This Crockpot Chicken and Rice Casserole is just a few simple ingredients. A great easy recipe for weeknight dinners.
So many people have see my recipe for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice and asked of I have a slow cooker version. So here it is! It’s easy simple ingredients are perfect for right now. This crockpot recipe is delicious comfort food your kiddos will love.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Rice
This recipe is so simple. For the full list of measurements and ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Rinse the rice. Read more on this step below.
- Combine most the ingredients in the crockpot. Combine the diced chicken, rice, vegetables, spices, and broth on your slow cooker.
- Cook on low for four hours. Read more on this below in the section “Know Your Crockpot.”
- Finish off the recipe. Stir in the condensed cream of mushroom soup, taste the recipe and add more salt and pepper if desired. Then stir in the frozen peas.
Rinsing Rice
Just like in my Spanish Rice recipe, we are going to rinse the rice before we start. Doing this keeps the rice from clumping together and getting overly starchy in the end recipe.
To do this, place the dry rice in a metal strainer and rinse it with water until the water runs clear. The water coming off the rice will initially look cloudy and will eventually run clean. Another way to do this is to put all of the rice in a measuring cup filled with water. Stir it around. Drain the rice into a strainer and repeat two or three times until the water the rice is sitting in is clear.
Metal Sieve
Dicing the Chicken
In testing this slow cooker chicken and rice casserole recipe, the best results were with diced chicken. It kept the chicken from drying out as we give the rice enough time to cook and become tender.
Adding Condensed Soup
The most important thing for this crockpot chicken and rice casserole is that you add the condensed soup at the end. Adding it at the beginning will make your rice too mushy.
You can use either cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. And I have a homemade recipe for both! I really believe that you should be able to cook totally from scratch if you want to. And also that shortcuts are great!
If you have the time, try the homemade recipes. That said, my firm believe is that time around the table with your family is more important than what is on it. So if using store-bought condensed soup is what will make dinner time happen in your house, go for it! If you have the time try the homemade recipes.
I have a recipe for Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup and for Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. My preference is the mushroom, but you should do what you enjoy most in your house.
Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
Know Your Crockpot
Since this recipe was first published in 2020, I have received a range of comments from my rice was too crunchy to my rice was too mushy, to this turned out perfect.
I have a link in the recipe card with the exact Crock Pot that this was tested in. But I can’t say enough that you need to know your own crock pot. Crockpots vary in the amount of time it takes to cook recipes. That is why you often see a range in the recipes for them.
Too crunchy of rice likely means that it wasn’t cooked long enough. Too mushy of rice means it was cooked too long. I suggest that you test the rice about an hour before the cook time is up and go from there as to how much longer the recipe needs.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers of this recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Store in an airtight container. Reheat over low heat, adding milk or chicken stock if necessary to create a smooth consistency. As with all leftovers, use your best discretion.
FAQ
Please see my note above about knowing your crockpot. Additionally if you added the condensed soup before cooking or altered the recipe in anyway (for example substituting pasta for rice), this would account for the rice not cooking well.
I used long grain white rice, not instant rice.
Yes! The chicken goes in raw and cut up.
Please do! Some shredded cheese stirred into this at the end would be delightful.
Other Great Slow Cooker Dinners
- Italian Beef – This recipe is BETTER than take out!
- Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup – A pantry meal where you can use frozen chicken.
- Crock Pot Chicken Tacos – Only THREE ingredients!
If you make this easy chicken and rice casserole recipe, or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white rice not instant rice (318 grams)
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium (680.3 grams or 709.8 ml)
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast diced (453.6 grams)
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken (298 grams)
- 1 cup frozen peas (133.5 grams)
- fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Spray your crockpot liberally with cooking spray.
- Rinse your rice two to three times with water until it runs clean.1 1/2 cups white rice
- In the base of your slow cooker combine the rice, diced chicken, chicken stock, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Do not add the condensed soup until after cooking.1 1/2 cups white rice, 3 cups chicken broth, 2 medium carrots, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours (see note). This recipe works best if you are able to stir it once or twice while cooking.
- At the end of the cooking time, stir in the condensed soup. Taste the recipe and add more salt and pepper as desired. Then stir in the frozen peas. The peas will quickly come to temperature and be perfect.10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup frozen peas
Notes
Donna says
Is it ok to cook the rice before adding to other ingredients? Looks delicious.
If you do that, the rice will end up being really mushy, so I wouldn’t recommend that.
Kristen says
I would consider either parboiling the rice or cooking it for awhile in the slow cooker and then adding the chicken and doing the four hours. I just made this today and my rice is so undercooked that it’s crunchy. The overall flavor is good, but the rice is awful.
Kristen, I am so so sorry this didn’t work for you. I’m honestly really surprised to get this comment. This recipe went through a lot of testing, and when cooked on low for 4 hours we didn’t have crunchy rice at all. Did you have liquid remaining? It is possible that given the variations in slow cookers it might need a 4 to 6 hour cook time.
Kristen says
I didn’t have any liquid left at all. I want to try this again because the flavors were really good. I’ll have to experiment a bit with my slow cooker. I may need a bit more liquid and to start the rice sooner and then add in the chicken. This was the first time I’ve tried a rice dish in my slow cooker.
Sheri says
Do you uncooked rice for minute rice?
I’m not quite sure what you mean, Sheri. I used uncooked white rice, not minute rice.
Judy G says
I am cooking just for me, with planned leftovers.
This is a lot of rice . If I make it again, I will cut back on the rice to 3/4 cup and 1 1/2 cups chicken stock. I would also cut the pieces of chicken a little larger, so I could find them in the rice.
Otherwise, I was pleased with the recipe. It was easy to make and I love the idea of cooking it in the crockpot.
You are absolutely right in that it makes a lot. I’m glad that other than that you enjoyed it, Judy. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and tell me!
Angela says
Hi Lauren! I rely on your Wonderful recipes :) Would it be okay to use Jasmine Rice for this recipe? Thank you 😊
Hi Angela, yes it will work with jasmine rice. I hope you like it!
Angela says
Sorry for referring to you by Lauren…Thank you Lisa! …I appreciate your response 😊
No worries Angela, I’ve certainly been called worse ;)
Lisa says
Rice was too mushy. The recipe for homemade cream of chicken soup was great though.
I’m so sorry to hear that Lisa, but I’m glad you liked the cream of chicken soup!
Dee says
Rice was crunchy. Should It be cooked before adding to the crockpot? I think this would be good if rice was fully cooked.
It doesn’t need to be cooked before added, it’s just that crockpots vary so greatly in their cooking temperatures. It just needed a little more time.
Andrea says
Made this today followed recipe exactly! Rice turned out mushy!
I’m sorry to hear that, Andrea!
Kelcey says
Does the chicken have to be cooked before you put it in the crockpot?
Nope, you put it in raw.
Debbie says
I assume you use long grain rice versus minute rice
Correct.
Becky King says
I love your crock-pot recipes!!! Anxious to try the chicken and ric🤗🤗🤗