Chicken · Crockpot adaptation

Crockpot Chicken and Rice, Mr. Make It Happen Style

Mr. Make It Happen sears bone-in chicken thighs skin-down for that golden colour a crockpot alone can't give you, then builds a smoky, garlicky rice base around them. Adapted here so the searing stays on the hob and the rice goes in late, so it doesn't turn to mush over a long cook.

R By Richard · Adapted from Mr. Make It Happen · Published 23 July 2026
👁 801.9k source views ❤️ 24k source likes
⏱Prep 20 min
🍲Crockpot 4 hr (Low) / 2.5 hr (High)
🍽Serves 4
How To Make Chicken & Rice | Easy One Pot Recipes #MrMakeItHappen

Source video by Mr. Make It Happen on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

The original is a hob one-pot: chicken thighs seared for colour, then simmered with peppers, garlic and rice for 20 to 25 minutes. Adapted for the crockpot, the searing and vegetable saute stay on the hob (a crockpot won't brown anything), the chicken and broth base cooks low and slow, and the rice goes in only for the final stretch so it stays tender instead of turning to mush.

Crockpot notes: Original is a hob frying pan dish: chicken seared for colour, then simmered in the same pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Adapted for the crockpot by keeping the hob searing and vegetable saute (a crockpot can't brown), then slow-cooking the chicken in the broth base for hours instead of minutes, and stirring the rice in only for the final 45 minutes to 1 hour so it doesn't overcook over the longer time.

Ingredients

Main
  • 1.1 kgbone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, excess fat and skin trimmed (optional), seasoned generously on both sides
  • 1 pepperred bell pepper, cored and chopped into even pieces
  • 1 peppergreen bell pepper, cored and chopped into even pieces
  • 1 oniononion, chopped
  • 3 clovesgarlic, smashed, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 30 gbutter
  • 370 glong grain white rice (add late)
  • 950 mlchicken broth
Searing
  • 15 mlavocado oil
Seasoning
  • 1 tspBetter Than Bouillon chicken base
  • 1.5 tspdried oregano
  • smoked paprika
  • salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
  • cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
  • adobo seasoning
Optional
  • 120 mlwhite wine
  • fresh thyme
To serve
  • fresh parsley, chopped (add late)
  • fresh lemon juice (add late)

Method

  1. Trim any excess fat and skin from the chicken thighs if you like (optional, mostly for presentation). Season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of cayenne.

    ~10 min

  2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with the avocado oil. Lay the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, pressing down for good contact, until golden brown. Work in batches, then set the chicken aside. A crockpot can't brown meat, so this hob step is what gives the dish its colour and flavour.

    ~10 min

  3. Add the butter to the same frying pan with the peppers and onion. Saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until starting to soften, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you go.

    ~5 min

  4. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon chicken base, smoked paprika, dried oregano and adobo seasoning. Add the garlic and cook for under a minute, just until fragrant, so it doesn't burn.

    ~3 min

  5. If deglazing, pour the white wine (or a splash of chicken stock) into the frying pan and let it bubble for a minute to burn off the alcohol and lift the browned bits.

    ~2 min

  6. Transfer the seared chicken, sauteed vegetables and everything from the frying pan into the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth.

    ~5 min

  7. Cover and cook on Low for about 4 hours, or High for about 2.5 hours, until the chicken is very tender.

    ~240 min

  8. Stir in the rice, cover and continue cooking on High for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the broth.

    ~50 min

  9. Season to taste, then serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Frequently asked

Why sear the chicken on the hob first if this is a crockpot recipe?
A crockpot steams rather than browns, so without a quick sear on the hob the chicken skin stays pale and the dish loses a layer of flavour. It's a couple of minutes of extra work for a noticeably better result.
Why add the rice near the end instead of at the start?
This recipe's original version only simmers for 20 to 25 minutes, so the rice cooks through in that short window. Stretched over hours in a crockpot, rice added at the start would turn to mush, so it goes in for only the final 45 minutes to an hour instead.
Can I make this low-carb?
Yes. The channel suggests cauliflower rice instead of long grain rice. Add it much later than regular rice, in the last 15 to 20 minutes, since it cooks far faster and turns watery if it sits too long.
Do I need the white wine?
No, it's optional. It's used on the hob to deglaze the pan for a bit of extra flavour before everything goes into the crockpot. A splash of chicken stock does the same job without the alcohol.
Extraction notes (transparency): Two discrepancies between the channel's written description and the spoken video: the description lists 1 tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon chicken base, but the video narration says 1 teaspoon (used the spoken amount here). The written description's directions also mention adding fresh thyme, but thyme is never mentioned in the spoken transcript, so it's listed as optional/unconfirmed rather than core. Crockpot timings (Low 4h / High 2.5h, then a final rice stage) are a reasonable slow-cooker conversion of the original 20-25 minute hob simmer, not stated in the source, flagged per the adaptation rule.