Go Back
–+ servings
Bird-eye view of a plate of chicken and rice.
Print

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken and Rice

This Mexican chicken and rice is a one-pot meal like no other!
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 310kcal
Author Kate Hahnel

Equipment

  • Ninja Possible Cooker Pro

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pieces chicken thighs (approximately 2lbs or 1kg) bone-in
  • 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
  • 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium red onion (chopped)
  • 1 bell pepper - red, yellow, or green (chopped)
  • 3 medium-sized tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1½ teaspoon ground paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅔ cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
  • a handful of chopped cilantro or parsley (to garnish)

Instructions

  • Season the chicken thighs on both sides with chicken seasoning.
  • In a skillet (or using the sauté function of your slow cooker, if available), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs and sear until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Then, set the chicken aside.
  • Add minced garlic, onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, bell pepper, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, and chicken stock to the slow cooker.
  • Add the seared chicken thighs and stir to combine.
  • Cover the slow cooker and set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.
  • About 1.5 hours before the end of cooking, add the uncooked rice and an additional 1½ cups of chicken stock or water. Stir gently to ensure the rice is well submerged in the liquid.
  • After the cooking time, check if the rice is cooked. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, then serve.

Notes

Some slow cooker models, such as the Ninja Foodi possible cooker which I used for this recipe, come with an inbuilt searing function.

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1423IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg