This is the creamiest healthy crockpot chicken and rice recipe. It’s so easy to make in the slow cooker with no canned soup required!
Remember those creamy chicken and rice casseroles your mom used to make as a kid? Well they probably had a can of soup in them and weren’t the healthiest. Now, you can have your comfort and eat it too!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy dump dinner: Just dump everything in the pot, set it and forget it!
- Healthier: Using brown rice, veggies, chicken broth and cheese instead of canned soup makes this dish healthy.
- Great for meal prep: Make a big batch and store it in containers to enjoy throughout the week.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cooking spray – grease with butter or cooking oil instead.
- Yellow onion – shallots or red onion will also work.
- Chicken breasts – chicken thighs would also work.
- Brown rice – you can use white rice, but the texture will be mushier.
- Dried thyme – use fresh thyme or Italian seasoning instead.
- Garlic – the fresh stuff is best, but the jarred kind will work too.
- Dijon mustard – try leaving it out or using 2 tsp dry mustard instead.
- Chicken broth – cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup would also be good.
- Frozen vegetables – fresh veggies would also work.
- Cheddar cheese – swap out for another cheese like Monterey Jack.
- Parsley – cilantro or lemon zest would also be good garnishes.
How to make chicken and rice in the slow cooker
Step 1: Rinse the brown rice.
Rinse until the water runs clear.
Step 2: Add everything to the crockpot.
Add everything but the frozen veggies, cheese and parsley.
Step 3: Slow cook.
Give it a good stir then cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Step 4: Add the cheese and veggies.
Stir in the cheese and microwaved veggies, then serve.
Tips & variations
Here are some ways to save time and change up this classic dish a little:
- Ingredient prep: Dice the chicken, mince the garlic and grate the cheese to save time.
- Different toppings: Try out different toppings and cheeses, or add some spices.
- More veggies: Bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, green beans, carrots and peas would all be good.
- Instant Pot method: Add everything but the cheese. Cook on high pressure for 5 mins, do a quick pressure release, then stir in the cheese.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen chicken?
You should never add frozen chicken to a crockpot for food safety reasons. Let any frozen meat thaw before adding it to the crockpot.
Would white rice work instead?
You can technically use white rice, but the texture will be a lot mushier. It all comes down to preference.
Can you use chicken thighs instead?
You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs, just make sure you dice them up into pieces.
What to serve with crockpot chicken and rice
This creamy crockpot chicken and rice is an entire meal on its own, but if you’re looking for side dish ideas, here are some options:
- Vegetables: Serve with a side of garlic parm asparagus, steamed broccoli or lemon herb green beans.
- Salad: Try it with brussels sprouts salad or arugula salad.
- Bread: You can’t go wrong with some crusty bread, garlic bread or cornbread!
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge for 5 days.
Reheating: Sprinkle some water or broth over top, then microwave for 1-2 minutes or reheat in a pot on the stovetop.
Freezing: You can try to freeze the leftovers for up to one month, but the texture will be different.
Reheating from frozen: Reheat from frozen in the microwave for 6-7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
More slow cooker chicken recipes
Meal prep tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing individual portions of the leftovers.
- Here’s the crock pot I use.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb chicken breasts diced
- 1 cup brown rice dry, not cooked, see notes
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups frozen vegetables
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
- Parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse brown rice under running water in a mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
- Spray crockpot with cooking spray, then add all ingredients except for frozen veggies, cheese and parsley. Give it a stir, then cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.
- Within the last 5 minutes of cooking time, microwave frozen veggies until defrosted for about 2 minutes, then grate cheese and chop up parsley if using.
- Stir in veggies and cheese at the end of cook time, stirring well to combine. Serve garnished with parsley, and enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Lisa says
Do you have to rinse the rice first ?
Taylor Stinson says
No you do not.
Samantha Stewart says
Followed exactly and cooked on low 6 hours – rice turned completely to mush. I wanted to love this and I’m hoping after I add the sour cream and cheese it will be better but texturally, this is disappointing.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Samantha – I’m wondering if you used instant rice? The rice in this recipe is not meant to be completely al dente as some people may be used to, as it does cook for quite some time. A slightly mushier texture does, in combination with the sour cream and cheese, add to the creaminess but I understand this may be off putting to some people. However, the rice shouldn’t be super mushy so just trying to troubleshoot what went wrong here. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you!
Sarah Lenhard says
I just had the same issue and came to see if it was just me! I didn’t use instant rice. I’ll add the sour cream and see how it tastes 🙂 it just got done
BK says
I cooked mine on high for four hours in the exact same thing happened. Wasted an entire pound of chicken and a whole bunch of/frozen asparagus. So disappointed. And I use regular basmati rice.
Beth Sampson-Tell says
This was simple, flavorful and exactly what I was looking for. I did brown the chicken ahead of time and added a little more broth to make sure the rice was covered but other than that…winner winner crock pot chicken and rice dinner.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Beth 🙂
Dina says
Can you use frozen chicken?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Dina – unfortunately you can’t use frozen chicken in crockpot recipes as it will put the chicken in a danger zone temperature wise.
Loa says
Can you do cream cheese instead of sour cream?
Taylor Stinson says
You definitely could! It would change the taste but it can be used instead.
Mita says
Can I substitute sour cream with yogurt?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Mita – you can but the taste will be a bit different!
Katy says
Just made this tonight and it was incredible! Reminded me of risotto. I’ll definitely make it again, and I’m glad I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
I made it in the Instant Pot and did make a couple of tweaks: I used instant jasmine rice, nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, reduced fat cheese, cilantro instead of parsley (that was just for my boyfriend’s preference), and then a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice really made it just perfect at the end.
Thank you for sharing! I just came across your website last night and I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. I’ve been an avid food prepper for years and I’m always looking for new things to add into my rotation!
Taylor Stinson says
So happy you enjoyed Katy, and I’m glad those substitutions worked! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
Jill says
Made this tonight, it was very good. Couple of notes:
I used long grain brown rice. At 4.5 hours on high it was probably a little long, I think 4 would have been ok.
I wish I’d seen the note about paprika/chili powder sooner as it would definitely benefit from additional seasoning.
Em says
Can we use instant brown rice?
Taylor Stinson says
You could try, but I haven’t tried it myself! I know brown rice takes longer to cook so you may want to try cooking for an extra hour or two. Hopefully that works!
Valerie Rasmussen says
What is the serving size?
Taylor Stinson says
There are six servings – divide the recipe into 6 portions, and each one is a serving 🙂