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
lou says
this sounds yummy. only problem is my husband does not like rice. could i substitute with orzo and still get the same results?
I would want to test it first before I made a recommendation. Orzo is often a great replacement for rice, but because this is done in the slow cooker it would need testing first.
Ellee says
Hi,
So I followed your recipe but did not realize the condensed soup was to be stirred in at the end (was preparing this with 2 kids under 4 waiting running wild). Do you think it will still turn our okay with the condense soup added at the beginning like I accidentally did?! I so don’t want to have to toss it :(
I’m so sorry, I’m just seeing this. How did it turn out?
Todd Skjoldal says
Two hours cooking in the crockpot(on low) and the liquid is absorbed. Should I add more broth?
Yes, if your rice still needs more time after 2 hours and the liquid is all absorbed, I would add more stock.
ginny says
How many does this recipe for chicken and rice with frozen peas feed?
Can I double it ?
I have a large crock pot, 8 quarts
In our house this recipe serves five. It makes 7 cups total. I haven’t tested this doubling it. So while I’m sure you can, you will need to adjust the cooking time but I couldn’t tell you by how much.
Allison says
I did make this but found it very bland.
My family members didn’t care for it.
Tina Bunion says
I tried making this but it all came out super mushy. I followed the recipe exactly, except I had to substitute spaghetti for rice but I made sure to cut it up into rice-sized pieces. I also added a scoop of crunchy peanut butter for taste.
Switching out spaghetti for rice is a major change that would absolutely impact the final results of the recipe. I would urge you to try this again as written.
Heidi Stange says
Can I use a wild rice in this recipe?
Thanks!
Wild rice needs quite a bit of cook time, so it wouldn’t be a good substitute here.
I’m so sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it. Extra broth and extra soup could definitely account for what happened with the rice.
Judy says
This recipe was tasteless and not enjoyed by my family. Will not cook again.
I’m so sorry that you didn’t enjoy this. This was not our experience with this dish, but of course, tastes vary.
ColleenB.~Tx. says
Lisa; many are having issues with their rice .
There are many brands of white rice on the market so maybe if you listed what brand of rice you used may help many.
I use the Mahatma Enriched Extra Long Grain Rice