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When I’m looking for easy, creamy comfort food, I turn to this crockpot chicken and rice. It’s so simple to make– just mix some rice with a creamy sauce, pour over chicken thighs, and cook. I like to add cheddar cheese at the end because who doesn’t love cheese?! This is the perfect satisfying weeknight dinner the whole fam will love!
What’s in this Crockpot Chicken and Rice Recipe?
Tender chicken is mixed with cheesy rice and slow-cooked to perfection. Chicken and Rice is a classic comfort dinner, and kids and adults will love this easy, cheesy crockpot recipe!
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best for this recipe, but you could also use chicken breasts.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Makes this casserole ultra-creamy and enhances the chicken flavor.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Makes this casserole ultra-creamy and adds umami flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Helps thin the liquid to make the casserole the right consistency.
- Onion + Garlic Powder: Add a sweet and earthy flavor.
- Rice: I recommend using a long-grain rice for this recipe, as that’s what it was written for. You can use other types, but they may need a different cook time. Avoid instant or cauliflower rice.
- Cheese: Cheddar cheese makes this casserole gooey, cheesy, and delicious!
Variations To Try
- Swap one of the cans of soup for a can of cream of celery soup to change the flavor of your chicken and rice.
- Easily swap the chicken for turkey breast.
- Add veggies in the last hour of cooking, such as chopped carrots, broccoli, green beans, or celery.
- Swap the cheddar cheese for Parmesan cheese if you prefer.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers as cream-based recipes become grainy when thawed.
Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through. You may wish to add a splash of water or chicken broth to help the rice steam.
Serving Suggestions
This crockpot chicken and rice is a meal on its own, but you can certainly add sides. Some of my favorites include Sauteed Asparagus with Pancetta, Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles, and Burgundy Mushrooms.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Cook this recipe on high for 3-4 hours for the best rice texture. Cooking this recipe on lower heat for longer leads to mushy rice.
Crockpot Chicken and Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1½-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided, plus more to taste
- 10.75 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 10.75 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup (1 can)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ cups long-grain rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert. Season with half of the salt and pepper.1½-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a large bowl, whisk the soups, chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, remaining salt and pepper, and rice. Pour over the chicken.10.75 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup, 10.75 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1½ cups long-grain rice
- Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
- After cooking, turn off the crockpot. Remove the chicken, shred it, and add it back to the crockpot.
- Stir to combine and thin out with additional chicken broth, if needed.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover, and let it melt for 5-10 minutes before serving.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Becky’s Tips
- If the rice isn’t cooked through, keep cooking! Temperature can vary in different crockpot models, so yours may need more time.
- If the rice seems dry, add more stock as needed to help it continue to cook!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Rice Step by Step
Season the Chicken: Place 1½-2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the crockpot insert. Season with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Mix the Liquid and Rice: In a large bowl, whisk a 10.75-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup, a 10.75-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, the remaining ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and 1½ cups of long-grain rice. Pour over the chicken.
Cook the Chicken and Rice: Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Shred the Chicken: After cooking, turn off the crockpot. Remove the chicken, shred it, and add it back to the crockpot.
Stir to Combine: Stir to combine and thin out with additional chicken broth, if needed.
Top with Cheese: Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top, cover, and let it melt for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Based on the other comments, I thought 3-4 hours would be perfect. But no. With the standard crockpot have, I would suggest 2-3 hours on high OR 3-4 hours on LOW. My rive was overcooked after 3-4 hour on high. Ridiculous. People should test a recipe in multiple ways before posting it online.
I generally like to “enhance” most recipes. I decided to play with this one, too. I sauteed 16 oz sliced portabella mushrooms in butter adding 5 cloves fresh garlic. Then added 1/2 cup chardonnay. This was all added to the ingredients in the bowl before combining. At the 3 hour mark, I added 1 cup heated chicken stock. Cooking time was very close to 4 hours. Having used Jasmine rice, I knew it would be somewhat sticky so I was prepared for that. (Will try a different rice next time.) On serving I sprinkled 2 T finely grated fresh parmesan on each plate instead of adding cheddar to the pot. Family loved the meal. My only dislike is the overall color of this dish; looks a little like breakfast porridge. Thinking of adding some fresh chopped parsley and a cup of petite peas to the pot just before serving.
The recipe does not allow for enough liquid for the rice to cook so it was crunchy and undercooked even though I followed the instructions exactly. I added more liquid to try to course correct, but there was no correcting it. If I were to somehow want to make this again, I would make the rice separately. But honestly, the dish was so bland and under seasoned, even though I precisely followed the instructions, that even more seasoning couldn’t save it.
I have read the recipe several times and it appears that the soups and the rice are listed in different amounts in the recipe itself and the “mix the liquid and rice” section. In the recipe section, the soup quantity is 21.5 oz cans and the rice is listed as 3 cups. In the mix section, the soups are 10.75 oz and the rice is 1.5 cups. Maybe I missed something, but I used the 3 cups listed and mine was very thick. I did use the smaller cans but only because that’s all I had. I did have to add more liquid because of the extra rice.
Hi Shirley, it sounds like you may have clicked the “2x” button above the ingredients, which doubles everything in the ingredients list to make a double batch. While that changes the amounts in the recipe cards, it will not automatically change the amounts in the “How To Make” section, as that section is written out by hand with the original “1x” ingredient amounts.
The recipie flavor wise was good but my chicken was done in 2 hours and the rice was still crunchy !! Would make again but probably pre cook my rice and add it in at the end or something else.
Disappointed, it took forever for the rice to cook and it did not hold its texture. Turned to mush and some rice was still barely cooked.
Hi Lorrie, what kind of rice did you use? It sounds like it may not have been fully submerged for the entire cook time if some of it was uncooked.
Hi Amanda, we’re sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. We do note in a comment to “Make sure there is enough liquid in the crockpot throughout the cooking process!” as well as the comment you reference about temperature. We will be sure to add these notes to the recipe for future reference!
This has good flavor but I couldn’t get the rice texture right. Maybe better to cook rice separately.
We’re sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out as expected, Jessica!
Made this for dinner tonight and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
When do you add the rice? Same time as the chicken?
Hi Ken, add in step 2!