This Slow Cooker Basil Chicken and Rice is a complete meal with tender chicken thighs, rice and plenty of basil.
This recipe is a spin off my mom’s oven recipe for basil rice. My mom makes a basil rice recipe that goes great with anything. She would brown rice and butter in a skillet, add dried basil, chicken broth, and rice and then finish it in the oven. I made her rice recipe a complete meal by adding chicken.
How to make Basil, Chicken and Rice:
For this recipe, I cook chicken, leeks, basil, butter and chicken broth for 6 hours. Then I stir in Minute Brand rice and put the lid back on and cook for about 25 minutes more. You may remember that I do not like conventional rice in the slow cooker, it gets gummy. Minute rice is parboiled then dried, so it doesn’t get gummy and it cooks fast.
The rice turns out perfectly fluffy and tastes amazing since it is flavored with the butter and broth the chicken has been cooking in. The thighs turn out moist and tender in this meal too!
I always looked forward to this rice when my mom was making it and this slow cooker recipe makes life easier with the chicken cooked with it. Have a great week!
Other great Chicken and Rice recipes:
- Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rice
- Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Slow Cooker One Pot Chicken Burrito Filling
- Slow Cooker No Peek Chicken
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
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Slow Cooker Basil Chicken and Rice
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 15 oz. can chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 cup diced leeks
- 3 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 cups white Minute rice ADD AT THE END
Instructions:
- Add the chicken, chicken broth, basil, salt, pepper and leeks to the slow cooker. Add the butter on top of the chicken, no need to melt it.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- After the cooking time is done, remove the chicken onto a plate with a slotted spoon. Stir in the minute rice, Add the chicken into the rice. Cover and cook on LOW for 25 more minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Looks amazing! I’ve been looking for a chicken & rice recipe that won’t leave the rice gummy. Can’t wait to make it.
Thoughts on using fresh basil? I have a basil plant that I need more recipes for! I know it’s more potent than dry… thinking of chopping up fresh and using a little less.
I think that should work fine! Sounds good.
Looks very yummy! Is it possible to substitute or do away with the butter, though? Would it dry out the chicken if I skipped the butter?
You can replace it with more broth.
Can you use whole grain brown basmati rice which normally enjoys long slow cooking. Also, it is better for you.
This looks really good! Could you use frozen chicken, if so how much longer?
Can you use boneless chicken breasts?
Yes!
Can split breasts be used instead of thighs
Yes, will work fine.
Will keep this recipe, due to can’t get any rice at the moment whilst mindless idiots are stock piling rice during the corona virus outbreak. X
I know! I’ve been surprised at how much money is being spent. Like, who knew Americans were holding out?
Joking, kinda.
Could you use Arborio rice? If so is the amount and time cooking the same?
Standard rice does not do well in the slow cooker, it gets gummy.
Hi
Would it be same measurements of ingredients if doing in a 3.5 quart slow cooker?
I think this recipe should work fine in a 3.5 quart. In the photos I see that the pot wasn’t even half full.
If you use wild rice when would you put it in to make sure it gets cooked.
Hi Jacque, I would add it at the beginning. Here is a recipe where I use a mixture of brown minute rice and wild rice: https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/slow-cooker-minnesota-pork-chop-casserole/
Thank you
I love my crock potcooking. Why did you change from crock pot to slow cooker??? Is it a modern name, only???
I’ve always used the name slow cooker. Crock Pot is a brand.
Can I leave the butter out and maybe use olive oil instead? If so, how much olive oil would i use?
Hi Gaetana, I would probably do only a tablespoon of olive oil and maybe do water or broth for the rest of the butter amount (to keep the liquid ratio correct).
Can you cook this on high if so for how long?
I would do 3.5-4 hours on high.
Instant, white rice is not an option for me. What are your recommendations in regards to long grain, wild rice, brown rice and and the red/black varieties?
Long grain rice and brown rice don’t do well in the slow cooker. Wild rice does good. The slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough for regular rice. They do make minute brown rice. You can cook the rice on the stove top and serve this over?