
Crock Pot Chicken and Rice: 5 Freezer-Friendly One-Pot Dinners for Fast, Healthy Nights
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Crock Pot Chicken & Rice: Freezer-Friendly One-Pot Classics for Fast, Healthy Weeknight Wins
Crock pot chicken and rice is the kind of weeknight hero that never asks for much and gives back in comforting bowls you can serve any time of year. The magic is in its simplicity: lean chicken, wholesome rice, flavorful liquids, and a supporting cast of vegetables and aromatics that melt into a cohesive, cozy meal. When you build these recipes with a freezer-meal mindset, you multiply the payoff. A single prep session can stock your freezer with tidy bags that pour straight into the slow cooker on a busy day. Dinner cooks while you work, coach, or commute, and you come home to a kitchen that smells like relief. The five recipes below lean clean and balanced, with bright accents of lemon, herbs, chiles, coconut, and mushrooms to keep things lively instead of heavy. Each one is meal-prep friendly, sized for leftovers, and designed to hold well on Warm without drying out. If your evenings run long, that gentle hold is your safety net.
To keep textures at their best, the recipes use rice varieties and liquid ratios tuned for slow, steady heat. Brown rice holds its tooth and drinks up the juices without turning mushy. Jasmine brings fragrance and a softer texture. Arborio brings creaminess to a mushroom-thyme version that reads like risotto without stirring. Vegetables are chosen for sturdiness and sweetness, and seasonings are layered to taste bright after hours in the crock. Each recipe lists a freezer-bag variation so you can assemble in minutes on a weekend and cook from frozen on a weeknight; simply add a little extra time to account for the chill. Whether you are craving zesty lemon-herb comfort, salsa-verde brightness, golden coconut-turmeric warmth, garden tomato ease, or a silky mushroom-thyme bowl, you’ll find a dependable formula that respects your time and your goals.
1) Classic Lemon-Herb Chicken and Brown Rice
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours on Low (or 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on High)
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup brown rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup yellow onion, small dice
1 cup carrots, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions: Lightly coat the crock with olive oil, then add brown rice, broth, onion, carrots, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir to distribute. Nestle the chicken thighs on top, turning once to coat in the seasoned liquid. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours until the rice is tender and the chicken is easily pulled with a fork. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces directly in the pot, fold through the rice, and let the mixture rest on Warm for 10 minutes to thicken. Finish with chopped parsley and adjust lemon and salt to taste.
Notes: For a freezer meal, combine all ingredients except broth and parsley in a labeled bag and freeze flat; cook from frozen with the broth added to the pot and extend time as needed. Serve with steamed green beans or a simple tomato-cucumber salad.
Approx. Nutrition (per serving): 405 calories; 30 g protein; 44 g carbohydrates; 12 g fat.
2) Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice with Corn and Cilantro
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours on Low (or 2 to 3 hours on High)
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked and rinsed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup salsa verde, medium heat
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions: Add jasmine rice, broth, salsa verde, corn, onion, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker and stir. Lay the chicken breasts on top and press lightly to submerge. Cover and cook on Low for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or on High for 2 to 3 hours until the rice is tender and the chicken shreds easily. Shred the chicken with two forks in the pot, fold into the rice, and rest on Warm for 10 minutes to allow excess moisture to absorb. Sprinkle with cilantro and add a squeeze of lime if you like extra brightness.
Notes: For a freezer bag, combine everything except broth and cilantro and freeze; add broth to the cooker and extend time when cooking from frozen. Serve in bowls with avocado slices and a spoonful of yogurt or crema.
Approx. Nutrition (per serving): 395 calories; 33 g protein; 45 g carbohydrates; 8 g fat.
3) Coconut Turmeric Chicken and Rice with Peas
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours on Low (or 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on High)
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes to 5 hours 10 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions: Whisk coconut milk, broth, lime juice, turmeric, ginger, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in the crock. Stir in jasmine rice, then add chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours until the rice is tender and the chicken is very soft. Shred the chicken into the rice and fold in frozen peas. Cover for 5 to 8 minutes on High until the peas are warmed through. Rest on Warm for several minutes to thicken and finish with chopped cilantro.
Notes: For a richer finish, stir in 1 tablespoon of coconut cream at the end. For a freezer kit, bag everything except broth, peas, and cilantro; add broth when cooking and finish with peas and herbs.
Approx. Nutrition (per serving): 430 calories; 28 g protein; 46 g carbohydrates; 14 g fat.
4) Tomato Basil Chicken and Rice with Spinach
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours on Low (or 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on High)
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes to 5 hours 10 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup brown rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Instructions: Add brown rice, broth, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker and stir. Place the chicken on top and spoon a little tomato mixture over it. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours until the rice is tender and the chicken pulls apart. Shred the chicken into the pot and fold in baby spinach, then cover for 5 minutes until the greens wilt. Rest for 10 minutes on Warm to let the juices settle and finish with torn fresh basil.
Notes: For a freezer meal, combine everything except broth, spinach, and fresh basil; add broth at cook time and finish with greens. Serve with shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Approx. Nutrition (per serving): 400 calories; 32 g protein; 43 g carbohydrates; 9 g fat.
5) Creamy Mushroom-Thyme Chicken and Arborio Rice
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours on Low (or 2 to 3 hours on High)
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup arborio rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions: Stir arborio rice, broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, evaporated milk, olive oil, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in the crock until evenly combined. Submerge the chicken thighs in the mixture, making sure the rice is mostly covered. Cover and cook on Low for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or on High for 2 to 3 hours until the rice is creamy and the chicken is tender. Shred the chicken into the rice, stir thoroughly, and rest on Warm for 8 to 10 minutes so the starches set into a spoonable, risotto-style texture. Finish with chopped parsley and adjust salt to taste.
Notes: For a freezer version, bag everything except evaporated milk and parsley; add the milk in the last 30 minutes of cooking and finish with herbs. Serve with roasted asparagus or a crisp green salad.
Approx. Nutrition (per serving): 445 calories; 29 g protein; 47 g carbohydrates; 13 g fat.
Freezer Strategy and Easy Serving Ideas
These one-pot meals were built to move fluidly between a make-ahead weekend and a weeknight rush. If you plan a freezer session, label each bag with the recipe name, today’s date, and the phrase “add broth at cook time” where applicable. Freeze flat for quick thawing and neat storage. On cooking day, you can load the crock straight from frozen when schedules demand it; simply add broth, set to Low, and allow extra time until rice is tender and chicken is shreddable. When serving, a finish of acid or fresh herbs revives flavors after the long, gentle cook. Lemon wedges flatter the lemon-herb pot. Lime and cilantro make the salsa verde sing. A spoon of coconut cream enriches the turmeric bowl. A drizzle of olive oil and torn basil welcome the tomato pot to the table. Parsley gives the mushroom-thyme version a clean lift. Leftovers pack beautifully into single-portion containers for lunches that heat quickly and taste even better the next day. With these five steady formulas, your slow cooker becomes a weeknight ally that trades a few minutes of prep for the comfort of a warm, complete dinner waiting when you are ready.