Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole – An Easy Dump & Go Recipe

Crock Pot chicken and rice casserole is a classic comfort food dish that is both hearty and delicious. It is the perfect meal to make on a cool, dreary day or when you are craving something warm and comforting.

Best of all it is simple and easy to prepare and is what I call a ‘dump and go’ meal. This means that you place and mix the raw ingredients directly in a slow cooker then turn it on and let it cook for a few hours.

There is no need to pull out a skillet and saute the vegetables or brown the meat before it goes into the crock pot. Therefore, you will have dinner prepared in only 5 minutes!

And who couldn’t use an easy to prepare, delicious comfort food meal any day of the week? However just like my Crock Pot Chicken & Stuffing Casserole it is also a budget friendly meal.

This recipe uses simple, affordable ingredients like chicken, rice, and vegetables. Then shredded cheese is added to the mix to give the dish a creamy texture and delicious taste.

Another advantage of making this recipe is that it is a very versatile recipe. You can add, substitute or switch up the ingredients to customize it each time with what you have on hand.

Ingredients For Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole

• Long grain brown rice
• Minced garlic
• Salt & Pepper
• Diced onion
• Diced celery
• Chicken broth
• Condensed cream of chicken soup
• Chicken breast
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Brown Rice vs. White Rice

It is important that you use brown rice in this Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe. Because of the long, extended cook time in the slow cooker white rice may become over cooked and mushy.

In addition, brown rice is actually more nutritious than white rice. This is because brown rice retains the bran and germ that is removed during the processing of white rice.

The bran and germ contain additional nutrients including fiber, vitamins and minerals that are not found in grains of white rice. In addition, the outer layers of brown rice provides a stronger, nuttier flavor and chewy texture that help give this dish additional taste and structure.

However, if you only have long grain white rice on hand, you can still make this recipe. Although, instead of adding whole chicken breasts, cut the chicken into small pieces to decrease the cook time required.

Then reduce the amount of liquid because white rice requires less liquid than brown rice. This is because white rice has a shorter cooking time and a softer texture than brown rice, which requires more water to cook and soften properly.

Therefore, reduce the chicken broth by 1/2 cup if making this Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole with long grain white rice. However, do not use Instant or Minute rice in this recipe as the rice will basically dissolve during the cooking process.

Other Common Recipe Variations For Crock Pot Chicken and Rice

Chicken

I often get asked about substituting chicken thighs in recipes that call for chicken breast. Chicken thighs are less expensive and have more flavor than chicken breasts.

However because chicken thighs are more dense they typically require longer cooking times. Therefore, if wish to use chicken thighs, be sure to check for doneness with an instant read digital thermometer.

Both chicken thighs and breasts need to be cooked at an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.

You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken in this recipe as well. However, instead of adding the chicken at the beginning of the recipe, add it during the last hour of cooking.

Condensed Cream Soup

Although this Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe calls for condensed cream of chicken soup, you can use whatever cream soup that you prefer, including your own homemade soup.

I find the best substitutions are cream of celery, cream of mushroom, and cream of cheddar soups. However which ever one you choose it is highly recommended that you purchase low sodium or salt free.

This way you are in control of how much salt that you want to add to your meal.

Vegetables

Feel free to add whatever vegetables that you have on hand. The most common additions include diced mushrooms, diced bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and green beans.

Herbs

If you would like to add more earthy flavor to your dish consider sprinkling in a few herbs with the rice mixture. Thyme, oregano and parsley are all good options.

And for a little kick, sprinkle in some cayenne pepper powder or hot pepper flakes. The warm spices pair well with the creamy and cheesy rice mixture.

Cheese

To make this dish healthier, you can eliminate the cheese if you prefer. However, if you are craving a warm comfort food meal I recommend that you add the shredded cheese.

Although sharp cheddar cheese is used in this recipe, feel free to use whatever cheese that you prefer. Mozzarella, Colby Jack, Italian Blend and Swiss are some of my favorites.

And if you like a little more spice to your recipes, use Pepper Jack cheese.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup long grain brown rice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 can condensed cream of chicken soup, low sodium or salt free
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 4 quart or larger slow cooker add the rice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, onion, celery, condensed cream of chicken soup in the crock pot. Stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.

Then before adding the chicken to the crock pot with the rice cut the chicken breast in half horizontal to the cutting board to make two thinner chicken breasts. Nestle the chicken breasts into the rice mixture inside the crock pot.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the rice has absorbed all the broth in the crock pot and it is tender. If it is not yet tender, add more chicken broth and continue to cook until tender.

*Option – shred the chicken breasts with two forks while still in the crock pot.

Stir in the shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. Cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Serve warm and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

If you want to make this recipe in a pressure cooker be sure to follow this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe.

Enjoy! Mary

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