Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice is the ultimate 5-minute prep comfort food. Chicken, creamy soup, and our secret trick for perfect rice make this a foolproof crockpot dinner recipe and a family favorite.
My Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice recipe has been a reader favorite for YEARS!!! I’ve made this so many times for my family, this recipe is nailed down! Even my husband makes it for us when I’m too busy to cook!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This is the kind of recipe that you’ll make on repeat. The chicken cooks in the slow cooker low and slow, making it so tender. It’s cooked in both classic cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup so it will be delicious and tender when it’s done. Just before it’s finished you stir in leftover cooked rice and shredded or cubed cheese. By adding the rice in at the end you don’t end up with a gloopy, gluey mess.
Ingredients and Subsitions
This is an easy recipe to customize to your family’s tastes. Don’t like cheddar pick a different cheese, not a mushroom fan, drop them. You can even add veggies to the mix. We’ve added broccoli to this recipe for a crock pot version of broccoli chicken and rice casserole. You could even add in some spinach, the sky is the limit!
Chicken
You’re going to use thin-sliced chicken breast, so that they cook faster. If you’re short on time you can skip slicing the chicken but you’ll want to cook for a bit longer. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s done, at 165 degrees F.
You can also substitute chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs if that’s all you have on hand. Make sure to remove any large fatty bits before cooking. The fat won’t have a place to drain away in the crock pot.
Rice
The key to getting the best out of this meal is using pre-cooked rice. I love to make extra rice the before for dinner. It takes the same amount of time to cook and pulls double duty. By adding the cooked rice at the end you make sure that you don’t end up with mush.
Creamy Base
This recipe uses both cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup. You’ll also add in chicken stock. If you find yourself missing the chicken stock just add water. The flavor won’t be as rich but it’ll work in a pinch.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms can be controversial. I have a family of half mushroom lovers and half mushroom haters. I like to use sliced mushrooms, instead of diced because anyone that doesn’t want them can easily pick them out. I wouldn’t skip the cream of mushroom soup though. I’ve found that most people don’t notice a mushroom flavor. If you can’t get away with this, just use all cream of chicken soup.
Cheese
We like to use shredded cheddar in this at home but I’ve used swiss as well. The flavor is a bit different but just as good. Just make sure that whatever cheese you use, melts well. Not all cheeses melt the same.
How do you make Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice?
This recipe cooks the chicken in the crock pot right in the sauce, than you’re going to add that rice in at the end already cooked. The finished dinner is creamy and spoonable. Make sure to serve up right away or keep on warm until you’re ready to eat.
Tips From Aubrey
- Cook the rice seperately. This is a small step but ablsolutely worth it. I learned from experience, you don’t want mushy rice.
- Check your chicken early. If you’re using the thin-sliced chicken it will cook faster than a full chicken breast. Start to check the chicken for doneness on the early side of done.
- Adjust the consistency. If you find that it’s too thick add some chicken stock until you get the texture you want. If it’s too soupy just add more rice. You can tweak it to your taste so easily.
- Season to taste before you serve. Different brands of soup can result in different levels of seasoning. Add a little salt and pepper to taste if needed. You could even add a little garlic powder if you think it could use a boost. Make this your own.
What to Serve Up with Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
Keep the side dishes easy with this dinner. I like to serve roasted broccoli or whatever vegetable I have on hand for roasting. I also like sauted green beans, with a bit of butter and garic. If I don’t have the time or mental capacity for that I will just do a quick side salad. it’s nice because it does add a bit of freshness to the meal that’s been slow cooking all day.
Storage, Rehating and Freezing
The leftovers of this dinner make a great lunch durning the week.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Make sure to cool them completely before you add the fridge. They will last up to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can warm the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. Just be sure to stir frequently. If it seems to be too thick add a splash of chicken stock or water to thin it out.
- Freezing: Portion out the leftovers into serving sizes and place in freezer safe containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them overnight in the fridge and then warm in either the microwave or stovetop.
Tools used to make this Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice recipe
Medium Saucepan: I don’t what I’d do without this saucepan. It gets used in my kitchen every day. The glass lid even has strainer sides so I even have a colander for pasta!
Slow Cooker: I love this crock pot! The lid is very secure and I can pack it up and take it on the go if I’m heading to a potluck. This slow cooker is a workhorse in my kitchen and has worked great for years!
Wooden Spoon: Wooden spoons are a kitchen essential. I keep a bunch of them on hand for every meal from breakfast to dinner.
CHEESY CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE
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Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts thin sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2-1/2 cups white rice cooked
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 8 ounce container sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups cheese cut into 1-inch cubes (you can also use shredded cheese)
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Cook white rice and set aside.
- Spray a 6qt crock pot lightly with non stick cooking spray. Add chicken breast and season with garlic salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic on top of chicken and pour in chicken stock, cream of mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup. Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours, or HIGH 3-4 hours.
- 30 minutes before done, add in sliced mushrooms and finish cooking. Once done add in cooked rice and cheese. Cover and let sit 5 minutes for cheese to melt, stir and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Yes! This recipe starts with raw chicken and it cooks fully and safely in the slow cooker. No pre-cooking needed.
For this specific recipe, no. Cooked rice is stirred in at the very end. That is the secret to getting a creamy, casserole-like texture rather than mushy, overcooked rice.
Cooked brown rice can absolutely be swapped in at the end. It adds a little extra nuttiness and fiber to the dish.
Simply stir in a splash of chicken stock or broth until it loosens up to your preferred consistency.
Add a little more cooked rice and let the slow cooker sit on warm for a few minutes to absorb the extra liquid.
Want more easy crockpot meals?
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Slow Cooker Mushroom Round Steaks with Gravy
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Slow Cooker Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
- Crock Pot Pizza
- More dinner recipes…
Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Dwayne says
If you add broccoli to it, when should that be added into the crockpot?
Real Housemoms JK says
Hey Dwayne! I would let the broccoli cook for about 30 minutes in the crockpot.
Jamie says
This recipe was an absolute slam dunk. Easy to make and so delicious on a cold day
K Averre says
I love this recipe. For a healthier version, I added celery and broccoli and also replaced the rice with cauliflower rice. Excellent.
Real Housemoms JK says
Thanks! So glad you liked it!
Robyn says
I wish I would have read the comments first as I was not wanting a soupy dish but more like casserole dish. If I hadn’t already cooked my rice I would have added in uncooked rice to absorb the extra liquid. It smells amazing though!!
Deb says
For those of you finding this to be too soupy I had the same problem. The second time I tried it I cut the chicken broth down to one cup. I let it sit for a few minutes after it was done and it thickened up to the consistency I was looking for. I hope this helps.
phxcooks says
Thank you for sharing. It looks so yummy.
Candious barry says
Hi! I’m about to try and cook this now. Do I need to add the can of water as followed by the instructions on the soup or do I just put the two soups in with no water added? Thank you
Real Housemoms JK says
Hey! Thanks for the question! Just leave the soup condensed. Do not follow the soup instructions. Enjoy!
shannon says
I was so worried with some of the comments saying it was too soupy, but it turned out wonderful! It was creamy chessy perfection 😋 I’m currently 6 months pregnant. and anything cheesy is what I’m constantly craving. If you follow the directions, it won’t be to liquidy at all! I loved the flavor, and I will be playing around with this adding different spices and cheeses for different variations of it. Thank you!
mary says
This recipe turned out very soupy. I added cornstarch to thicken it up but this just didn’t taste good. I may have to throw it out. Waste of food.
Real Housemoms JK says
Oh no Mary! Sorry this happened. How much liquid did you add?
brooklyn grill says
That’s so great!!! Your share is very awesome. Every day, I have to think what meals should I cook for my family. Now, your share can help me for that. Thank you for sharing. I love it so much.
Sarah says
I was very wary of making this after seeing all the comments about it being too liquidy and too soupy. So I fixed up 4 cups of cooked rice instead of 2 1/2 and mixed that and cheddar cheese at the end. It turned it PERFECT. It’s not too runny but not too dry. Tastes amazing too! Can’t wait to have my family sit and eat it all up tonight (and possibly tomorrow since I put so much rice… my little family of 4 only eats so much lol)
Thanks for the easy, yummy recipe!
Sue Yohe says
There’s no way on this green Earth it only takes 5 minutes for Prep Time for this recipe. More like 15-20 minutes are more realistic!
What a flavor! Tastes great.
Jisela says
Are you able to freeze leftovers for this recipe?
Real Housemoms JK says
Hey Jisela! We never have leftovers in our family but you can surely freeze them if needed. Enjoy!
Dorothy Crowder says
Aubrey, Made this tonight…I’m serving my in-laws, so I wanted it to be great. It is! The flavor was awesome. I added some potato flakes to counter the “wet texture” and it turned out great. I put a container in the freezer to see how well it freezes and warms up. Great dish. Lovin’ it and so easy to make.
Real Housemoms JK says
Thanks Dorothy! So glad you liked it!
Kate William says
Wow, Great recipe! And easy to cook. I’ll try at home tomorrow. I hope children will love it. Thanks for sharing this awesome chicken rice recipe.
Peter Crouch says
Is this chicken soup?
wow it looks so different from the chicken porridge I know.
Savita says
We love rice in our home. This recipe is so full of comfort. Perfect for chili night dinner. I also love the addition of mushrooms.
Williams says
I love to cook and I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, CHEESY CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE recipe is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like that. Thanks for your sharing
Dana Tipton says
The instructions and video don’t match. Video shows 1 chicken breast and the instructions state 5. There is no way to get the rice and the chicken in one crockpot.
Jennifer Kimmel says
Hello Dana! What size crockpot do you have? Mine easily holds 5 chicken breasts and rice. You can totally use less chicken if you need to!
Cathy says
I love this recipe. So versatile. When I don’t of cream of chicken I add cream of celery. I also add a can of cheddar cheese soup, and mixed veggies. So good. Tastes like chicken pot pie filling!!!