Crock Pot Chicken And Rice Recipe Wellplated Com

If you are looking for more easy, healthy crock pot chicken recipes to navigate you through a busy week, this crockpot chicken and rice will be your ride. A creamy, cheesy blend of juicy chicken, whole grains, and fresh veggies, this healthy chicken and rice crock pot recipe has a seat for everyone.

It’s mild enough for picky eaters but flavorful enough for more adventurous palates.It yields a large batch and is rich in fiber and protein, so it’s hearty enough for hungry households, just like its cousin Instant Pot Chicken and Rice.It’s not quite a 3 ingredient crockpot chicken and rice recipe, but it is incredibly simple and uses very few ingredients! It’s freezer friendly and tastes great left over, so if you like easy meal prep recipes or are part of a smaller household that only needs healthy crockpot recipes for two, it’s easy to save and reheat.

The inspiration for this crock pot chicken and rice recipe came from my Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole. It’s become a reader favorite, and I’ve heard from many of you that everyone in your family, from your discerning toddlers to your even more discerning significant others enjoys it. As much as I love to be adventurous with ingredients and flavors, including in my collection of crock pot meals (Slow Cooker Chicken Curry and Slow Cooker BUtter Chicken are two absolute favorites), I also appreciate the all-American, family-friendly meals that were a part of my Midwestern upbringing: the Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup; the Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff; the Crock Pot Mexican Casserole; the classic Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie. Sometimes I want to ride in the convertible, but most nights, I need the minivan.

How to Make Crock Pot Chicken and Rice

Developing this healthy chicken and rice crockpot recipe took a few attempts. Rice has a frustrating tendency to become mushy in the slow cooker. I also wanted it to be a crockpot cheesy chicken and rice recipe that was still reasonably healthy and made from minimally processed ingredients, which meant that all of the recipes for crock pot chicken and rice with cream of celery soup (or slow cooker chicken and rice with cream of mushroom soup) needed to go.

The Ingredients

Chicken Breasts. You can cook raw chicken with rice for this recipe, and it makes it easy! Your chicken will come out perfectly tender, flavorful, and delicious every single time. Chicken adds protein to the dish, making it more satisfying.

Long Grain Brown Rice. Because I wanted this to be a healthy chicken and rice crock pot recipe, I opted for brown rice over white rice, as it is higher in fiber and protein. Brown rice is also a bit heartier, so it can better handle the longer cooking time that comes along with any slow cooker meal.Carrots. Packed with vitamins and sweet flavor, carrots are a delicious and nutritious addition to this recipe. Shallot. Adds a mild onion flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

Dijon. Deliciously tangy and zippy. Spices. This recipe suggests salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. These ingredients help add flavor and earthiness to the dish. Feel free to adjust each of these to suit your and your family’s tastes.Chicken Broth. Acts as the cooking liquid for the chicken and rice. Frozen Peas. An easy way to sneak in extra veggies. No need to thaw them.Greek Yogurt. Helps make the recipe creamy and packs in extra protein and potassium. No need for cream of chicken soup here!Cheddar Cheese. Cheesy goodness helps make this recipe a crowd-pleaser and adds calcium.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth, milk, or water to keep it from drying out. To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Slow Cooker. Perfect for making healthy crock pot chicken and rice recipes. Measuring Cups. These sturdy metal measuring cups are my favorite. Measuring Spoons. Magnets help keep these together during storage.

For a meal that’s guaranteed to pick you up, has room for everyone, and even leaves you wiggle room to make a pitstop for dessert: healthy crock pot chicken and rice!

Slow Cook on HIGH. While the slow cooker is good for rice, it does much better on HIGH. The rice just did not turn out well when I made this recipe on LOW heat. It was watery and mushy. To avoid ending up with crock pot chicken and rice soup, make this recipe according to the cook times and temps in the recipe below.Don’t Overdo The Onion. If you opt to use a regular onion instead of shallot, be sure to chop the onion very finely, and don’t add too much. If you’d like, you can also sauté it on the stovetop before adding it to the crock pot to deepen and mellow its flavor.DO NOT Over Cook the Chicken. Obvious, yet essential. The chicken breasts will finish cooking before the rice. Be sure to remove them as soon as the internal temp reaches 160 degrees F (the carryover cooking will take it to 165 degrees F).