Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole

1. Stage

Salt the chicken: Sprinkle salt (about 2 teaspoons) on both side of the chicken thighs, and let them sit while you prep and cook the onions.

2. Stage

Sauté the onions, garlic, spices: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on high heat. When the oil is shimmery hot, but not smoking, add the sliced onions and cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the ground cumin and cinnamon. Let cook for a minute. Add the garlic and cook for half a minute more. Place cooked onions and garlic into the bowl of a slow cooker. (Do not wipe down the sauté pan.)

3. Stage

Brown the chicken thighs: Heat the sauté pan on medium. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side-down in the pan. Let cook on medium heat until the skin is well-browned and much of the chicken fat from the skin has rendered out (about 10 to 12 minutes). Turn the chicken pieces over and brown the skinless side for 4 to 5 minutes more.

4. Stage

Combine everything in the slow cooker: While the chicken is cooking, add the raw long grain rice into the slow cooker with the onions, stir to combine. Stir in the diced tomatoes, peas (if using), stock, pepper, bay leaves. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. When the chicken has finished browning, place the chicken pieces skin-side up in the pot.

5. Stage

Slow cook for 2 to 3 hours on the high setting of your slow cooker: The timing depends on your particular slow cooker. My All-Clad model with a metal bowl heats up very quickly and only takes 2 hours to cook this dish. Slow cooker models with a ceramic bowl heat up much more slowly and probably would take 3 hours to cook. I suggest checking about halfway through the cooking time to see how the rice is cooking. If it is drying out (could be your lid isn't tight fitting, or the rice just needs more water), add another half cup to cup of water. Fluff the rice with a fork to serve. Add more salt to taste.