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Southwest Chicken Crockpot Best Chicken And Rice Crockpot Recipe For Families

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This Southwest Chicken and Rice Crockpot recipe is a bold, satisfying one-pot meal perfect for families, meal prep, or crowd-pleasing dinners. Packed with tender shredded chicken, fluffy seasoned rice, black beans, corn, and zesty salsa, it comes together in the slow cooker with minimal effort. Finish with melted cheese and fresh toppings like avocado or cilantro for a dish that’s as comforting as it is flavorful. Perfect for busy weeknights or weekend meal planning, this dish is a go-to solution for simple, flavorful home cooking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
  • 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • Sour cream or sliced avocado for serving (optional)

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot.

Add uncooked rice, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and salsa on top of the chicken.

Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Stir gently to combine the ingredients around the chicken without fully mixing everything together.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then return it to the crock pot and stir to combine.

Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top, cover for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve warm with chopped cilantro, sour cream, or sliced avocado if desired.

 

Notes

  • For best texture, use uncooked long grain white rice and avoid over-stirring before cooking.

  • Frozen chicken should be thawed prior to use for food safety.

  • Adjust spice levels by choosing mild or hot salsa and controlling the chili powder amount.

  • Leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day—ideal for meal prepping.

  • Toppings like cilantro, avocado, or sour cream elevate the dish with freshness and texture.

  • Great served in bowls, wrapped in tortillas, or topped with crushed tortilla chips for added crunch.

  • Explore more creative variations and visual ideas on Pinterest for personalizing this family-favorite recipe.

Find it online: https://claradelish.com/southwest-chicken-crockpot-best-chicken-and-rice-crockpot-recipe-for-families/