Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Rice
This healthy and satisfying Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe is the perfect make-ahead dish for busy weeknights. Set it early in the day and later enjoy a flavorful, one-pot meal.
Simple and kid-friendly, this crockpot Mexican chicken bowl is a breeze to make. Dump-and-go crockpot recipes are the perfect solution to busy weeknights.
White rice, chicken, black beans, and salsa make a delicious Mexican-inspired dish even the kids will devour. You can simply top it with creamy avocado, or you can add sour cream, more salsa, guacamole, fresh cilantro, and shredded cheese.
You only need 15 minutes and 9 ingredients for this easy Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe. It’s similar to a burrito bowl, but easier to make. It tastes delicious on its own or topped with all the extras!
Why You Need This Recipe
- This one-pot meal is one of the easiest things you will ever make.
- Prep for this dish is only 15 minutes.
- It’s made with pantry staples like beans, rice, and chicken. Substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts, if you prefer.
- Double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for up to two months.
Key Ingredients
White rice – Be sure to buy long grain white rice. Short-grain rice has a high starch content and won’t cook properly in this recipe. Basmati or jasmine are both great options.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – I’ve used lean chicken breasts for this recipe. If you prefer dark meat, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just be sure to cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Onion – Onions mellow as they cook. Their spicy bite turns sweet and flavorful. You can use white, yellow, sweet, or red onions for this recipe.
Chicken broth – Chicken broth is a one-ingredient wonder. It packs in flavor for stews, soups, and grains. It can be high in sodium which is why I recommend reduced-sodium chicken broth.
Salsa – Purchase your favorite brand of salsa or whatever is on sale. Any brand will do.
Green chiles – If you don’t like any heat, you can omit these.
Black beans – Black beans add complex carbs and more protein. They taste amazing with rice and chicken! You can use pinto beans if you prefer.
Lime – I recommend using a fresh squeezed lime. Limes are affordable and taste much better than juice from the bottle.
Avocado – Look for an avocado that gives when gently pressed. Ripe avocados have a creamy texture and can be easily scooped out of the skin.
Recipe Steps
Step One
In the base of a 5-quart or larger Crockpot, combine the rice, chicken, onion, chicken broth, salsa, green chiles, and black beans.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
Stir well to combine everything. Place the lid on the pot and set the temperature to high. Cook for 4 hours on high or until the rice is tender.
Step Three
Remove the lid and stir in the lime juice. Use a ladle to pour the dish into individual bowls. Top each serving with a couple of avocado slices.
Step Four
Store any leftovers in a tightly-sealed container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- If you prefer, use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Double this crockpot recipe for easy lunches all week or freeze for a quick and easy dinner.
- Top reheated leftovers with freshly sliced avocado. This dish is also great served with additional fresh or jarred salsa or Cucumber Pico de Gallo.
- If you aren’t on a dairy-free diet, you can top this dish with shredded cheddar cheese. For vegans, top with vegan shredded cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can add all the ingredients at the same time. The rice will absorb all the flavor from the broth while the chicken cooks. The temperature of the crockpot will kill any bacteria and fully cook the chicken.
Yes! I love to double this recipe and freeze half for later. Just wait until the mixture cools and then scoop it into a freezer safe container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and use within 2 months for the best results.
You can serve it as-is or serve it like a burrito bowl with toppings. Diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, corn, jalapenos, cilantro, green onions, and salsa all taste delicious!
More Healthy Crockpot Chicken Recipes You Might Like
- Crockpot Chicken Thighs with Green Chilis
- Crockpot Coconut Chicken Stew
- Easy Crockpot Chicken and Cabbage
- Sweet Potato Coconut Chicken Curry
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Quinoa Dinner
- Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken
Or, see my entire index of healthy slow cooker recipes.
Don’t Miss These Easy Chicken Dinners
Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Rice
This healthy and satisfying Crockpot Mexican Chicken & Rice recipe is the perfect make-ahead dish for busy weeknights. Set it in the early afternoon and then enjoy a flavorful one-pot meal.
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed well and drained
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup prepared salsa
- 1 5–ounce can green chiles
- 1 15–ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 avocado, sliced (for topping)
Instructions
- In the base of a 5-quart or larger Crockpot, combine the rice, chicken, onion, chicken broth, salsa, green chiles, and black beans. Stir gently to combine.
- Place the lid on the pot and set the temperature to high. Cook for 4 hours on high or until the rice is tender.
- Remove the lid and stir in the lime juice. Use a ladle to pour the dish into individual bowls. Top each serving with a couple of avocado slices.
- Store any leftovers in a tightly-sealed container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- You can freeze any leftovers in a tightly-sealed container for up to 2 months.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts, if you prefer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Crockpot slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 373
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 734.4 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.9 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 30.7 g
- Cholesterol: 68.9 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Horrible recipe. This must have a typo or something. I made it last night, and there was NO WAY it was going to POUR. It was congealed sludge!!
4 hours of cooking on HIGH! You’re kidding. Now it is true your recipe say “or until the rice is tender”. But that defeats using a crockpot if I have to keep checking it. I set it up for 4 hours and went about my day per your recipe, and wasted everything but the chicken (which was dry as a bone). But at least I could wash off the chicken to salvage it.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Did you follow the directions for rinsing the rice? And, did you follow the other ingredients? You could have added more broth I suppose. The recipe works for me!
Can this be cooked on low? If so, then how long?
It’s best to cook it on high according to the instructions so the rice doesn’t get overcooked.
I substituted green salsa for the red because that’s what I had. I do not recommend. The water content must be higher. My rice turned to mush. We were able to eat it by turning the dish into burrito filling.
Love this easy one-pot meal!