Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Cozy french-style Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice loaded with herbs and lemon essence! A must-make this season.
Hurray for slow cooker season!
The time has come to start dinner earlier in the day, in order to come come to a house filled with welcoming aromas at family mealtime.
I never think to pull out my slow cooker in the summer or early fall… I’m too busy grilling. However, this week I moved my tropical potted plants into the house and pulled out the slow cooker. Fall has officially arrived.
Today I want to share a mild comforting slow cooker dish that your whole family will love. This twist on the classic slow cooker chicken and rice is simple and easy to make, with light flavors of butter, garden herbs, and lemon.
To make Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice, I simply sautéed garlic and onions in butter to soften them, prior to adding to the slow cooker. (A must when slow cooking less than 10-12 hours.)
Then I added the buttery onions and garlic to the crock and topped them with a fresh bouquet of rosemary and thyme, chicken breasts, fragrant jasmine rice, and lemon slices.
Cover and let the slow cooker work its magic!
When the rice is firm but fluffy, and not a moment longer, remove the herb bouquet and the chicken. Chop the chicken, then toss it back into the rice.
Viola!
See how easy it is?
Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice tastes (and smells) of a classic french bistro, yet with a lot less effort than classic french dishes.
The mild, yet alluring, flavors will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. You’re kids will love it!
Kick off crockpot season with our Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice recipe. It’s a great recipe for both busy weekday meals, or large weekend gatherings.
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Bistro Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- Bouquet de garni (bundle of herbs with 2 sprigs rosemary and 4 sprigs thyme)
- 1 lemon sliced and seeds removed
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 5 cups chicken broth
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium skillet and set over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes to soften, then pour the onions and butter into the crock of a large slow cooker.
- Add the bouquet de garni and the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Pour the rice over the top and lay the lemon slices over it. Then pour the chicken broth over the rice.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 3-5 hours. (The first time you make this dish, be watchful of the rice. All slow cookers are slightly different, and you do not want the rice to cook to mush. Turn the slow cooker off when the rice is firm and fluffy. My slow cooker takes 2 hours on high.)
- Pull the chicken breast and the bouquet de garni out of the crock and cut into bite-size chunks. Add the chicken back to the crock and toss. Serve warm.
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So last night was the first time I’ve cooked for my husband this recipe. He was highly impressed. I used Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Micom Rice Cooker. I bought it because I have read a lot of good reviews at http://cooker.guru/zojirushi-ns-tsc10-review. Thanks for making me look good!
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Made this as is and was delicious!! Trying to make it less fattening. Can I substitute oil for butter and fat free broth? Not sure if the fat is needed?
Hi Tammy! At least a little fat is needed to sauté the onions, but you could reduce it to 1 tablespoon of butter or oil. I like the extra butter for richness and flavor though. :)
This sounds delightful! Have you tried it with brown or wild rice? If so, any adaptations necessary? Thank you!
Hi Erica, I haven’t made it with brown rice, so I can’t say. Let me know if you give it a try!!
Erica – did you ever try with brown rice? I want to make this with brown rice, but I know it can mess with cook times! Any advice is appreciated.
Did anyone try the brown rice?
This is in my slow cooker right now! Can’t wait!Â
Looks fantastic!
This is so right up my alley. Adding it to menu for next week!
I can almost smell this… It sounds so comforting.
Slow Cookers are such time savers and I love that lemon you snuck in there!
Slow cooker recipes make things so easy- this one looks delicious!
Oh I’m loving this one! So light and full of flavor! Great recipe Sommer!
Oh I’m loving this one! So light and flavorful!
Add this to the must-make slow cooker list! How did we ever survive without these? xoxo
Slow cooker season is the best! Such a great classic recipe you’ve got here!
Love the addition of lemon to this! Â Beautiful pics too!
Chicken and rice is a classic that never gets old in my house! This looks divine! I definitely need to try it.