Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
If you’re craving cozy comfort food but still want something healthy, this slow cooker chicken and rice is it. It’s creamy, high in protein, and made entirely in the slow cooker with a lighter homemade sauce from blended cottage cheese instead of canned soup.
This slow cooker chicken and rice is my healthy take on a classic cheesy casserole and it has quickly become a staple in my house.
It actually took me a while to perfect this recipe, but I am so happy with how it turned out. The homemade cottage cheese cream of chicken soup really takes it to the next level, creating a rich, creamy sauce without relying on canned soup. Even better, my kids devoured it, which always feels like a major win.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
This recipe checks all the boxes for me. It’s cozy, packed with protein, and made in one pot with simple ingredients. Tender chicken, fluffy brown rice, and fresh broccoli cook together into a balanced meal that feels comforting but still wholesome.
- Creamy without the can: Blended cottage cheese is the secret weapon here. It creates a rich, comforting sauce without canned cream of chicken soup or processed thickeners, while adding a boost of protein.
- Hands-off meal prep: Just layer everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work. It makes a generous amount and the leftovers reheat beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep.
- Family-friendly: Even picky eaters tend to love the classic combo of cheesy chicken and rice, and it’s an easy way to sneak more broccoli onto the table.
- Pantry staples: Aside from the chicken and broccoli, most of the ingredients are likely already in your kitchen, so no special grocery trip required.
Ingredients Needed
- chicken breast – use boneless, skinless breasts for a lean, high-protein base that becomes perfectly tender in the slow cooker.
- long-grain brown rice – this adds a chewy texture and extra fiber. Make sure it’s uncooked so it can absorb all that flavorful broth.
- chicken broth – opt for low-sodium so you can control the salt levels while infusing the rice with savory flavor.
- cottage cheese – this is the “secret” to the cream of chicken sauce. Once blended, it creates a velvety, high-protein base without the need for canned soups.
- broccoli florets – adds color, texture, and a veggie boost without getting mushy.
- cheddar cheese – I love using sharp cheddar for the best flavor. If you can, shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt quite as smoothly here.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Step 1: Add onion, garlic, brown rice, salt, pepper, and broth to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture and drizzle with olive oil. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Step 3: Remove cooked chicken, let rest 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Step 4: Blend the cottage cheese “cream of chicken” ingredients until completely smooth.
Step 5: Stir chicken, broccoli, and the blended cottage cheese mixture into the slow cooker.
Step 6: Top with cheddar, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes until broccoli is tender and the cheese is melted. Serve.
Tips for Success
- Stick to brown rice: Use long-grain brown rice specifically for this recipe. White rice has a much shorter cook time and will likely become mushy before the chicken is ready.
- Keep the lid on: Try to avoid lifting the lid during the first 3 hours. Every time the lid is opened, the slow cooker loses significant heat and takes about 20 minutes to recover. Keeping the lid sealed helps the brown rice cook evenly and stay tender.
- Blend until smooth: For the creamiest “cream of chicken” substitute, blend the cottage cheese mixture until all curds have disappeared. This makes the sauce velvety and prevents a grainy texture in the final dish.
- Timing the broccoli: Add the broccoli florets during the last 20 minutes of cooking. This keeps them vibrant and tender-crisp rather than letting them overcook and dissolve into the rice.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Let the chicken and rice cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen things up, since the rice will thicken as it sits.
- Freezer: This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is tested on high for best texture. Cooking on low may cause the rice to absorb too much liquid and overcook.
Sticking to the 3 to 3.5-hour window on high is the best way to keep the breasts juicy. Using a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F helps prevent overcooking.
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work and will be slightly richer and more forgiving if cooked a little longer.
More Slow Cooker Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, mince
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Cottage Cheese “Cream of Chicken”
- ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Add-Ins
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into medium-sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, rice, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.1 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice, 1½ teaspoons sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the rice mixture and drizzle with olive oil.1 ½ lbs boneless
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until most of the liquid has been soaked up, the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through (165°F).
- Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and let them rest for 5 minutes. Chop into 1–1½-inch chunks.
- While the chicken rests, add all cottage cheese “cream of chicken” ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon tamari, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Add the chopped chicken back to the slow cooker along with the broccoli florets and blended cottage cheese mixture. Stir gently to combine. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, just until the broccoli is tender, cheese is melted and everything is heated through.4 cups broccoli florets, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Turn off the slow cooker and serve.
Notes
- Note about cook time: Slow cookers can vary quite a bit, so cook times may differ. When you check the slow cooker around the 3–4 hour mark, the rice should be mostly tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed. It’s okay if there’s still a little liquid left in the pot, as it will finish soaking up during the final cook after the broccoli is added. If the chicken is cooked through but the rice is still firm or there’s a lot of extra liquid, simply remove the chicken so it doesn’t overcook and continue cooking the rice, checking every 30 minutes until tender.
- Keep the lid on: Try to avoid lifting the lid during the first 3 hours. Every time the lid is opened, the slow cooker loses significant heat. Keeping the lid sealed helps the brown rice cook evenly and stay tender.
- Storage: Let any leftovers cool completely then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen things up, since the rice will thicken as it sits.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
This is really delicious and I love that the sauce is healthier and filled with protein! I had no problem with the rice cooking – it was perfect consistency.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad this recipe turned out for you. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
I’m not sure where I went wrong but after 3 1/2 hours in the crockpot on high, the rice isn’t cooked and there is so much liquid! I doubled the recipe and used 7 cups of broth. The chicken is done. Help!
Oh no! So sorry to hear that. What type of rice did you use?
I had the same problem! But I did not double the recipe and used 3.5 cups of broth to 1 cup of rice. I used long grain brown rice as stated in the recipe. The chicken was cooked but the rice was not and there was A LOT of liquid left. Maybe there is a difference in slow cooker temps? I’m trying to cook the rice on the stove top now to try to save it.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve tested this recipe multiple times and my rice was close to being done at the 3-3.5 hour mark and then the final 20 minutes helped it to fully soak up all the liquid. What slow cooker do you have? I’m wondering if that might be the difference. You might have just needed a little extra time on the rice. I hope you were able to save it and enjoyed the recipe 🙂
im having the same issue with too much liquid and rice not cooking im going to just keep it going and hope it happens eventually!
Oh no! Every slow cooker is different, so cook times can vary and yours might just need a bit more time. Just confirming you didn’t change anything about the recipe? I hope you were able to get this one to turn out! Let me know. 🙂
Is there anyway to make this recipe with cauliflower? I’m worried it might get too mushy but I’d like to cut the carbs of the rice if possible.
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I would also be concerned it would be too mushy and you’d probably have to adjust the liquid ratio. Let me know if you end up trying it!
This was so good, Brittany! I made enough to make sure we could enjoy it a couple more times this coming week. I love the added protein in it thanks to that delicious cottage cheese sauce. I did find that I needed to cook the broccoli for about 30 minutes in my slow cooker instead of 15-20 to make sure it was completely tender, but that as no biggie at all. YUM YUM! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! The cottage cheese sauce is genius….the tamari adds such a good flavor to it. I’m going to try it on pasta some time.
So glad you loved this, Molly! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cottage cheese sauce, and I love the idea of trying it on pasta. Thanks so much for making the recipe and for coming back to leave a comment, I really appreciate it.
A definite 5/5 stars! I was looking for a simple, healthy, and quick recipe that would also be suitable for my 15 month old. This one seemed to fit the bill, so I gave it a try- and I’m so glad I did! It was unbelievably easy to put everything together, and the final result was sooo delicious and comforting. Everyone had seconds (including my toddler)! This will definitely be a staple for us.
So glad you loved this, Stephanie! I’m happy to hear it worked well for your whole family and that even your toddler enjoyed it. Thanks so much for making the recipe and for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Can sub Orzo for the rice? Also can I sub sour cream for the cottage cheese?
I wouldn’t recommend swapping orzo for the rice here since it cooks much faster and would likely get mushy in the slow cooker, but you can use sour cream instead of the cottage cheese if you’d like, just keep in mind it’ll be a bit richer.
I love how easy this was to make and it gave me great leftovers! It was comforting and delicious, but it didn’t feel too heavy. Definitely going in our dinner rotation.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Emily! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Can I use just cream of chicken and not the cottage cheese version?
Yes, you can use a can of cream of chicken soup instead if you prefer, just keep in mind it will be a bit richer and higher in sodium than the cottage cheese version. It’ll still taste great!
What poultry seasoning do you use? I typically like to make my own blend so I’m not using added ingredients like preservatives.
I like to use this FRONTIER Organic Poultry Seasoning, but making your own is always a great option. Hope you enjoy the recipe!