Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Chicken is an easy choice for dinner; it can be cooked in so many different ways. One of the classic dinner combos is chicken and rice. We can take the flavor to a whole new level with this easy slow cooker chicken and rice recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Dump ‘n’ Go Recipe: There are two ways to make this recipe, the easiest is with frozen broccoli, which turns it into a completely dump-and-go recipe.
- Enough for a Crowd: There is nothing better than cooking an easy recipe that feeds the whole family with no other dishes required.
- Perfect for Busy Weeknights: Slow cooking sounds like it will take forever. However, dump everything in before heading to work and come home to a meal ready to serve.
- Classic Family Favorite: a creamy chicken and rice casserole gives you a depth of flavor the entire family can enjoy.
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Crockpot chicken is a no-brainer. we get juicy and tender chicken every time. We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easier shredding.
- Frozen Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is absolutely an option in this easy slow cooker chicken and rice recipe. However, fresh broccoli needs to be added during the last hour. Frozen can go in at the beginning.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: We want to ensure this dish comes out creamy, but we don’t want to weigh it down with dairy. We can skip dairy and use this soup instead.
- Cream of Celery Soup: Another creamy addition to this chicken and rice casserole recipe. This delicious meal is coming together with very little prep time so far.
- Chicken Broth: Making crock pot chicken only comes with one warning: don’t dry out the chicken. Adding chicken broth will give the chicken plenty of moisture to absorb.
- Ritz Crackers: A good recipe always has a secret ingredient. Of course, the secret’s out, but these crackers will take your boneless chicken breast to the next level.
Can I Put Rice in a Slow Cooker with Chicken?
Our easy slow cooker chicken and rice dinner will make you thankful for your crock pot with every bite. This easy slow cooker chicken and rice requires cooking the rice separately.
This extra step seems like it would turn into a weekend recipe instead of a busy weeknight recipe. There are versions of chicken and rice that cook the chicken and rice in the slow cooker. There is nothing wrong with those.
However, they do require a shorter cook time, and that just won’t do for a dump-and-go recipe. That is why we prefer to cook the rice separately. The easy slow cooker recipe can cook while you’re at work, and then all you need to do is make a fresh pot of fluffy rice when you get home.
Dinner time can start just 20 minutes after you get home. This is all about using a longer cooking time to our advantage.
Slow Cooker Recipe Substitution Ideas
There aren’t many substitutions that will wildly change this easy slow cooker chicken and rice recipe. However, there are some changes we can make that will give us a slightly different dish the next time we make it.
Believe it or not, chicken is one thing we can change. We want to stick with chicken, but we can use a different cut. Skinless chicken thighs could work if you plan on serving them individually. This slow cooker meal for a family can change to a recipe for two.
Another substitution we can make is with the rice. The rice cooks separately so it will only change the dish at the end. We use white rice in this recipe. However, you can switch it out for wild rice, brown rice, instant rice, basmati rice, or any type of rice you’d like.
Make it extra healthy by using quinoa instead. The best results will provide you with comfort food filled with flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
- Coat the inside of the crockpot with olive oil spray.
- Place crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. This is a great way to involve the children in making this recipe.
- Place all of the ingredients, including the frozen broccoli in the crockpot, and mix together. Toss the broccoli in during the last hour if you are using fresh instead of frozen.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, stirring once or twice throughout. Shred the chicken before serving and serve over rice, with a salad, or even on buns.
How to Store Leftover Chicken and Rice
Break out the airtight container; this recipe will do better in the fridge that way. This recipe uses simple ingredients, but that doesn’t mean it will do amazingly well for long. The recipe will stay tasty for about 4 days in the fridge.
However, you can also freeze the chicken and rice mixture, where it will hold for about 2 months. Reheat the same way you cooked in the first place. You can also toss it in a pot over low heat for a few minutes.
This chicken and rice crock pot recipe is sure to become a go-to for busy days.
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 8 Boneless Chicken Breasts, Thawed
- 1 12 Oz Bag Frozen Broccoli or 4 Cups of Fresh Broccoli
- 1 10.75 Oz Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 10.75 Oz Can of Celery Soup
- 1 15 Oz Can of Chicken Broth
- 1 Stack of Ritz Crackers
Instructions
- Coat the inside of the crockpot with olive oil spray.
- Place crackers in ziplock bag and crush with rolling pin. This is a great way to involve children in making this recipe!
- Place all ingredients, including the broccoli in the crockpot and mix together. If you are using fresh broccoli versus frozen, toss in for the last hour.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours, stirring once or twice throughout.
- Shred the chicken before serving and serve on top of rice, a salad, or even buns.
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