There are some dishes that look, taste and smell so familiar to us, and yet we would never dream of preparing these complex meals in our own kitchens. Many nostalgia-inducing takeout foods and foreign cuisines fall into this category. We assume that it would be too expensive to assemble a whole new pantry of staple ingredients and far too time-consuming to cook. Spanish rice often falls into this category for us. Traditionally fluffy, yellow and bursting with flavor, it's no wonder why we find the idea of preparing Spanish rice ourselves so incredibly daunting!
This recipe for fiesta chicken and rice brings these incredible flavors straight into your kitchen by way of your slow cooker, leaving all of your fears of expense and complexity at the door! Simple white rice cooked down with stock, tender diced chicken, veggies, chopped tomatoes and spices make this one of those dishes that is simply as accessible as it gets! The essence of Spanish rice comes from the addition of onions, cumin and tomatoes, which are cooked down alongside the rice (as opposed to being added in afterward), giving this humble dish the incredible bursts of flavor that it is so well known for!
Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken and RiceIngredients1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock, no sodium
1 cup diced onion
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
3 cups instant white rice
Instructions1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, add all ingredients from chicken to cilantro.
Mix well.
2. Cook on high for 3 hours.
3. After 3 hours, add the instant rice and mix well.
4. Cook for another 30 minutes on high.
Fluff rice and serve!
Pro tip: If you have an extra 5 minutes to spare, fry the garlic, onions and peppers along with the lime juice, cilantro stems, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper for 3 to 5 minutes before you add to the slow cooker. This will deepen the flavor of the dish!
