Description
This southwest crock pot chicken and rice recipe delivers hearty southwestern comfort directly to family dinner tables. Mexican-inspired spices and tender chicken create a simple, satisfying meal you can enjoy with minimal preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 3 cups cooked white rice (preferably long-grain)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (finely shredded)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can black beans (thoroughly drained and rinsed)
- 1 can corn (thoroughly drained)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 medium onion (finely diced)
- 1 tbsp authentic taco seasoning
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Arrange chicken breasts at the bottom of the crock pot, creating an even base layer for the meal.
- Distribute black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and chopped onion evenly over the chicken, creating a colorful ingredient landscape.
- Drizzle cream of chicken soup and whole milk across the layered ingredients, ensuring complete coverage. Dust the surface with paprika, taco seasoning, and ground pepper for robust flavor infusion.
- Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, allowing ingredients to meld and chicken to become tender.
- Carefully extract chicken breasts from the crock pot and shred into uniform pieces, then return the shredded meat back into the cooking liquid.
- Fold cooked white rice and sharp cheddar cheese into the mixture, stirring thoroughly to integrate all components and create a creamy texture.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, replace lid, and let sit for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts completely and becomes slightly bubbly.
- Transfer to serving dishes immediately, ensuring each portion contains a balanced blend of chicken, rice, and vegetables. Store any leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking.
Notes
- Customize chicken texture by pounding breasts to even thickness before placing in crock pot for uniform cooking.
- Replace cream of chicken soup with Greek yogurt or coconut milk for healthier, dairy-free alternative that maintains creamy consistency.
- Elevate protein options by substituting chicken with turkey or plant-based protein like tofu for vegetarian adaptation.
- Enhance spice profile by adding chipotle powder or smoked paprika for deeper southwestern flavor complexity without overwhelming heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 495 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg