Cheesy Chicken and Rice (Crock Pot Version)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This crockpot cheesy chicken and rice recipe is one of the most popular recipes of all time on Southern Plate and with good reason. The combination of the flavorful Zatarain rice, cream of chicken soup, and gooey cheese make for a delicious (and easy) weeknight supper.
You talk, I listen. Well, I listen whenever I can, of course! Folks have been asking for more slow cooker recipes for a multitude of reasons. Who doesn’t like to come home and have supper all cooked and waiting for them? I know I sure do! This is a recipe I modified for the slow cooker and some of you will be happy to know I also removed the entire stick of margarine it called for.
This easy cheesy chicken and rice recipe in the crockpot uses simple ingredients like cheese, cream of chicken, yellow rice, and sweet corn that pack a punch when combined. It’s creamy, it’s flavorful, and it’s so easy to make, as your slow cooker does most of the work for you (don’t we just love that?). But if you want to speed things up, check out my oven version (cheesy chicken and rice casserole) of this crockpot recipe.
Speaking of the slow cooker, here are some recipes to try in your crockpot this week: crockpot lasagna, chicken fajitas in the crockpot, crockpot cashew chicken, and crockpot chili.
Alright, let’s get cooking!
Recipe Ingredients
- Yellow rice
- Cream of chicken soup (homemade cream of chicken soup recipe here)
- Whole kernel corn
- Yellow onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice in the Crockpot
Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker (spray with first if needed).
Chop up the onion and toss it on top as well.
Spoon or glob your cream soup over that.
Now cover this and cook it according to the following:
Low: 7-8 hours
High: 3-4 hours
This is great to put on in the morning on the weekends if you cook it on high and then have a nice meal at lunchtime.
When it is done cooking, it’ll look a little like this.
Now… it’s not cheesy chicken and rice without cheese and rice!
So your next step is to add the drained corn kernels, cheddar cheese, and cooked rice.
You’ll need to cook your rice before this step. What I like to do is cook my rice the night before and just stick it in the fridge. Then you can dump it in and stir it up and give it a minute or two to get heated. You can also cook your rice as soon as you get home, though. It’s still an easy and delicious supper!
Stir all of that up and give it a few minutes to get all heated and warm (this won’t take long).
This stuff is to die for. Prepare for a happy landing in your stomach!
Storage
Store your cheesy chicken and rice leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. When it’s time, simply reheat it in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Want more veggies? You can also add a selection of frozen vegetables to the slow cooker when you add the onion, like carrots, frozen broccoli florets, and peas. Other options? Cauliflower florets, green beans, chopped celery, and chopped bell peppers. Add two to three cups overall.
- It is a-okay if you want to use cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup instead of this creamy chicken version. For even more mushroom flavor, add some sliced mushrooms to the slow cooker.
- Another easy way to add flavor is to add a teaspoon of both garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic) and onion powder.
- One more option… add a cup of chicken broth to the slow cooker in the beginning. This will make the chicken even more tender, if that’s even possible!
- Instead of cheddar cheese, swap it out for your favorite type of shredded cheese.
- I love Zatarain’s yellow rice mix, one of my favorite meal helpers. But you can use any you like, such as long-grain white rice, quinoa, wild rice, or .
- If you want to use the lower-fat cream soup that’s fine in this too. A lot of folks have been making my slow cooker chicken and wild rice with cream of chicken soup because they don’t care for the cream of mushroom soup and that is great, too! Make it your own and tweak these recipes however they work best for your family.
- Feel free to garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley. Some freshly cracked black pepper ain’t so bad either!
Recipe FAQs
How do you chop the chicken for chicken and rice?
Now, a lot of folks have asked if or when they need to chop the chicken so the dish appears as it does in the photo. The great thing about this recipe is that by the time you add the rice, the chicken pieces are so tender from being slow-cooked that stirring in the rice will cause it to break up and become shredded chicken as pictured. Hope you enjoy it!
Can you freeze cheesy chicken and rice?
Absolutely! You can freeze leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them for a couple of minutes in the microwave.
What side goes with cheesy chicken and rice?
I recommend serving this slow cooker and with a side salad or vegetables. Here are some suggestions:
- Boiled squash
- Fresh green beans
- Zucchini and squash
- Broccoli salad with bacon and raisins
- Roasted asparagus
- Candied carrots
- Collard greens with hot pepper sauce
You may also enjoy serving the chicken and rice with cornbread, biscuits, or homemade dinner rolls.
Here are more of my favorite chicken dinner recipes:
Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
North Alabama Style Pulled Chicken BBQ
Chicken Kabobs Recipe In The Oven
Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large chopped onion
- 1 8-ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot. Scatter chopped onion over the top. Spoon cream soup over the top of that.4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 large chopped onion, 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- A few minutes before serving, add the cooked rice, corn, and shredded cheese to the crockpot. Stir to combine, until the cheese melts. Serve hot.1 8-ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today.
It’s already tomorrow in Australia.”
~Charles Schultz.
Christy, I have made this recipe before and my family loved it. Now I’m eating low carb. Could I swap the rice for cauliflower ? Also, what should I swap for the cream of chicken soup?
I did make the low carb chocolate no bake cookie. My family and friends loved them. Thank you so much for helping me continue my low carb eating life style.
I have a great low carb soup coming up this week, thick and creamy, too! You can definitely swap the cauliflower for rice in this but you are going to end up needing seasoning since the rice mix used in this has a ton of that. I would start with the one I always go to first: Italian Seasoning. Go for a good tablespoon or more. Also, add some chicken bullion cubes for more flavor because that rice has saffron in it as well – or add saffron if you can get it. One can of Cream of chicken has twelve carbs if you make sure you *don’t* get the low fat (“healthy” request) brand and just get regular. That amount spread out over this whole dish doesn’t add an awful lot per serving. However, if you want to cut it by making your own, stay tuned for a trick in the low carb creamy soup post I have coming up!
Thank you. Looking forward to the soup recipe.
This sounds so good I will have to try it but want it rich and what do u put in cooker when it is cooking?
Adrian I’m afraid I’m not sure what you are asking.
Just wondering how long I should cook this for if I’m using frozen chicken breasts. How long on high or low? Also, when would you suggest adding carrots to this recipe so they’re cooked thoroughly, but not mushy? Sounds like an amazing recipe!! We can’t wait to try it 🙂
What brand and type of slow cooker do you use?
June, I use a 6 quart Hamilton Beach Slow cooker normally.
This receipe was so easy and tummy!! Will definitely make this again. Such a great dish for the fall. Love the fact that it’s almost like a soup but a little thicker . I added a little more cheese but who doesn’t love cheese 🙂 Thanks Christy!
How many does this serve? I couldn’t find that anywhere and have 8 plus 2 babies coming Sunday so want to know if I should double or one and a half the recipe?
I would add carrots halfway in if they are matchstick, at the start if they are baby carrots. When I am cooking this all day I often use frozen breasts and have no time issues, just cook it as you normally would.
I do not have any zattarans rice. Would regular white rice work? If so, how much?
Hey! If you decide to substitute white rice just know that the big pop of flavor comes from the seasoning in Zatarain’s. You can look up and see how much is in a box, I’m guessing a cup or cup and a half, but I’d really amp up the flavor with lots of dried or fresh herbs of your choice, also some salt and pepper. The final flavor of the dish if you use white rice is going to be entirely dependent on this 🙂
Hello Christy,
As we speak, my chicken is cooking in my Crock Pot. I noticed your recipe calls for an 8 oz box of Zatarins yellow rice. My Zatarins box is for 6.9 oz. will this be enough?
Thanks for your great tasting recipes!
Camille
It will work just fine!!!
How high or low do you keep on on how how long does it take , it looks like a good dinner , thanks
My dream has almost always been to be a stay at home mom. My childhood dream was to become a missionary ro china which I was able to complete in 2007 and in 2010. I remember playing house as a little girl and getting teased in school for always taking the mother role. I even got a “Mother Goose” award in high school from my cast from our hs musical. In 2014 a week before Mother’s Day we found out I was pregnant and January the next year I had a beautiful little girl. Fast forward 20 months and we now live in our forever home! Walking distance from both an elementary school and a middle school. Plus the neighborhood is beautiful. Most definitely all a dream come true!!’
Is it OK to use other pieces of chicken for this recipe ie Chicken Wings
I have been wanting to try new and semi easy recipes because life is so busy in the summer. This was a great one my family loved it. 🙂 I will definetly be making this again. Thanks.
I am so glad to hear it was a hit!! One of my favorite go-to’s during the busy times!
I’m going to be honest, I typically scroll past the “chit chat” part of the blog, straight to the recipe. Terrible admission for a writer to make, but as one who savors time, I want what I came for… The Recipe!
But your story sucked me in! Love a good fairytale, and especially a little girl watching to make me laugh with her honest observations. I miss my little girls, now 21 and 17. Thanks for taking me back!
Plus, I’ve got dinner planned!
🙂 I am glad you took a moment and enjoyed the story!!
Do you use frozen or thawed chicken?
If you have all day to let it cook in the slow cooker frozen will be fine.
Do you drain the corn or no?
Im wondering how many people does this serve?
That all depends on how hungry your crowd is and how much they typically eat 🙂 We have a family of four and enjoy large helpings of this with usually enough left over for one lunch. I’m afraid actual serving sizes are just guesses at best 🙂