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: Feel free to use any bone-in chicken pieces you like--drumsticks, thighs, or breasts. I prefer skinless, so the rice does not get greasy, but you can use skin-on. Just be sure to not skip searing the meat before adding it to the slow cooker, or you will have soggy skin and greasing chicken and rice.
- Broth: Use homemade chicken broth or a good quality store-bought stock/broth. Feel free to replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, but I would not recommend water for this recipe.
- Rice: It is CRUCIAL to use LONG-GRAIN white rice. Short-grain or minute rice will not cook correctly in the slow cooker.
- Garlic: Garlic gives this chicken and rice incredible flavor. It may sound like a lot of garlic, but it will mellow out as it cooks.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice finishes this recipe with the perfect flavor.
How to Make Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
Step One: Sear Chicken
You can skip searing the chicken to save time if desired. Searing the chicken will help to keep it super juicy and add a nice contrasting texture to the dish. Note: If using chicken with its skin, be sure to sear the meat before adding it to the slow cooker, or you will have really soggy chicken skin!
- Liberally season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in 2 teaspoons of oil and heat.
- Cook chicken on each side, for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
Step Two: Add Rice and Chicken to Slow Cooker
- Add rice, chicken stock/broth, garlic, and thyme, to the slow cooker.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir.
- Nestle chicken on top of rice.
Step Three: Slow Cook Chicken and Rice
Cooking on high heat is best when making rice in the slow cooker. I have found that I have mushy and under-cooked rice when cooked on low heat.
- Cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes and then check the internal temperature of the chicken. If it has reached 165 degrees, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and tent it with foil.
- Stir the rice. Add in ¼ cup more liquid if your rice seems dry. Cover and cook for 30 more minutes.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Drumsticks
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Chicken from Dinner then Dessert
- Chicken Chili
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Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain Jasmine rice
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 cups chicken stock low sodium
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- juice of 1 fresh lemon
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add in 2 teaspoons olive oil and sear chicken on both sides, 2 minutes per side.
- Stir together rice, garlic, stock and fresh thyme in slow cooker. Place chicken thighs on top of mixture.
- Cook on high for 2 hours.
- After 1.5 hours of cook time, check the internal temperature of your chicken. Remove from slow cooker if it has reached 165 degrees. Place on a plate and tent with foil until the rice has finished cooking.
- Remove thyme stalk before serving and stir in fresh lemon juice.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Be sure to use low sodium chicken stock or omit added salt.
- If you would like your chicken thighs to have a bit more color, either sear in 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat on stove before adding to slow cooker, or after cooking, brush with oil and broil for 1 minute.
- Feel free to use any bone-in chicken pieces you like--drumsticks, thighs, or breasts. I prefer skinless, so the rice does not get greasy, but you can use skin-on. Just be sure to sear the meat before adding the slow cooker.
- After 1.5 hours of cook time, check the internal temperature of your chicken. Remove from slow cooker if it has reached 165 degrees. Place on a plate and tent with foil until the rice has finished cooking.
- After the 2 hours of cook time, if you rice is still hard, add in ¼ cup additional liquid and cook for additional 20-30 minutes.
- You can easily remove the skin yourself to save a few pennies. Just pull off the raw skin gently before cooking--it should slip right off.
- If you don't have fresh thyme, use 2 teaspoons dried thyme.
- If you don't have fresh garlic bulbs, use 1 tablespoon minced jarred garlic.
Martha Lidman
Have you did this recipe in the instant pot?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Martha! I have not perfected this recipe using the Instant Pot yet, but working on it 🙂
Dely
Can this be done in an instant pot to save time? What times do you recommend? thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Dely! This exact recipe would need a lot of modifications to work in the instant pot, as bone-in chicken and rice cook at very different times. I have a recipe for Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken that has directions for cooking rice pot-in-pot at the same time.
Tracey
I would like to try this, but I can't see where the lemon juice is added in the recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Tracey! The lemon juice is stirred in right before serving. Enjoy!
Tammy
Can I use coconut milk instead of chicken stock?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Tammy! I have not tried coconut milk in this recipe. I do not think the flavors would pair well with the rice and thyme and the high fat in the coconut milk may scald in the slow cooker.
Rebecca
Came across this and figured id gibe it a try i think i may have messed up.... i used minute rice and not sure its going to turn out and used leg quarters instead of thighs fingers r crossed !!!
Kristen Chidsey
I hope it turns out as well Rebecca, the minute rice would be the most concerning swap as it will not cook the same as regular white rice.
Aline
This is an amazing dish. So easy and never fails. I’ve cooked it several times. It’s best when the thighs are seared but still fine if you don’t have time for that. I add different veg depending on what I have. Peas, mushrooms, baby spinach, kale. It’s so versatile. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
I am do glad you enjoy this Aline! And thank you for taking the time to let us know your variations and preferences 🙂
Annie Scott
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! I've done it sevreal times and its spot on! My question is I need more rice for my family! I tried doubling the rice & liquid, it was a disaster (hard rice, rhe liquid never cooked off) ... any help with doubling the rice? (I use long grain brown rice) and how much liquid to add with it?
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy your family enjoys Annie. I have tested doubling this recipe many times, with white rice, brown rice, short rice, and on low pressure. For best results, 3 1/2 cups chicken stock with 2 cups extra long white rice works best cooked on high for 2 hours and 45 minutes. And if using skin on chicken thighs, searing helped rice not get mushy as well as the chicken was unable to render as much fat into the rice. I did get mushy rice when cooked on low, with short grain rice, and when using 4 cups stock. Also brown rice did not double as nicely. I hope these tips help!!