This is one of the few slow cooker recipes that runs on High from start to finish. Rice needs a genuine simmer, and converted long-grain rice — parboiled before it is packaged — is what survives the cook without collapsing.
The broccoli goes in at the stir, about ninety minutes in, and the cheddar goes in at the very end in two parts: a cup and a half stirred through, half a cup melted on top.
Why This Recipe Works
- Rinsing the rice removes surface starch that would otherwise make the finished dish gluey.
- Three cups of broth to a cup and a half of rice is the ratio that leaves the grains tender rather than dry or swimming.
- Adding the broccoli at the stir gives it forty-five to sixty minutes — enough to cook through and stay green.
- Half a cup of milk stirred in with the cheddar loosens the rice just enough for the cheese to coat it.
Ingredient Notes
- Converted long-grain white rice
- A cup and a half, rinsed. Converted rather than ordinary long-grain — the parboiling is what keeps the grains separate.
- Chicken thighs
- A pound and a half in 1 1/2-inch pieces, thawed. Cut small so they finish with the rice.
- Sharp cheddar
- Two cups, divided: a cup and a half stirred in, half a cup melted over the top.
How to Make It
Load the cooker
Stir the rice, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper together in the slow cooker. Fold in the chicken pieces.
Cook on High, then stir
Cover and cook on High for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir once, then add the broccoli.
Finish the cook
Continue cooking 45 to 60 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cheddar, twice
Stir in the milk and 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top, cover 10 minutes until melted, and serve.
When Things Go In
The whole cook runs on HIGH and takes about two and a half hours. Three things are added along the way, and each has a reason for arriving when it does.
Start
1 1/2 cups rinsed converted rice, 3 cups broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 lb chicken in 1 1/2-inch pieces
Rice and chicken start together because both need roughly the same time on HIGH.
About 1 1/2 hours - stir once
4 cups broccoli florets
The single stir of the whole recipe, and the moment the broccoli joins. Any earlier and it would be olive by the end.
45 to 60 minutes later
Nothing - this is the finish line for the cook itself
The rice should be tender and the chicken at 165F.
Off the cook
1/2 cup whole milk and 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, stirred through
The milk loosens the rice so the cheese coats rather than clumps.
Last 10 minutes, covered
The remaining 1/2 cup cheddar, over the top
Melts under the lid into the visible cheese layer rather than disappearing into the rice.
Success Tips
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This is the difference between fluffy and gluey.
- Only stir once, at the ninety-minute mark. Repeated stirring breaks the grains down.
- Do not lift the lid during the final ten minutes — that is when the top layer of cheddar is melting.
Serving Ideas
Six servings with the chicken, rice, green broccoli florets and melted cheddar all visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use noodles instead of rice?
No. This is a rice dish, and rice is what it is built around.
Can I cook it on Low instead?
The recipe runs on High throughout, which is what cooks the rice properly.
When exactly does the broccoli go in?
At the stir, about an hour and a half in, giving it 45 to 60 minutes so it stays green.
