Slow Cooker Masala Chicken and Rice

Total Time Prep: 30 min. Cook: 4-1/2 hours
Yield 4 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
This recipe is in regular rotation at our house. Indian spices and ground chicken come together for a new and easy take on the classic comfort food, chicken and rice. I modified this recipe to be mild in spice but strong in flavor. The ground meat makes it familiar enough that my kids will eat it, too! —Amanda Jones, Monroeville, Alabama

Ingredients

  • CHICKEN:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • RICE:
  • 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
  • 1-3/4 cups boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil or butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add chicken and onion, cook until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, breaking into crumbles. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. Add tomato sauce, water, salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, ginger, cinnamon and bay leaf; stir to combine. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Add peas, cook 30 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 2-qt. baking dish. Add rice, water, salt and oil; stir to combine. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until water is absorbed, 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  3. Serve chicken over cooked rice.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 491 calories, 20g fat (5g saturated fat), 105mg cholesterol, 1590mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 27g protein.

This recipe is in regular rotation at our house. Indian spices and ground chicken come together for a new and easy take on the classic comfort food, chicken and rice. I modified this recipe to be mild in spice but strong in flavor. The ground meat makes it familiar enough that my kids will eat it, too! —Amanda Jones, Monroeville, Alabama
Recipe Creator

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