Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice features bites of tender chicken breasts, a medley of veggies, a creamy, cheesy sauce and perfectly cooked white rice. It’s an easy dinner recipe that the whole family loves!
Enjoy more of my favorite Crockpot chicken recipes like Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken and Crockpot Tuscan Chicken.
Table of Contents
- Why we love this Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Recipe:
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Ingredients:
- How to make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to store Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
- Can I freeze Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice?
- Serving suggestions:
- More Crockpot Recipes You’ll Love!
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice recipe Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice recipe is easy, cheesy, and loaded with veggies, fiber and protein for a complete dinner that the kids will love, too! Don’t you love a nutritious meal that your kids will actually love?
Another thing I love? That there are no extra pots or dishes. A cutting board and a slow cooker is about all you need here, and I’ve given you a few ideas below for how to make this even easier (with even less dishes!).
You can also customize this easy Crockpot recipe in a number of different ways to make it best fit the needs of your family. Just scroll down to my variations section to see what might work out for you!
Why we love this Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Recipe:
- Easy: You only need 15 minutes of prep work to make this easy slow cooker recipe!
- Sneaky Veggies: Carrots, roasted red peppers and peas add a nice pop of color and fresh flavor to the chicken and rice.
- One Pot Dinner: Everything comes together in your Crockpot with just a few simple steps.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts: I prefer to cook these whole in the slow cooker as they don’t dry out as quickly. You can chop them first and add raw, chopped chicken to the rice and it will easily cook with the rest of the ingredients, or you can use pre-cooked Crockpot Shredded Chicken or chopped leftover Air Fryer Chicken Breast and stir it in with the cheese and cream.
- Chicken Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth and add more salt if needed.
- Parmesan: Freshly shredded parmesan cheese will create the very best flavor and consistency.
- White Rice: Don’t swap this with brown rice! Brown rice requires a longer cooking time. (Originally, this recipe used instant rice and you can find a link to the old recipe down in the recipe card).
- Onion: A white or yellow onion will both get the job done.
- Cream: Heavy cream will give you the thickest, creamiest results. You can use a lighter cream, just note that your cheesy sauce won’t be as thick.
- Garlic: Add more or less to taste.
- Veggies: I use a medley of carrots, roasted red pepper and peas for this easy recipe! You can switch that up with other veggies if preferred
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt and pepper is all you need! You can of course add whatever other seasonings sound good to you.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Make the best Crockpot chicken and rice with veggies every time with this easy recipe! For more detailed step by step instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Rinse rice well and add the rice, broth, carrots, onion, red peppers, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Add chicken breasts and cook until cooked through.
- Remove chicken and place on a cutting board. Chop or shred chicken and set aside.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the chopped chicken, cheese, peas, and half and half.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chicken: Feel free to use leftover chicken breasts that are already cooked, like leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Breast or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken! Just mix it in with the cheese and cream. You can also use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts if you prefer (just take the skin off first!).
- Vegetables: This is an easy recipe to swap in the vegetables you have and enjoy, so feel free to clean out the fridge! Firmer vegetables get added at the beginning of the cook time, and softer or frozen vegetables get added at the end.
- Spice it up: though it has loads of flavor, this recipe doesn’t have a lot of spice. Feel free to add in a ¼ teaspoon of red chili flakes for extra kick.
How to store Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Store any leftovers you have in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, just add a splash of broth or water and pop individual servings in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
Can I freeze Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice?
Sure thing! Just let the chicken and rice fully cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, simply let it defrost in the fridge for a few hours until you’re ready to reheat it.
Serving suggestions:
The beauty of chicken and rice is that it’s an entire meal all by itself! There’s carbs, protein and veggies in every bite. Of course, you can always double down on the veggies by plating it next to some Cheesy Baked Asparagus, Roasted Carrots or Roasted Green Beans!
More Crockpot Recipes You’ll Love!
- Crockpot Pulled Pork — my favorite any time of the year meal.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Soup — a cozy classic!
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings — more chicken and veg comfort food!
- See all of my Slow Cooker Recipes here, or our favorite Easy Crockpot Meals here.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1½ cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 large carrots (peeled and finely diced)
- ¼ cup onion (finely diced)
- ½ cup roasted red peppers (store-bought, chopped)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup half and half
Instructions
- Lightly grease 4-5 quart slow cooker. Rinse rice well and drain completely.
- In the slow cooker, stir together the rice, broth, carrots, onion, red peppers, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Add chicken breasts(whole), cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours (if your slow cooker cooks on the hot side, check it sooner, if it cooks on the low side, it may take longer. They are all different!)
- Remove chicken and test the rice. If rice is not yet al dente, add a splash of broth if it has all absorbed, cover and continue cooking, checking every 15-20 minutes.
- Remove chicken and place on a cutting board. Chop or shred chicken and set aside.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the chopped chicken, cheese, peas, and half and half.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Notes
- Vegetables: this is an easy recipe to swap in the vegetables you have and enjoy, so feel free to clean out the fridge! Firmer vegetables get added at the beginning of the cook time, and softer or frozen vegetables get added at the end.
- Chicken breasts: I prefer to cook these whole in the slow cooker as they don’t dry out as quickly. You can chop them first and add raw, chopped chicken to the rice and it will easily cook with the rest of the ingredients, or you can use pre-cooked Crockpot Shredded Chicken or chopped leftover Air Fryer Chicken Breast and stir it in with the cheese and cream.
Nutrition Information
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Diane says
I doubled this recipe & it turned out great. We loved it! We are a family of 4 so I needed to double it. I thought the rice might have been hard but it was fine. It’s delicious. Going to make this again. Thank you 😊
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sarah says
Followed the instructions perfectly it was nowhere near ready after 2.5 hours. The rice was still completely hard and there was a ton of liquid still. We had to leave the slow cooker on high for another 2.5 hours and even then the rice was still a bit hard. We ended up having to order a pizza so I haven’t even tried it yet, but husband said it’s pretty good (just needs more salt).
Sarah says
Realized we did NOT in fact use instant rice so there’s part of the problem. Even with instant rice though this recipe needs a much longer time period in the slow cooker.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the update!
Cece says
Hello, wondering how much broccoli to add (in place of the peas) at the end? Do you think frozen broccoli would work?
Thanks, looking forward to making this tonight!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cee, add it with the rice at the end. I’m not sure how froze would work. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Lynn says
White minute rice worked great, also just used a splash of milk and a small amount of cheese to keep the fat and cholesterol down. It is delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lynn!
Jessic says
Can I use white rice?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jessic! I’ve only tested this with instant brown rice. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Matt says
Needed alot more time then the the 1/2 hr. The instructions indicated for the rice to cook.
Miranda says
Delicious!! I used Jasmine rice because it’s all we had on hand. Just added approx 1/2cup of water and cooked for about 10-15 minutes longer. Turned out perfect!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Miranda, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Madison Soto says
Do I need to cook this before freezing? Or can I put the ingredients in a freezer bag before they’re cooked?
Ashley Fehr says
I would probably cook and then freeze
Sheila says
Hi! This looks great? How would you change it for cooking in the Instant Pot?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tested it in the Instant Pot so I can’t say for sure.
Jade says
Hi Ashley,
I didn’t see in the ingredients how much rice or what type of rice?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jade! All of the ingredients plus instructions are in the recipe card in the post. It’s right above the section where you left the comment. You can also get there by hitting the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the screen.
Chris says
Could you use frozen chicken?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen chicken so I can’t say for sure.
Des says
Hi! I only have 6 quart slow cooker.. would that change anything?
Ashley Fehr says
It may just cook a little quicker since it is not as full
Meg says
I am interested in trying it with quinoa – curious about how to change the cook times if I do
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry, I’ve never tried this recipe with quinoa so I can’t say for sure!
Allison says
How would I use normal rice?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tested this recipe with long grain rice yet, so I can’t say
Tamikia Samford says
How would I cook this if I have a package of already cooked shredded chicken?
Ashley Fehr says
You could probably add it in at the beginning of the cook time but I would wait until the last hour or so so it doesn’t get overcooked
Robin says
This recipe looks great! I usually make a big batch of shredded chicken on the weekend and then use it for quick cooking throughout the week. Could I use it in this recipe? How would it alter cooking time if the chicken is already cooked?
Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes definitely! You wouldn’t change the cook time at all 🙂
Sally McMurray says
Thank you so much. I was wondering about the
Sally McMurray says
Sorry for the cut off. I was just wondering the same thing as the original poster and just wanted to thank you for your help in your response.
Ashley Fehr says
No problem Sally!
Tammy VanSant says
Hi Ashley! I made this meal tonight for this week.. loving the idea.. one question.. I put the 1/2 cup res peppers and it is really hot… I tried watering it down, putting brown sugar in it.. and she is still spicy!! I can handle it I think, but was that supposed to be half cup peppers?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Tammy! Roasted red peppers are not spicy at all. I would make sure you are using roasted red peppers and then you shouldn’t have any problem!
Raegan Dyck says
We’ve made this a couple times now and we double the recipe for our family of 4 big eaters; with lots of leftovers for lunches. It’s great to have when you get home from hockey.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m happy to hear that Raegan!
Jonathan Murray says
Did you have to adjust the cook time if you double the recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
It may take a little longer to cook if your slow cooker is very full. If you use a larger slow cooker, it would take about the same amount of time
Coleen says
Don’t have chicken broth can I use water? If yes how much should I use?
Ashley Fehr says
You can definitely use water but you may need to increase the seasoning as the broth adds lots of flavor
Georgina Bailey says
Hi
I’m front the Uk. When you say instant rice, what are the instructions to book? We have microwaveable rice that you put in microwave for 2 minutes, but I don’t think this is what you’re referring to. Would it be the quick cook rice (takes 5mins)? Thanks
Ashley Fehr says
Our instant rice takes about 5 minutes on the stove. I hope that helps!
Jen777 says
I was wondering this too, I love finding new recipes but it’s hard to know what to use as we don’t have the same in the UK as they do in the US, we have microwave rice, boil in the bag rice I just don’t know which one to use, what one did you use in the end? Did it turn out ok? I really want to make this
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jen, I’m actually in Canada and not the US, so I run across things that are different as well. After doing some research online it seems like it would be comparable to your quick cooking rice and not microwavable rice. Hope this helps!
Claire says
Can this be frozen easily? If so, do you have any tips for freezing and/or warming?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! Rice freezes extremely well. I would package it in freezer packs, squish it into a thin layer and freeze flat. Then thawing will be a breeze — just leave out at room temperature for a few hours and toss into a skillet with a splash of water.