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image of a close up shot of a top down mise en place of fresh ingredients for slow cooker lemon herb chicken and rice on a white marble kitchen counter healthy clear glass bowls rustic brown wooden kitchen sets soft diffuse daylight chicken thighs bone in or boneless chicken breasts long grain white rice jasmine rice chicken broth or stock lemons juice and zest garlic minced or chopped onion or leeks olive oil or butter salt black pepper dried thyme dried oregano Italian seasoning paprika onion powder garlic powder crushed red pepper flakes fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
C. Motter Cindy

Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

A comforting, one-pot slow cooker dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with fragrant lemon, herbs, and rice for an easy weeknight dinner that's full of flavor and minimal effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
Rice and Liquid
  • 1.5 cups long grain white rice
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
Citrus and Aromatics
  • 2 fresh lemons juice and zest
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 0.5 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Herbs and Seasonings
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
  • fresh parsley chopped, for serving
  • fresh lemon slices, for serving

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • skillet,

Method
 

Prepare the Chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika. (Optional: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 2 minutes per side until lightly browned.)
Build the Flavor Base
  1. If searing was done, use the skillet to sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion for 3 minutes until softened. Otherwise, place raw garlic and onion at the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, and more salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Place the chicken (seared or raw) over the aromatics in the slow cooker. Pour the broth mixture on top, ensuring chicken is mostly submerged. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until tender.
  4. Remove and shred the chicken, set aside. Skim excess fat from the liquid, then stir in the rice and return shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  5. Cook on HIGH for another 30-45 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
  6. Let rest for 10 minutes with lid slightly ajar. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

Notes

For best texture, always add rice after chicken is cooked. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of broth to restore moisture.
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