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Southwest Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Southwest crockpot chicken and rice with long-grain white rice cooked right in the slow cooker for tender, flavorful bites. It finishes with melted pepper jack cheese and bright toppings like avocado, cilantro, and sour cream.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Southwest chicken and rice
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 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
  • 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
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 1 Fresh cilantro, sour cream, and avocado for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken and flavor base
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
  2. Add black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  3. Cook on low for 5–6 hours until the chicken is nearly tender, then stop the timer.
Shred and cook the rice
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the uncooked long grain white rice until it’s evenly distributed.
  3. Cook on high for 30–40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed the liquid.
Finish and serve
  1. Sprinkle the shredded pepper jack cheese over the top and cover the slow cooker.
  2. Let the cheese melt for 5 minutes, then serve topped with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado.

Notes

For best texture, stir the rice into the liquid before the final cook so no grains settle dry. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of water or broth to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the rice can become softer after thawing. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and drain-rinse the beans thoroughly.