I’m sharing my Southwest Crock Pot Chicken and Rice along with a pantry swap and a little secret that make this slow-cooker dinner a go-to for busy nights.
I love when dinner practically makes itself, and Southwest Crock Pot Chicken And Rice does that while sneaking in a bold punch of flavor. There is melty cream cheese that turns everything silky, and Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles that kick the whole dish awake.
It somehow balances creamy and bright, and leftovers somehow taste better than the first night, weird right. I thought it would be boring, but every bite had a little surprise.
If you want an easy, slightly showy weeknight meal that remembers you had a busy day, give this one a shot, you might be hooked.
Ingredients
- lean protein helps keep you full low fat if trimmed versatile
- simple carbs gives body energy soaks up flavors not much fiber
- adds tomato tang and mild heat low cal some vitamin C
- plant protein and fiber keeps you full adds earthy texture
- sweet starch little fiber adds pop and color mildly sweet
- makes dish creamy and rich adds fat mild tang
- melty salty adds sharp flavor and protein watch sodium
- thickens and flavors adds sodium and creaminess not whole foods
- blends smoky spicy notes adds salt boosts southwest flavor
- fresh herbs and citrus brightens dish cuts richness adds acidity
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 cup frozen or canned sweet corn
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 1 lime
How to Make this
1. Prep everything: dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the black beans, measure the uncooked rice, cube the cream cheese, shred the cheddar if needed, chop the cilantro and cut the lime in half.
2. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the taco seasoning, salt and pepper and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles (with their juices), the condensed cream of chicken soup, and the 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth over the chicken. Scatter the diced onion, minced garlic, drained black beans and corn on top.
4. Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours or on high
2.5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
5. Remove the chicken to a plate, shred it with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir to combine with the liquid and veggies.
6. Stir the uncooked long grain white rice into the slow cooker. If the mixture looks very thick or the rice seems like it won’t have enough liquid, add an extra 1/4 cup chicken broth or water. Cover and cook on high 1 to
1.5 hours or on low 2 to
2.5 hours, until the rice is tender.
7. Once the rice is cooked, add the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar, stirring until everything is melted and creamy. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
8. Stir in most of the chopped cilantro and the juice of the lime, reserving a little cilantro and a wedge or two of lime for garnish.
9. Serve hot topped with the remaining cheddar and cilantro, extra lime wedges if you want, and enjoy. If the rice soaks up too much liquid while sitting, stir in a splash of broth to loosen it before serving.
Equipment Needed
1. Slow cooker (4 to 6 quart) — for cooking the chicken and rice together
2. Sturdy cutting board, make sure its big enough for the onion and chicken
3. Chef’s knife (6 to 8 inch) for dicing, mincing and chopping
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for rice, broth and seasonings
5. Can opener for the tomatoes, beans and soup
6. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse the black beans
7. Two forks for shredding the cooked chicken
8. Box grater or hand grater for shredding the cheddar
9. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for stirring and scraping the slow cooker bowl
FAQ
Southwest Crock Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (more forgiving and juicy), or use about 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken for faster cook and extra flavor.
- Long grain white rice: use quick-cooking white rice (shorter time), or brown rice (use 1 1/4 cups, add 30-40 more minutes and extra liquid), or stir in cauliflower rice at the end for a low carb option.
- Cream cheese: replace with 4 oz full fat Greek yogurt (stir in at the end) or 1/2 cup sour cream for similar creaminess and tang.
- Black beans: sub pinto or kidney beans, or omit and add an extra cup of corn plus a diced bell pepper for texture and color.
Pro Tips
– Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, it cuts down on starch so the rice wont get gluey when it cooks with all those canned ingredients.
– Don’t salt early, salt at the end after you taste, canned soup and tomatoes already have a lot of sodium so you might not need more.
– Soften the cream cheese first and cut it into small cubes, that way it melts fast and gives you a silky sauce instead of little clumps, and if you want even faster melting toss the cubes in a microwave for 15 seconds.
– If you want firmer, distinct grains, cook the rice separately in a pot or rice cooker and stir it in at the end, otherwise add a little extra liquid than you think you need and check it an hour before it’s supposed to be done.
Southwest Crock Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe
I’m sharing my Southwest Crock Pot Chicken and Rice along with a pantry swap and a little secret that make this slow-cooker dinner a go-to for busy nights.
6
servings
682
kcal
Equipment: 1. Slow cooker (4 to 6 quart) — for cooking the chicken and rice together
2. Sturdy cutting board, make sure its big enough for the onion and chicken
3. Chef’s knife (6 to 8 inch) for dicing, mincing and chopping
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for rice, broth and seasonings
5. Can opener for the tomatoes, beans and soup
6. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse the black beans
7. Two forks for shredding the cooked chicken
8. Box grater or hand grater for shredding the cheddar
9. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for stirring and scraping the slow cooker bowl
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
-
1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
-
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
-
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
-
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
-
4 ounces cream cheese
-
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
-
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
-
1 cup frozen or canned sweet corn
-
1 small yellow onion
-
2 cloves garlic
-
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
-
1 lime
Directions
- Prep everything: dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the black beans, measure the uncooked rice, cube the cream cheese, shred the cheddar if needed, chop the cilantro and cut the lime in half.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the taco seasoning, salt and pepper and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles (with their juices), the condensed cream of chicken soup, and the 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth over the chicken. Scatter the diced onion, minced garlic, drained black beans and corn on top.
- Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours or on high
- 5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken to a plate, shred it with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir to combine with the liquid and veggies.
- Stir the uncooked long grain white rice into the slow cooker. If the mixture looks very thick or the rice seems like it won’t have enough liquid, add an extra 1/4 cup chicken broth or water. Cover and cook on high 1 to
- 5 hours or on low 2 to
- 5 hours, until the rice is tender.
- Once the rice is cooked, add the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar, stirring until everything is melted and creamy. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Stir in most of the chopped cilantro and the juice of the lime, reserving a little cilantro and a wedge or two of lime for garnish.
- Serve hot topped with the remaining cheddar and cilantro, extra lime wedges if you want, and enjoy. If the rice soaks up too much liquid while sitting, stir in a splash of broth to loosen it before serving.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 450g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 682kcal
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 5g
- Cholesterol: 189mg
- Sodium: 1319mg
- Potassium: 705mg
- Carbohydrates: 54.1g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Sugar: 4.2g
- Protein: 58.2g
- Vitamin A: 1083IU
- Vitamin C: 7.7mg
- Calcium: 160mg
- Iron: 1.3mg