Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Rice are staples of a family favorite in an easy one-dish meal. This home-cooked recipe can be embellished with many vegetables and sides and makes plenty to serve everyone around the table. Try this pork chop recipe in the slow cooker for perfectly tender meat and creamy light rice.

pork chop on blue plate with rice and carrots

While it may have a few more steps than a typical “dump-and-go” slow cooker recipe, the layered stages are certainly worth it for the quality of the meal when finished. The timing for adding the rice and additional liquid will give you wonderful results in texture and flavor.

Benefits Of Using A Slow Cooker To Make Pork Chops and Rice

There are so many ways to make this classic pork chop and rice combo, but the slow cooker is simply the best method for this dish. After trying this for yourself and tasting your delicious meal at the end of the day, I’m sure you will agree!

Tender meat – The slow cooker method is perfect for cooking tender pork chops because the moisture is contained inside the slow cooker all day (allowing the meat to retain its juices). When the lid is closed, evaporation is minimal, leaving a juicy, flavorful meal inside!
Temperature control – No need to fuss with the oven and temperatures while worrying about overcooking the meat! Using the slow cooker is almost foolproof when it comes to efficiently cooking pork chops.
Rice texture – Rice can tend to be tricky to cook evenly when mixed with other ingredients. However, with the combination of the chicken broth and heavy cream, along with my tested timing, the rice has an excellent texture and does not end up “gummy” or mushy at all.
Flavor – The flavor is so much richer by using the slow cooker for pork chops and rice. All ingredients are proportioned and contained which allows the heat to fully saturate and release fantastic flavor.
Simplicity – Pork chops and rice can be cooked effectively in separate stages, but why not make your life simpler with an all-in-one option? Instead of juggling the timing and care of pork chops in the oven and rice on the stove, you can set it for hours and come back to delicious home-cooked food near the end. Bonus – fewer dishes for cleanup!

Ingredients Needed

This meal has several ingredients, but most will be basics you might already have in your kitchen. This would be a great recipe to add to your weekly menu when you find pork chops on sale at the grocery store! Here’s what you’ll need:

Bone-in center-cut pork chops – Center-cut pork chops will contain rib bone and tender meat on either side of the bone. This bone-in cut will have slightly more fat than boneless pork chops. More fat means richer taste!
Olive oil and butter – These will lightly brown the sides of the pork chops along with the onion and garlic to release lots of aromatic flavor.
Chicken broth – Broth infuses flavor into both the pork chops and the rice.
Diced yellow onion and jarred minced garlic – Finely dice the yellow onion and use jarred minced garlic for ease and savory elements.
Basmati rice – Long-grain white rice will work best for this recipe to maintain a fluffy texture.
Seasonings – Use dried thyme, salt, and pepper for a light seasoning that enhances the meat.
Heavy whipping cream – This addition at the end brings a rich, full flavor to the overall recipe and prevents the rice from being too dry.

You can find many variations of slow cooker pork chops and rice dishes across the internet, but most will use a canned and condensed cream soup rather than ingredients all from scratch. By using your own simple ingredients, you can eliminate the additives that are typically associated with canned soups such as vegetable oil, wheat flour, and heightened levels of sodium.

How To Make Pork Chops and Rice in the Slow Cooker

Plan to prepare this meal in two phases. For the first phase, you will prepare the meat and savory elements. Then for the second phase near the end, you’ll add the rice and additional liquid and seasonings.

To begin, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet or the bottom of a multi-cooker over medium-high heat. Next, sprinkle the pork chops with a pinch of salt and pepper, plus ½ teaspoon of the dried thyme. Add the pork chops to the skillet or multi-cooker along with diced onion and minced garlic.

Cook the pork chops for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned along with the onion and garlic. Add the pork chops, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker with the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Now, onto the final phase! When about 1 hour remains in the cooking time, remove the pork chops from the slow cooker. Stir in the rice, heavy whipping cream, and remaining salt, pepper, and thyme until evenly combined with the liquid mixture in the slow cooker.

Add the pork chops back in, cover, and cook on high for 45-60 minutes. Continue to stir the rice occasionally until it is fully cooked. (It should have a texture that can be easily “fluffed” by using a fork.)

Finally, as an option, garnish your plate of pork chops and rice with fresh parsley or chopped green onions.

What To Serve With Pork Chops and Rice

I love a good basic slow cooker dish like this one that can be served with so many side options! Try serving simple veggies with lots of flavors like Oven Roasted Carrots, Slow Cooker Carrots with Herbed Honey Butter Sauce, or Lemon Pepper Roasted Asparagus. And, you can never go wrong with a fresh side salad and a toasty dinner roll with butter!

If you’d like to add some vegetables to the slow cooker to keep this a one-pot meal, stir in two cups of frozen mixed veggies or frozen green beans when adding the rice. Your complete dinner just got even easier!

For special occasions (or even your average weeknight), serve a tasty homemade dessert and everyone at the table will leave feeling the care and comfort of home cooking! Some easy and delicious options are Slow Cooker Apple Crumble or Easy Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler With Fresh Peaches.

blue plate filled with pork chops, rice and carrots

Leftover Instructions

This recipe makes hearty portions, so you can plan for leftovers if you aren’t serving a crowd. Additionally, this would be a great meal to portion out for a few lunches for the week and add in a veggie or two!

Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. If you’d like to freeze leftovers, also use an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until just warmed through. If you are reheating from frozen, be sure to factor in time to defrost in the refrigerator.

Pork Chops and Rice FAQs

Can I use a different cut of pork or a different meat altogether for this recipe? I think bone-in pork chops are the best cut of pork for flavor and also because they won’t dry out in the slow cooker. A thick cut or regular cut is fine, but just refrain from using thin cut since it can become tough when cooked for an extended time. You could also use boneless chops, but be aware that they may not be quite as tender.
Can I use brown rice or other types of grains? If you prefer to use brown rice, plan to increase your liquid and cooking time depending on the exact type of rice. Basmati or jasmine rice are varieties that work well with this recipe. If you’d like to swap other grains, it would be best to cook these separately to serve as a side option for this recipe.
Can I add vegetables to this dish? Frozen vegetables are a great, easy addition to this dish – keeping everything in the same pot! Stir in two cups of frozen mixed veggies or frozen green beans when you add the rice in the final hour of cooking.
Can I prepare this recipe in advance? You can prepare the meat ahead of time to store in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking. Prep the pork, onions, garlic, and seasoning by portioning and storing in a freezer-safe bag or container. Defrost when ready to cook, add to the slow cooker (skip browning the meat this time), and complete the remaining steps.

Recipe Variations

With simple ingredients, there is plenty of room to make some tweaks according to your liking! Here are a few possible swaps and additions you could make:

If you’d like to add veggies to this recipe, stir in two cups of frozen mixed veggies or frozen green beans when you add in the rice.
Any long-grain white rice like basmati or jasmine rice will work well in this recipe and result in light, flavorful rice at the end. If you want to use a long grain brown rice, you will need to adjust liquids and cooking time according to the rice you choose. In general, avoided instant or minute-rice varieties.
For another addition, finely chop a few mushrooms and sauté them along with the onion and garlic.
Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped green onions. A sprinkle of fresh-grated parmesan cheese would also be a great touch!