Crockpot Chicken and Rice (Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice)

This crockpot chicken and rice is the cozy, creamy kind: tender chicken thighs cooked low and slow with onion, garlic and a creamy chicken sauce, then shredded and stirred together with long-grain rice, peas and carrots and a handful of cheddar. The rice goes in for the last stretch of cooking, so it turns out soft and separate instead of mushy, which is the problem with most slow cooker rice recipes.

Below you’ll find which rice works in a slow cooker and which doesn’t, why the rice goes in late, the step-by-step method, timing for thighs vs. breasts, a version without canned soup, brown rice and leftover rice options, food safety for slow cookers and cooked rice, storage, a fix-it table and answers to common questions. The recipe card serves 6 and needs a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

Why This Crockpot Chicken and Rice Works

Chicken and rice sounds like the easiest slow cooker dinner there is, but the two ingredients need very different cooking times. Boneless chicken thighs need 3½ to 4 hours on low to turn tender. Long-grain white rice needs only 1½ to 2 hours on high in liquid. Put both in at the start and the rice turns to porridge long before the chicken is done.

So this recipe cooks in two stages:

1. Chicken first. The chicken cooks in the creamy sauce with onion and garlic, building flavor in the liquid that the rice will later soak up.
2. Rice last. Once the chicken is tender, you shred it, stir in the rice and hot broth, and switch to high until the rice is just tender.

The second trick is the rice itself. Parboiled (converted) long-grain rice is partly cooked in its husk before milling, which firms up the starch. It holds its shape through long, gentle cooking far better than regular white rice, and it’s the most forgiving choice for slow cooker chicken and rice.

Best Rice for Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Ingredients for Crockpot Chicken and Rice

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 lb / 900 g). Thighs stay juicy through long cooking and shred easily. Breasts work too; see the timing section below. Use thawed chicken, not frozen.
• Condensed cream of chicken soup (one 10.5-oz can). The classic shortcut for a creamy sauce. Cream of mushroom or cream of celery also work. To skip canned soup, see the from-scratch version below.
• Low-sodium chicken broth (2½ cups / 600 ml). One cup goes in with the chicken; the rest is heated and added with the rice. Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt, since the soup and cheese are already salty.
• Parboiled long-grain rice (1½ cups / 280 g), uncooked. The rice that holds up best in a slow cooker.
• Onion and garlic. One medium onion, diced, and 3 cloves of garlic, minced. They soften into the sauce during the first stage.
• Seasonings. 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt.
• Frozen peas and carrots (1½ cups / 200 g). Added near the end so they stay bright.
• Shredded sharp cheddar (1 cup / 113 g). Stirred in at the end for a creamy, cheesy finish. Monterey Jack, Colby or Parmesan work too.
• Fresh parsley. A handful, chopped, for color and freshness.

How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Rice

1. Build the sauce. In a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, whisk the cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of the broth, the garlic powder, thyme, paprika, pepper and salt. Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic.
2. Add the chicken. Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce in a single layer if you can, and spoon some sauce over the top.
3. Cook the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3½ to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reads at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece, the safe minimum for poultry on the FoodSafety.gov temperature chart. Thighs are at their most tender closer to 175 to 185°F (79 to 85°C).
4. Shred. Lift the chicken onto a cutting board, shred it with two forks into bite-size pieces and set it aside, covered.
5. Add the rice. Heat the remaining 1½ cups of broth until steaming (microwave 2 minutes). Stir the uncooked rice and hot broth into the sauce in the slow cooker, smoothing the rice so it’s under the liquid.
6. Cook the rice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once halfway, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Start checking at 1 hour 20 minutes, since slow cookers vary.
7. Finish. Stir in the shredded chicken and frozen peas and carrots, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes more on HIGH, until the vegetables are hot.
8. Add the cheese. Turn off the slow cooker, stir in the cheddar until melted and creamy, taste for salt and pepper, and scatter parsley over the top. If it’s thicker than you like, stir in a splash of hot broth.

Tips for the best texture

• Don’t lift the lid early. Each peek lets out heat and steam and can add 15 to 20 minutes, especially in the rice stage.
• Use hot broth with the rice. Cold broth drops the temperature and makes the rice cook unevenly.
• Know your slow cooker. Newer models often run hotter than older ones. The first time you make this, check the rice early and note the time that works.
• Leave a little liquid. The rice keeps absorbing sauce as it stands, so pull it when it still looks slightly saucy.

Crockpot Chicken and Rice Timing: Thighs vs. Breasts

Need dinner later? You can cook the chicken on LOW for up to 6 hours if you use thighs, then add the rice when you get home. Breasts get stringy if you go much past 3½ hours.

If you’d rather do the chicken on the stove, our guide to boneless skinless chicken thighs on the stove covers searing and simmering, and the shredded chicken recipes page has more ways to use a batch of cooked chicken.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Without Canned Soup

To make slow cooker chicken and rice from scratch, replace the can of condensed soup with a quick homemade base. It tastes fresher and lets you control the salt.

1. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour and cook 1 minute.
2. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth and ½ cup of milk, and simmer until thick, about 3 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt.
3. Pour it into the slow cooker in place of the soup and the first cup of broth, and continue with the recipe.
4. For extra richness, stir 2 ounces of cream cheese into the pot with the cheddar at the end.

Crockpot Chicken and Rice Variations

Chicken and broccoli rice

Swap the peas and carrots for 3 cups of small fresh broccoli florets, added with the chicken for the last 20 to 30 minutes. For an oven version of the same idea, see our chicken broccoli rice recipe.

Cheesy Mexican chicken and rice

Use cream of chicken soup, add one 10-oz can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (drained) and 2 teaspoons of chili powder with the chicken, swap the cheddar for pepper Jack, and finish with cilantro and lime.

Lemon herb chicken and rice

Leave out the cheddar, add the zest of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice at the end, and finish with plenty of parsley and dill. It’s lighter and brighter.

Chicken, rice and mushrooms

Use cream of mushroom soup and add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onions. Finish with Parmesan instead of cheddar.

For a stovetop dinner with the same Campbell’s-style flavor, see our chicken and rice recipe ideas.

Slow Cooker and Rice Food Safety

Slow cookers are safe for chicken when you follow a few rules, and cooked rice needs a little extra care when you store it. The USDA’s slow cooker food safety guide recommends:

• Thaw chicken first. Frozen chicken can spend too long in the temperature danger zone (40 to 140°F / 4 to 60°C) while the pot heats up. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
• Fill the cooker half to two-thirds full. Too little or too much food heats unevenly.
• Keep the lid on while cooking, and check the chicken with a thermometer: 165°F (74°C) minimum.
• Don’t reheat leftovers in the slow cooker. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F, then you can keep them warm in the slow cooker.
• If the power goes out while you’re away, throw the food out, even if it looks done.

Cooked rice and leftovers: spread leftovers in shallow containers and get them into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking. Rice can carry spores of Bacillus cereus that survive cooking and multiply if cooked rice sits warm for hours. The FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart gives 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator for cooked chicken dishes.

Oven and Instant Pot Versions

No slow cooker, or short on time? The same ingredients work in two other ways.

Oven-baked chicken and rice

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Whisk the soup with all 2½ cups of broth and the seasonings, stir in the uncooked parboiled rice, onion and garlic, and pour it into the dish.
3. Lay the chicken thighs on top, season them, cover tightly with foil and bake 60 to 70 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reads 165°F (74°C).
4. Shred the chicken into the rice, stir in the peas and carrots and cheese, and bake uncovered 10 minutes more.

Instant Pot chicken and rice

1. Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of oil for 3 minutes, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then pour in 2 cups of broth and scrape the bottom well so the pot doesn’t show a burn warning.
2. Add the rice and seasonings, lay the chicken on top and spoon the soup over the chicken without stirring it in; thick soup on the bottom is what usually scorches.
3. Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest.
4. Shred the chicken, stir everything together with the peas and carrots and cheese, and let it stand 5 minutes with the lid on.

Both versions taste close to the slow cooker one. The crockpot method still gives the most tender chicken and fills the house with that slow-simmered smell.

What to Serve With Crockpot Chicken and Rice

This is a one-pot meal with protein, starch and a vegetable already in it, so the sides can stay simple.

• A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the creaminess.
• Roasted or steamed green beans, broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
• Warm biscuits or crusty bread for the sauce.
• Cranberry sauce or a quick pickle for a sweet-sour contrast, Southern-style.

Feeding a crowd? Pair it with another family-size dish like our chicken noodle casserole or the chicken tetrazzini, or start with a bowl of chicken gnocchi soup on a cold night.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating

Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Leftover chicken and rice also makes a quick fried rice the next day if you leave out the cheese.

Troubleshooting Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Crockpot Chicken and Rice FAQs

Can you put uncooked rice in a crockpot with chicken?

Yes. Uncooked rice cooks well in a slow cooker as long as it has enough hot liquid and the right timing. For the best texture, add it after the chicken is tender and cook it on HIGH for 1½ to 2 hours, rather than cooking it for the full 4 to 8 hours.

Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker with everything else?

Yes. Raw, thawed chicken goes straight into the sauce, with no browning needed. It’s done when the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C). Don’t use frozen chicken, which warms too slowly.

Can I cook crockpot chicken and rice all day?

Cook boneless thighs on LOW for up to 6 hours, then add the rice when you’re home; the rice stage takes about 2 hours. Cooking the rice for 6 to 8 hours turns it to mush, so it isn’t a good all-day, set-and-forget dish from start to finish.

How much rice and liquid do I use in a slow cooker?

For parboiled long-grain rice, plan on about 2½ cups of total liquid per cup of rice, counting the soup and the juices the chicken releases. This recipe uses 1½ cups of rice with the soup, the 1 cup of broth from the first stage and 1½ cups of hot broth added with the rice.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, in a 7-quart or larger slow cooker. Keep the pot no more than two-thirds full, and add about 30 minutes to each stage. For more weeknight ideas, browse our chicken recipes.

Crockpot Chicken and Rice Recipe Card

Calories are an estimate per serving (one sixth of the recipe, about 1½ cups) based on USDA FoodData Central values for boneless skinless chicken thighs, condensed cream of chicken soup, low-sodium broth, parboiled long-grain rice, onion, frozen peas and carrots and sharp cheddar.

Chef Emma

Crockpot Chicken and Rice

Creamy slow cooker chicken and rice: chicken thighs cook low and slow in a creamy sauce with onion and garlic, then the rice goes in for the last 2 hours with peas, carrots and cheddar. Serves 6.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 510

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 900 g, thawed
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 10.5 oz (298 g)
• 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 600 ml, divided
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
• 1½ cups parboiled (converted) long-grain rice 280 g, uncooked
• 1½ cups frozen peas and carrots 200 g
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar 113 g
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

• 5- to 7-quart slow cooker
• Instant-read thermometer
• Two forks for shredding

Method

 

1. Whisk the soup, 1 cup of the broth, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, pepper and salt in the slow cooker. Stir in the onion and garlic.
2. Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce and spoon some over the top.
3. Cover and cook on LOW 3½ to 4 hours (breasts 2½ to 3 hours), until the thickest piece reads at least 165°F (74°C).
4. Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and keep it covered.
5. Heat the remaining 1½ cups of broth until steaming. Stir it and the rice into the sauce, smoothing the rice under the liquid.
6. Cover and cook on HIGH 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once halfway, until the rice is tender. Start checking at 1 hour 20 minutes.
7. Stir in the chicken and frozen peas and carrots, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes more on HIGH.
8. Turn off the cooker, stir in the cheddar, season to taste, loosen with hot broth if needed and top with parsley.

Notes

Use thawed chicken, never frozen. Regular long-grain white rice works with ½ cup less hot broth; brown rice needs ½ cup more broth and 2½ to 3 hours on HIGH. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days; reheat to 165°F (74°C) with a splash of broth, on the stove or in the microwave, not in the slow cooker. Calories are an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central values.