Crock Pot Chicken and Rice (+Video)
This creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice is an easy, classic family favorite made with seasoned chicken, long grain rice, onions, garlic and broth.
A CHEESY, CREAMY CROCK POT RECIPE
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 its finest. Serve with a salad, some Butter Swim Biscuits and a side dish of your favorite veggie like Green Beans or Maple Glazed Carrots or even just some steamed broccoli.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- chicken tenderloins – you can use chicken breasts, just cut them into slices or even boneless chicken thighs.
- lemon pepper seasoning – lemon pepper is a great all-purpose seasoning but you could use any seasoning you prefer for chicken. Some folks really love cajun seasoning or you could just use the standard salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- chicken broth (or water) – if you want to cut down on the sodium, I would suggest using water or you could purchase a low/no sodium chicken broth.
- onion – if you don’t like onion just leave it out. Or consider using a shallot which is not a strong onion flavor at all.
- minced garlic – I just used the jarred garlic here but you can certainly use fresh.
- long-grain rice – this needs to be long grain rice not minute (instant) rice.
- cream of chicken – you can use a low sodium option here if you prefer or you can make your own Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup.
- cheddar cheese soup – if you’ve never purchase this before, see my ingredient picture below. You’ll find it near all the other canned soup in your grocery store.
- shredded cheese – this is optional but I love the extra cheese.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT CHICKEN AND RICE:
Pat chicken tenderloins dry with a paper towel. See my trick at the end of this post for removing that piece of cartilage that runs through chicken tenderloins (if you prefer to remove it). Season the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning on both sides.
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2-3 tbsp 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 1/2 – 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!
HOW TO REMOVE CARTILAGE FROM 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.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: November 2012
Updated & republished: February 2021
Crock Pot Chicken and Rice (+Video)
Ingredients
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- ½ Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning (see notes below)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or water)
- ½ sweet onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
- 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 10 ounce can cheddar cheese soup
- ½ cup shredded cheese, for topping, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley, for topping, 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 tbsp 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 1/2 – 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 1/2 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
Notes
- Don’t have lemon pepper seasoning? Or maybe you just don’t like it? Just use a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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!
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.
The store didn’t have cheddar cheese soup. Bought fiesta cheese soup instead. Hope it doesnt ruin it. Wish me luck!
I just saw your recipe on chicken and rice. We loved it. Thanks!
Can I start this on high to speed up the cooking time? It’s already almost 5pm and I just put it all in.
I always do mine on high and it works fine. Just half the cooking time. Usually takes just over 3 hours for mine.
It was delicious!!!!
I am wondering if brown rice will work also, it should but maybe lengthen the cooking time an hour or so do you think?
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
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!
What kind of rice do you use? Can you use brown rice? Should it be quick cooking or regular?
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!
I make this but the only thing I do different I add broccoli to it
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!
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!
Made this exactly to your directions. It was so good and everyone loved it!
Woo hoo! Thank you!
This was perfect. Didn’t change a thing!
I love cheesy chicken and rice, can I add fresh broccoli to the crock pot? Or should I steam the broccoli and add later?
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.
This tastes WAY better than it looks. It’s a regular at our house now!
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.
Yum!
But I don't have a crock pot! Can I use this same recipe on the stove?
This creamy, cheesy rice is so comforting. What a great meal for any night of the week!
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!
Cheesy rice is one of my favorite comfort foods so this sounds like a great dinner!
I didn't grow up with chicken and rice.. but this cheesy recipe looks really great! 🙂
Will be making this soon! Yummy 🙂
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!
This reminds me of many lunches at my grandma's! I need to give this a try soon!
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
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!