Slow Cooker Chicken Rice (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless
02 -
4 ½ to 5 ½ cups of chicken broth with low sodium
03 -
1 small shallot, chopped finely (about 1/4 cup; swap for 1/2 of a small regular onion if needed)
04 -
1 cup brown rice (long-grain, don't use white, instant, or short-grain as substitutes)
05 -
1 ½ cups of carrots, diced (about 4 medium-sized ones)
06 -
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
07 -
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
08 -
½ teaspoon kosher salt
09 -
1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 -
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 -
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
12 -
1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
13 -
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (white cheddar works best, divided into two portions)
14 -
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional for serving)
# Instructions:
01 -
Wash the rice several times to remove the extra starch. Heat 2 cups of the chicken broth until it boils, toss in the rice, and cook it halfway for about 10 minutes. Drain well.
02 -
Spritz a 5-quart slow cooker or bigger with some nonstick spray. Toss in the carrots, shallot, par-cooked rice, and Dijon mustard. Mix these together, then pop the chicken on top. Sprinkle garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper over the chicken. Pour 2 ½ cups chicken broth in.
03 -
Cover the slow cooker and turn it on HIGH. Let it cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the chicken cooks all the way through.
04 -
Take the chicken out and cover it to keep warm. Stir the broth, veggies, and rice in the slow cooker. Put the lid back on and cook on HIGH for another hour to 1 ½ hours, until the rice is soft. If it feels like it's drying out, pour in some extra broth.
05 -
Lift the lid and mix in the frozen peas and Greek yogurt. Cut the chicken into small chunks and mix it back in, then add 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese.
06 -
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, put the lid on again, and let it cook on HIGH for just a few minutes until the cheesy top is nice and melted. Scoop it onto plates and top with fresh parsley if you like.
# Notes:
01 -
Unwashed or older rice might take extra time to cook, so adjust based on your slow cooker's performance.
02 -
Cooking the rice partially beforehand keeps it from turning out crunchy when slow-cooking.