Monterey Chicken and Rice
Serves 4 to 6
Cooking Time 4 to 5 hours on Low
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: To up the ante on the standard chicken and rice, we added bacon, barbecue sauce,
tomatoes, and pepper Jack cheese for a lively, full-flavored dinner. Cooking the chicken
and rice together gave us moist meat, but the rice was underdone. Both instant rice
and leftover precooked white rice turned mushy. Luckily, we had success when we tried
store-bought precooked white rice, which remained tender and didn’t become blown out.
Chunks of avocado and crisped bacon, cooked briefly in the microwave, added richness
and salty, savory bites. Store-bought precooked rice is important to the success of
this dish; it consistently remains intact and retains the proper doneness. Do not
use freshly made or leftover rice, as it will turn mushy and blown out in the slow
cooker. Don’t shred the chicken too finely in step 2; it will break up more as it
is stirred back into the casserole. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
1 |
red onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick |
|
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
|
1 |
tablespoon chili powder |
|
4 |
cups cooked rice |
|
½ |
cup barbecue sauce |
|
1 |
tablespoon Dijon mustard |
|
2 |
pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
2 |
tomatoes, cored and chopped |
|
1½ |
cups shredded pepper Jack cheese |
|
1 |
avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces |
|
4 |
slices bacon, chopped |
1. Microwave onion, oil, and chili powder in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in rice, barbecue sauce, and mustard. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.
2. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces. Gently stir shredded chicken, tomatoes, and 1 cup pepper Jack into slow cooker and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with avocado and remaining ½ cup pepper Jack, cover, and cook on high until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, line plate with double layer of coffee filters. Spread bacon in even layer over filters and microwave until crisp, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle casserole with crisp bacon. Serve.