Roy’s Light Slow-Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice

6 servings         3 Better Balance Bites/Blue Points

Calories 380     Fat 8.3g   Sat. Fat 2.2g   Protein 28.4g   Carbs 49.1g   Fiber 4.9g   Sugars 2.3g

Ingredients

· Cooking spray

· 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (see notes)

· 1 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables (see notes)

· 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked (see notes)

· 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

· 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup 

· 1/2 medium onion, chopped

· 4 oz jar pimentos

· 1 Tbsp minced garlic

· 2 teaspoons dried thyme

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

· 1 cup (112g) fat-free cheddar cheese (see notes)

· 1/4 cup (20g) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Lightly coat a 4-6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or use a liner. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch chunks. This size will keep the chicken from drying out as it cooks. Put the mixed vegetables into a bowl and allow to thaw as the chicken and rice cook.

2. Rinse rice well (optional) and drain completely. Then, to ensure the rice cooks through, presoak the rice in warm water for about 30 minutes OR parcook it (meaning to get the cooking process started before adding it to the slow cooker) in water for about 5-10 minutes on the stovetop. (see notes)

3. Add the rice, broth, soup, onion, pimentos (including liquid), garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to break up the cream of chicken soup and evenly distribute the rice. Add chicken pieces and make sure they are submerged in the broth.

4. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 OR on low for 4 hours. Add in the thawed vegetables, cheddar, and parmesan. Stir to combine and left cook another 30-60 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Notes

· You can cook the chicken breasts whole if you’d prefer, but you will need to remove them from the slow cooker to chop or shred them before adding them back in.

· Swap the frozen mixed vegetables for veggies you prefer. Or feel free to use leftover veggies or even canned! Firmer raw vegetables (potatoes, carrots, etc) should be added at the beginning of cooking. Add softer, precooked, canned, or frozen vegetables when there are just 30 minutes left to cooking.

· Rinsing the rice until the water is clear will minimize the clumping of the finished dish. If that doesn’t bother you, you can add it without rinsing.

· I have tried brown rice in this, but it doesn’t cook through as well as white rice. However, presoaking or parcooking it could help.

· I have made this dish many times and had no problem with the rice cooking, but other times have been a different story. This is why I recommend presoaking or parcooking even white rice before it goes into the slow cooker, just for some insurance of the rice cooking through.

· Using reduced- or full-fat cheddar will affect the bites or points.