In a large crock pot, add onion, carrots, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, cream cheese and brown rice. Give it a good stir. Lay chicken and pour chicken broth on top.
Cover with the lid and cook on High setting for 2 hours with chicken breasts or 2.5 hours with chicken thighs, or until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked but firm. I recommend to check after 2 hours in any case.
Remove chicken onto a plate, shred with two forks and return back to slow cooker along with peas and parsley. Stir gently, sprinkle cheese on top and cover. Turn off heat and let chicken and rice sit for 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Serve hot garnished with extra parsley.
Notes
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat with a splash of water or broth breaking into pieces and stirring in a pot. Use lid to steam it through.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Reheat in a medium pot with a splash of chicken broth on low heat covered for 10 minutes or so, stirring a few times.
Don't use white rice: It will turn out over cooked and mushy. Long grain brown rice is the best here.
Cook only on High setting: Cooking on low will result in mushy rice.
Chicken breasts vs. chicken thighs cook time: I found chicken thighs release more juices and need longer cook time, about 2.5 hours. Versus chicken breasts that will be ready in 2 hours.
Do not overcook: Rice will be mushy.
Do not open the lid: During cooking because cook time will increase.