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Southwest Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Southwest crockpot chicken and rice made with long-grain white rice cooked right in the slow cooker for tender chicken and a creamy, saucy texture. Shred the chicken, finish the rice on high, then melt pepper jack on top for a Tex-Mex comfort meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 660
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
rice and legumes
  • 1.5 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
broth and seasonings
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
cheese and toppings
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • Fresh cilantro, sour cream, and avocado for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Start the crockpot
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Scatter the black beans, corn, and Rotel tomatoes with green chilies over the chicken.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth, then add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to help the seasonings spread.
  3. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 3 hours until the chicken is nearly tender. Keep the lid on to maintain steady heat.
Shred and cook the rice
  1. Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the uncooked long grain white rice and make sure it’s evenly distributed. Cook on high for 30–40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed the liquid.
Melt cheese and serve
  1. Sprinkle the shredded pepper jack cheese over the top, cover, and let it melt for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado on top.

Notes

For best rice texture, don’t lift the lid during the 30–40 minutes on high—steady steam helps the rice absorb liquid. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3–4 days in a covered container; reheat gently with a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not ideal because the rice can soften too much after thawing. For a lower-carb swap, use cauliflower rice (stir in at the end and cook just until tender) instead of long grain white rice.