Can you cook rice in a slow cooker?

Yes, absolutely! Cooking rice in a slow cooker is not only possible—it’s incredibly convenient. Slow cooker rice allows grains to absorb flavor gradually as they cook with broth, seasonings, and vegetables. It turns out creamy and rich, with perfectly cooked rice and a deep, savory taste. Just remember to rinse the rice before adding it to prevent clumping and always monitor the cook time, as every slow cooker runs a little differently.

Can I put uncooked rice in my crockpot?

Yes, and that’s what makes this method so great! You can add uncooked rice directly into your Crockpot along with broth, seasonings, and other ingredients. As the rice slowly cooks, it absorbs all the surrounding flavors, which makes slow cooker rice dishes incredibly tasty and efficient. There’s no need to pre-cook the rice—just be sure you’re using the right rice-to-liquid ratio and checking for doneness as it nears the end of the cook time.

Why is my rice mushy in a slow cooker?

Mushy rice usually means too much liquid or too much cook time. To prevent this, be sure to: Rinse your rice thoroughly to remove excess starch. Use long grain white rice, which holds up better under slow heat. Don’t add too much broth—just enough to cover the ingredients. Begin checking the rice at the 2-hour mark to avoid overcooking. Dialing in these adjustments can turn mushy messes into perfectly fluffy slow cooker rice every time.

Could you use a rice cooker as a slow cooker?

While some rice cookers offer a slow cook setting, most don’t have the same range of temperature control or cooking time as a true slow cooker. If your rice cooker has a slow cook function, you can attempt recipes like slow cooker rice , but the results may vary. In general, a traditional Crockpot or slow cooker is better suited for all-day, hands-off cooking, especially for dishes involving proteins and vegetables along with rice.

5 Reasons Slow Cooker Rice Is the Best One-Pot Dinner

Description

slow cooker rice and Chicken features bites of tender chicken breasts, a medley of veggies, a creamy, cheesy sauce and perfectly cooked white rice. It’s an easy dinner recipe that the whole family loves!

Ingredients

▢1½ cups long grain white rice

▢3 cups low sodium chicken broth

▢2 large carrots (peeled and finely diced)

▢¼ cup onion (finely diced)

▢½ cup roasted red peppers (store-bought, chopped)

▢2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

▢2 cloves garlic (minced)

▢1 teaspoon salt

▢¼ teaspoon black pepper

▢2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

▢⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

▢1 cup frozen peas

▢½ cup half and half

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Instructions

Lightly grease 4-5 quart slow cooker. Rinse rice well and drain completely.

In the slow cooker, stir together the rice, broth, carrots, onion, red peppers, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.

Add chicken breasts(whole), cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours (if your slow cooker cooks on the hot side, check it sooner, if it cooks on the low side, it may take longer. They are all different!)

Remove chicken and test the rice. If rice is not yet al dente, add a splash of broth if it has all absorbed, cover and continue cooking, checking every 15-20 minutes.

Remove chicken and place on a cutting board. Chop or shred chicken and set aside.

When the rice is cooked, stir in the chopped chicken, cheese, peas, and half and half.

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Notes

I have updated this recipe to use long grain rice as it is our preference now. You can see the old recipe here, which uses instant brown rice.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Vegetables: this is an easy recipe to swap in the vegetables you have and enjoy, so feel free to clean out the fridge! Firmer vegetables get added at the beginning of the cook time, and softer or frozen vegetables get added at the end.

Chicken breasts: I prefer to cook these whole in the slow cooker as they don’t dry out as quickly. You can chop them first and add raw, chopped chicken to the rice and it will easily cook with the rest of the ingredients, or you can use pre-cooked Crockpot Shredded Chicken or chopped leftover Air Fryer Chicken Breast and stir it in with the cheese and cream.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 6
Calories: 317cal
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 754mg
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Unsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0.01g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 18g
Cholesterol: 36mg