This creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice is an easy, classic family favorite made with seasoned chicken, long grain rice, onions, garlic and broth.
CHEESY CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE
How many of y'all grew up with Chicken and Rice? I think most countries and cultures have some sort of variation of a chicken and rice recipe. It is comfort food that is filling and makes your belly happy. This recipe for Crock Pot Chicken and Rice that I am sharing with you today is a slight variation of one from my childhood.
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH CHICKEN AND RICE?
This Crock Pot Chicken and rice is a very simple and affordable meal (which we love!) that easily feeds a family of four! It's comfort food at it's finest. Serve with a salad and a side dish of your favorite veggie like GREEN BEANS or MAPLE GLAZED CARROTS or even just some steamed broccoli.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
chicken tenderloins
lemon pepper seasoning
oil
chicken broth (or water)
onion
minced garlic
long-grain rice
cream of chicken
cheddar cheese soup
shredded cheese (optional)
dried parsley (optional, for serving)
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE:
Pat chicken tenderloins dry with a paper towel. Season the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning on both sides.
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2-3 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil. Let the pan get nice and hot. Working in batches, brown both sides of the chicken tenders. We don't want to cook them all the way through - just get a good brown color on both sides. This not only adds flavor but also color to the final dish. Don't overcrowd your pan or the tenders will just steam and not brown.
Once all batches of chicken tenders are browned. Remove from heat and place into the bottom of a 5 or 6-quart oval slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken broth, diced onions, minced garlic, rice. Then stir well.
Next, stir in cream of chicken soup and cheddar cheese soup. Mix until combined. Pour soup mixture over chicken tenders.
Cover and cook on low for about 3 ½ - 5 hours (this will all depend on the type of slow cooker you are using - some cook faster than others.)
About halfway through cooking, gently stir around the rice to make sure it is evenly cooking and spread evenly throughout the pot. This will ensure all the rice gets cooked properly and is absorbing all the liquid. Chicken should be cooked to 165f degrees and rice should be soft but not mushy.
Optional: For extra cheesiness, try adding some shredded cheddar cheese during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Put the lid back on and allow it to melt.
Then serve!
TIPS FOR COOKING CHICKEN TENDERLOINS:
There is a little strip of cartilage that runs through chicken tenders. This can sometimes be chewy. It doesn't bother me at all once the tender is cooked but some folks don't like it. So, I have an easy trick for removing that little white strip. First, you'll need a fork and some paper towels or a kitchen towel. Grab the strip of cartilage and put it in between the tines of a fork. 
Next, grab the end of the cartilage, hold the fork steady, and pull it though the fork tines. It helps to have dry fingers for this because it gets slippery. I will usually grasp it with a paper towel to make it easier. This trick makes it so easy. 
WANT MORE DELICIOUS CROCK POT RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT!
CROCK POT CHICKEN & STUFFING
CROCK POT CHICKEN & GRAVY
CROCK POT PORK CHOPS & GRAVY
BAKED PORK CHOPS AND RICE
BROCCOLI CHEDDAR RICE CASSEROLE
CROCK POT CRACK CHICKEN
STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE
CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE
Ingredients
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- ½ tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth (or water)
- ½ sweet onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup
- ½ cup shredded cheese for topping, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Pat chicken tenderloins dry with a paper towel.
- Season the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning on both sides.
- In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2-3 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil. Let the pan get nice and hot.
- Working in batches, brown both sides of the chicken tenders. We don't want to cook them all the way through - just get a good brown color on both sides. This not only adds flavor but also color to the final dish.
- Don't overcrowd your pan or the tenders will just steam and not brown. Once all batches of chicken tenders are browned. Remove from heat and place into the bottom of a 5 or 6-quart oval slow cooker.
- In a a medium bowl, combine chicken broth, diced onions, minced garlic and rice. Stir well. Next, stir in cream of chicken soup and cheddar cheese soup. Mix until combined.
- Pour soup mixture evenly over chicken tenders (making sure the rice is spread evenly and not in one clump.)
- Cover and cook on low for about 3 ½ - 5 hours (this will all depend on the type of slow cooker you are using - some cook faster than others.)
- About halfway through cooking, gently stir around the rice to make sure it is evenly cooking and spread evenly throughout the pot. This will ensure all the rice gets cooked properly and is absorbing all the liquid. If rice seems a bit crunchy and there isn't much liquid left in the pot.
- If necessary, add about ½ cup more water, gently stir, then cover and continue cooking.
- Chicken should be cooked to 165f degrees and rice should be soft but not mushy.
- Optional: For extra cheesiness, try adding some shredded cheddar cheese during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Put the lid back on and allow it to melt.
- Serve with a side salad or maybe some steamed broccoli.
Video
Nutrition
Updated to add: This recipe has been updated since first introduced. After receiving lots of feedback, I have re-tested this recipe several times and came up with a better, more flavorful recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Originally published: November 2012
Updated & republished: February 2021
Amber
Made this tonight, so yummy. In Australia we do not have cheese soup so l googled how to make it as l know a lot of comments ask as they do not either..
1 cup Milk
3tbl butter
2 tbl flour
250g Cheddar grated
Salt and pepper.
And l just added it all to a mixing bowl with all other ingredients..
Was yummy
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I love that you were able to still make this. Thank you for sharing your recipe too!
Melissa
Can i substitute rice a roni?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I honestly don’t know. Rice a Roni isn’t actually rice. It’s vermicelli so it may cook up very differently in this.
Donna
Didn't have time for the crock pot so it was crunch time for slow and steady wins the race. I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized chunks and we are not fans of lemon pepper anything so I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. Browned the chicken and rice and sautéed the onion and garlic, deglazed the pan with some of the chicken broth and mixed the other two into the rest of the broth and added it to the pan along with the chicken chunks. Brought it all up to a simmer in the covered pot and turned it to low heat stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom. It was perfectly done after an hour, tasted fantastic with a little cheddar on top. Have plenty of leftovers. Easy to do it on the stove, just make sure your pot is nonstick and that you stir frequently. Add a little extra liquid if you need to, I had to add about a cup of water and it didn't affect the flavor any. Thanks again Brandie!
Laurel
I've made this several times and it is delicious.Definitely COMFORT FOOD. Leftovers are fantastic.
Lisa Tyson
I forgot and actually put the soup mixture in first. Then I put the chicken in, I tried to mix it up really well to get the chicken to the bottom. Do you think it will come out ok?
Kris Miller
My family loved it and it was very easy to put together. When i mad it i only had sliced cheese and it work out great!
Courtney
Can we cook this on high? If so. How long should we cook on High? Thank you!!
GR
Family loved it! However, i substituted the plain cheese soup with the broccoli and cheese soup. Came out great!
Addi
We don't have Cheese soup in Australia..any substitute l can use
Kaitlin
Can I use minute rice?
Jenni
I am making as I type this. I am adding par boiled asparagus in the last two hours. I am cooking on high two hours then turning to low the last 3 to 4 hours.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Great addition!
Kim Tucker
Has anyone made this with bone in chicken breasts or thighs? That’s what I have in the freezer but I’ve never used them in a slow cooker. Any advice?
Lisa Johnson
This dish looks tasty, and would like to make it. I have family member who is "orange cheese" intolerant. What soup could I use instead of Cheddar Cheese soup??
Nancy
Can this be cooked on high?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Nancy, I haven't tested it on a high setting. It is possible but you'd have to make sure it didn't burn around the edges as some slow cookers get very hot very quickly these days.
Elizabeth
I made this today and cooked it on low for 8 1/2 hours. It tasted great, but my rice was still hard/uncooked. I do live 7,200ft above sea level, so not sure if that caused it to not cook. Anyone else have this problem?
scottieann
Are you supposed to use frozen chicken or thawed ?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Scottie Ann - I tested this recipe using fresh chicken breasts. 🙂
Heather Rhodes
Can you substitute anything for the cheese soup? I don’t have any cheese soup but was wondering if I could use cream of mushroom but still add cheese at the end?
Christina
Can I prep this the night before or will that mess up the rice?
Kim
Has anyone had success with this using brown rice? If so, what changes did you make?
Tracy
I made this with brown rice and didn’t have cheddar cheese soup so used broccoli cheese soup instead and dried minced onion instead of fresh. It was delicious!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Tracy - I love the substitutions you made! It's also super helpful to anyone else on here who might've been wondering if they could successfully substitute other ingredients!
Sandy
Can this receipt be cooked 4 hours instead of 6 hours
Littlethings
Anyone add a bag of frozen broccoli in at the beginning? How'd it come out?
Thanks for the recipe, can't wait to make it! Just bought all of the ingredients!
Sandra B.
I can’t wait to make this delicious looking recipe!!!Thanks for posting!!!????
Kayty Ogren
I’m making this for the 3rd time today. My only changes are using cream of celery because I don’t care for cream of chicken, and adding a 12 oz bag of mixed veggies.
I love this recipe. I have tried a LOT of cheesy chicken and rice recipes because it’s one of my favorite meals. My husband has turned his nose up to every single one (he hates rice). This one, there were no leftovers. He ate more of it than I did the first time I made it.
Tracy Nix
The store didn't have cheddar cheese soup. Bought fiesta cheese soup instead. Hope it doesnt ruin it. Wish me luck!
lecia n adams
I just saw your recipe on chicken and rice. We loved it. Thanks!
Amy
Can I start this on high to speed up the cooking time? It's already almost 5pm and I just put it all in.
Kayty Ogren
I always do mine on high and it works fine. Just half the cooking time. Usually takes just over 3 hours for mine.
Jim
It was delicious!!!!
GypsyD
I am wondering if brown rice will work also, it should but maybe lengthen the cooking time an hour or so do you think?
Jordan
I have made this recipe for years, but I use the yellow rice and add in a can of mixed veggies. It's one of our favs. Its not too hard to make not in the crock pot either! lol
Cheryl
I have made cheesy chicken and rice in the crockpot by mixing the soup and water and putting it over the chicken and an hour before we eat it mix the minute rice in it and let it cook for that hour, worked pretty good. My boys love it!
Kristin Rae
What kind of rice do you use? Can you use brown rice? Should it be quick cooking or regular?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Kristin! I prefer Uncle Bens rice for this. The Minute Rice tends to get a bit too mushy and gummy by the time it is all done. Hope that helps!
Anonymous
I make this but the only thing I do different I add broccoli to it
Dana
Nice recipe. I had to use extra liquid since the rice wasn't cooked and it was drying out at the 4 hour mark. I added 2 cups of homemade chicken stock and later, towards the end of the 7 hour cooking time, some frozen peas. We topped it with Parmesan cheese....very filling and tasty!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Dana! Yes, some crock pots these days tend to heat up quickly. Glad you had the extra chicken stock on hand to add to it!
Sarah
Made this exactly to your directions. It was so good and everyone loved it!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Woo hoo! Thank you!
Anne
This was perfect. Didn't change a thing!
Kathy
I love cheesy chicken and rice, can I add fresh broccoli to the crock pot? Or should I steam the broccoli and add later?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I definitely wouldn't add it in at the beginning. Maybe hour before it is done throw it in. That way it still retains some good texture.
Kaitlyn
This tastes WAY better than it looks. It's a regular at our house now!
Kay
I made this but I had to fudge it because I didn't have everything to make it but I made this and it made 10 individual dinners!
Instead of seasoning I bought Uncle Ben's rice in the boxes that comes with seasoning packets and used those(2 herb Chicken ones) and mixed the packets and the rice with 2 cans of Cream of Chicken, 1 can of cream of broccoli and melted some velveeta and mixed that in with the water. Everything else was the same (one bag of frozen chicken and onion) and it came out DELICIOUS! It was gone in literally 2 days.
Thought I'd share my changes and let you know it worked too.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Yum!
Lorraine
But I don't have a crock pot! Can I use this same recipe on the stove?
Kari Lindsay
This creamy, cheesy rice is so comforting. What a great meal for any night of the week!
Monica
I didn't have chicken and rice until I met my guy. His family is big on mushrooms, so they do it with a can of cream of chicken, and a can of cream of mushroom. Sometimes they will put in a can of chopped mushrooms too. We put the rice in it just like yours 🙂 I usually make it on the stovetop though, but I like the crockpot idea!
Anita
Cheesy rice is one of my favorite comfort foods so this sounds like a great dinner!
Medeja
I didn't grow up with chicken and rice.. but this cheesy recipe looks really great! 🙂
Jessica Martinez
Will be making this soon! Yummy 🙂
Mary Neumann
Great recipe share, Brandie! I can't wait to try this one! I have never used lemon pepper seasoning, excited to give it a try! Pinned! Thanks for the great share!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction
This reminds me of many lunches at my grandma's! I need to give this a try soon!
Tabbitha Dixon
I have chicken legs should I thaw it out 1st before putting in the crockpot I have put frozen chicken breast in there for your other recipes just wanted to know for this one should I thaw the chicken 1st wanna make some chicken an rice for dinner
Suzan
I had NO idea you could throw rice in this! I have been making the basic cheesy chicken for years and my family loves it. It never occurred to me to put the rice in the crockpot with the other ingredients. Thanks so much for posting!