Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

My mother-in-law has a slow cooker chicken and rice recipe that she makes every now and then, and it’s so good.  She puts all the ingredients in her slow cooker, and lets it cook all day.  Part of what makes it so great is that she uses cream of chicken soup.  But with Monkey’s migraines, I have to limit what we use that contains MSG and it’s “sodium sisters”.  Cream of chicken soup is one of those ingredients I’ve had to stop buying and start making.  {For more on what I use as a substitute, you can check out this post.}

So I started experimenting.  With all three kids in soccer, I have come to love dinners that are simple and require little hands on prep time.  Bonus points if it’s something I can cook in our slow cooker from start to finish.  I used my mother-in-law’s slow cooker chicken and rice as the basis for this recipe, and just modified it for what we use in our house.

Note: If you are able to use the cans of cream of soup, you can skip the first 8 ingredients and replace it with a can of your preferred cream of soup.  You’ll also want to reduce the chicken broth down to 1/2 cup, and you can skip to step 7 in the directions.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup broth {I use our homemade chicken broth}
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup white rice, cooked according to directions.

Directions

1. Spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray.  Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt butter.  While butter is melting, measure out flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and sage in a small bowl.
3. Add celery to melted butter.  Saute until celery is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. When celery is translucent, add flour mixture to the melted butter, whisking to combine.  Continue to whisk, cooking on low until flour is no longer bubbly, is slightly darkened, and smells nutty.  This takes approximately 3 minutes.
5. Slowly add 1/2 cup broth, continuously whisking to allow broth to combine with flour.  Be sure to whisk the sides too so there are no more lumps of flour.
6. Slowly add milk, whisking to combine.  Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat.
7. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth with your homemade cream of soup, and then pour mixture over the chicken in your slow cooker.
8. Cook on low for 6 hours.
9. When the chicken is nearly done, cook rice according to directions.
10. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred.
11. Add shredded chicken back to the slow cooker.  Add in cooked rice back.  Cook for another 30 minutes.
12. Serve with a side vegetable, such as green beans or peas.

There you have it!  A super simple, delicious, hearty and comforting slow cooker chicken and rice dinner.