Description
A comforting dish of tender chicken thighs infused with bright lemon flavor, served over fluffy rice, all made effortlessly in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
- 1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach or frozen peas (optional)
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
- In the slow cooker, combine the uncooked rice, diced onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
- Place the seared or raw chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2.5-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the rice is tender and fluffy.
- About 20 minutes before the end of cooking, gently stir in chopped spinach or peas. Cover and let them wilt from the heat.
- Once the cooking time is complete, remove the chicken and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve the chicken and rice garnished with fresh parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
Notes
Enhance flavor by searing chicken before slow cooking. For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American