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Southwest Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Southwest crockpot chicken and rice with tender shredded chicken and fluffy long-grain rice cooked right in the slow cooker. Finished with melted pepper jack cheese and topped with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and avocado for a creamy, Tex-Mex bowl.
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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: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Southwest crockpot 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
  • 0.25 Fresh cilantro, sour cream, and avocado for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken and vegetables
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer for consistent cooking.
  2. Add the 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 or HIGH for 3 hours until the chicken is nearly tender; look for steam rising and juices bubbling around the edges.
Shred, cook the rice, and finish
  1. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the uncooked long grain white rice and cook on HIGH for 30–40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed the liquid; watch for the grains to look tender and not soupy.
  3. Sprinkle the shredded pepper jack cheese over the top, cover, and let it melt for 5 minutes; look for a glossy, fully melted cheese layer.
  4. Serve topped with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado for a fresh, creamy finish.

Notes

For best texture, don’t stir the rice for the first 30 minutes on HIGH—let it settle and absorb the liquid. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3–4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water if needed. Freezing is not recommended because long-grain rice can turn soft after thawing. For a dairy-free swap, use a dairy-free cheese alternative or skip the pepper jack and finish with extra avocado and cilantro.