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Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice is a classic dinner idea for the whole family made right in your crockpot. Creamy rice mixed with tender chicken and veggies makes an easy meal that is sure to be a hit.
Chicken and rice recipes are some of my favorites because of how versatile they are – from chicken fried rice to chicken & broccoli casserole – you can create so many flavor combos.
We like to keep it simple around here though so don’t worry, this is so easy you could make it while blindfolded.
Slow cooker dinners are the best for throwing together before work so at the end of a crazy busy day, dinner will be ready & waiting.
If you’re really hungry, you’ll love pairing this with onion dill bread and quenching your thirst with some cranberry orange cider!
Why you’ll love this easy Crockpot Chicken & Rice recipe
Easy slow cooker recipe – Only 5 minutes of prep time and your entire meal cooks in the slow cooker.
Cheesy comfort food – This creamy chicken & rice dish is comfort is a bowl.
Crowd pleaser – Even your picky eaters should like this one!
Equipment you’ll need
- Slow cooker – this one has been our favorite for years as it is a true set-it-and-forget-it model. It even switches to warm on its own when it’s done cooking!
- Veggie Chopper – use this for the onion to make it tearless!
- Cheese Grater – I always recommend shredding your own cheese for the best outcome. This grater makes grating from the block a breeze.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into approximately 1″ pieces. I almost always opt for chicken breasts but if you prefer dark meat, boneless skinless thighs can also be used.
- Veggies – Either frozen peas and carrots that have been thawed or a can of peas and carrots can be used.
- “Cream of” Soups – You’ll need a can of cream of chicken and a can of cream of celery to add to the creaminess of this dish. Homemade condensed soup is always an option if you have a few extra minutes!
- Onion – I used a sweet onion here because it’s what I had on hand but a white or yellow onion can be used.
- Garlic – Minced garlic, either fresh or if you have minced packed in oil, that will also work.
- Dry Mustard – Dry mustard (mustard powder) is made from ground mustard seeds and adds a sharp, mildly spicy flavor.
- Cheese – I used shredded cheddar but mozzarella or colby jack could also be used. Whichever, I recommend you grating it from a block instead of buying the bag of pre-shredded cheese for the best results.
- Chicken Broth – Either from a carton or homemade chicken stock can be used. If you need low-sodium, or no salt added, that will work.
- Brown Rice – White rice is lacking bran, which means it absorbs water faster and makes it less than ideal for a slow cooker recipe. Stick with brown rice for better texture.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- STEP ONE: First, combine the peas & carrots, soups, onion, garlic, seasonings, chicken broth, and rice to the basin of a 6 quart slow cooker and stir until well combined.
- STEP TWO: Next, add in the chicken pieces and stir to distribute evenly.
- STEP THREE: Then, cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or until the rice is thoroughly cooked, but not mushy. It’s important to remember that each slow cooker runs differently so keep an eye on yours and adjust as needed.
- STEP FOUR: Finally, once the rice is cooked, turn the slow cooker off, sprinkle in the shredded cheese, cover and allow the cheese to melt. Once melted, give it a stir and serve!
What to serve with chicken & rice
The beauty of this dish, and many slow cooker dishes, is that you get the protein, starch, and veggies all cooked at once so you don’t really need anything else with it.
To add some freshness, I might add a side salad, but it really is a one pot meal!
There’s always room for dessert so I’d save some room for a kitchen sink cookie or a slice of cosmic brownie pie.
Tips & Suggestions
Make sure you are cooking on HIGH for 4 hours. The rice does not begin to soften much until 3 hours and at 4 hours was cooked completely without being mushy. As always, each slow cooker runs differently so monitor yours.
You can substitute the frozen peas and carrots with canned peas and carrots, just drain them first. You can also use fresh but will need to pre-cook them before adding them to the crockpot.
You can substitute cream of celery soup with cream of mushroom or cream of onion soup.
You can substitute the mustard powder with 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard.
You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
How to reheat and store slow cooker chicken and rice
How to store leftovers
This crockpot chicken and rice can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How long will chicken and rice last in the fridge?
Up to 4 days when stored covered in the fridge.
Can I freeze crockpot chicken & rice?
Yes, it can be stored in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 4 months.
To thaw, place it in your refrigerator for 24-48 hours or until completely thawed.
How to reheat chicken & rice
If you have a large portion to reheat, you can put it back in the crockpot on LOW for 30 minutes to an hour, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
To reheat individual servings, microwave in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute increments until it is heated through.
FAQs
Can I put rice in a slow cooker?
YES! Make sure you have 2 cups of liquid for every cup of rice and that you are using long rice (instant will not work).
Do I have to use brown rice?
Yes, you should use brown rice in this recipe for the best results.
Due to the long cooking time, using minute rice or white rice will create a very mushy texture.
If you only have minute rice or white rice you can cook the rice separately and add it to the chicken mixture after it cooks, make sure to withhold the chicken broth if you are going to add cooked rice separately.
Can I cook it on LOW instead of HIGH?
No, I do not recommend cooking this crockpot chicken and rice on low. The rice becomes very soggy, and the chicken tends to shred apart when cooked low and slow.
Normally low & slow is the way to go in the slow cooker (especially for things like roasts), but not in this recipe.
Can I put frozen chicken in the crock pot?
When possible, try to use thawed meat.
A slow cooker is…slow. It doesn’t bring frozen meat up to a safe temperature quick enough so there is a risk of bacteria. That said, people put frozen meat in crockpots all the time, but I don’t anymore.
Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice
Need more slow cooker chicken recipes? Try these:
Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken
Creamy Ranch Slow Cooker Chicken
Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken
Click here for my entire collection of chicken recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces (about 3 breasts)
- 1.5 cups frozen peas and carrots thawed and drained
- 10.5 ounce cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounce cream of celery soup
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced (or 1 TB minced garlic)
- ½ Tablespoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 24 ounces chicken broth
- 1 ⅓ cups brown rice uncooked
- parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- To the basin of a 6-8 quart slow cooker, add the peas and carrots, cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, diced onion, minced garlic, mustard powder, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and brown rice. Stir until well mixed and smooth.
- Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and stir to evenly distribute.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or until the rice is thoroughly cooked but not mushy.
- Turn the slow cooker off and stir in the shredded cheese, replace the cover and allow the cheese to melt. Approximately 15 minutes.
- Top with parsley and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Originally published September 8, 2020. Revised recipe May 9, 2023.
May this recipe be cooked on low instead of high? If so, how long do you recommend cooking it for and will any of the ingredients need adjusting to accommodate? Thank you!
LOW for 5-6 hours should be plenty but I don’t think you’d need to make any adjustments otherwise.
I just made for the first time and screwed up by putting the cheese in with all the other ingredients. Did I just ruin our dinner for tonight? :/
I don’t think so – how’d it turn out?