Brown rice crockpot chicken is an easy one pot meal of chicken breasts, uncooked brown rice, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, onion powder, and melted cheddar, all cooked together until the rice is tender. It takes ten minutes to prepare, cooks for four hours, and serves four.
Brown rice takes longer to soften than white rice, which suits the slow cooker well, since the long, moist heat cooks it through without turning it to mush. The soup and broth make a creamy sauce, the cheddar stirred in at the end adds a savory finish, and the chicken shreds easily into the rice.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Brown rice stays chewy and holds its shape through a long cook.
Everything goes into the pot at once, with no pre cooking.
Cheddar and cream soup make a creamy sauce with pantry ingredients.
Ingredients for Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
- The base is sixteen ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, one cup of uncooked brown rice, two cups of chicken broth, and one can of cream of chicken soup.
- The seasoning is one teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, a half teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of pepper, and one cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Chicken breasts. They add lean protein.
Brown rice. It adds a nutty flavor and a chewy bite.
Chicken broth. It cooks the rice and adds flavor.
Cream of chicken soup. It makes the sauce creamy.
Cheddar. It adds sharp, savory richness.
Cooking Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken Step by Step
1. Add the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the rice. Pour in the rice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
3. Add the liquid. Stir in the broth and the cream of chicken soup until the rice is covered.
4. Cook. Cover and cook on high for three and a half to four hours, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165 F.
5. Finish. Shred the chicken, stir in the cheddar, and let it melt for five minutes.
Use plain brown rice, not quick cooking. Quick brown rice turns to mush over a long cook, while regular brown rice stays intact and absorbs the sauce gradually. Stir the rice into the liquid before cooking so that no grains stick together in a clump at the bottom.
Check the rice at three and a half hours. Different cookers run hotter, and rice that has cooked dry on the sides can scorch. If the dish looks dry, stir in a splash of hot broth, put the lid back on, and give it fifteen more minutes before you check again.
Notes and Swaps for Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Flag the allergens. This dish contains milk and wheat from the cheese and soup, so check every label.
Do not taste raw juices. Do not taste liquid that touched raw chicken, and wash your hands, board, and tools after handling it.
Check the temperature. Chicken is safe at 165 F, so use a thermometer in the thickest piece.
Add vegetables. Frozen peas or carrots work well.
Shred the cheese. Fresh shreds melt better.
Use thighs. They stay juicier.
Rinse the rice. It removes loose starch.
Check trusted guidance. Read the University of Wisconsin Extension leftovers guidance for safe storage of cooked rice.
For a fresher dish, add chopped onions and minced garlic to the pot, and finish with parsley. For a spicier one, add a pinch of cayenne or a spoonful of diced green chilies. Each change keeps the same cook time, and both are easy to adjust for different tastes at the table.
If you prefer white rice, use the same amount and cut the cook time to about two and a half hours on high, since white rice cooks faster. Reduce the broth by a quarter cup too. Check the rice often, because white rice goes from tender to soft quickly in a hot cooker.
Storing Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and cool the rice within two hours. Reheat with a splash of broth in the microwave until it reaches 165 F. Freeze individual portions for up to two months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Serve the chicken and rice with steamed broccoli or a green salad and a spoonful of sour cream. For more chicken and rice, try crockpot no peek chicken rice, no peek chicken and rice, crock pot cheesy chicken and rice, or slow cooker chicken pot pie.
Common Questions About Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Can you cook brown rice crockpot chicken on low?
Yes. Cook it for six to seven hours.
Can you make brown rice crockpot chicken ahead of time?
Yes. It reheats well from the refrigerator.
Can you freeze brown rice crockpot chicken?
Yes, for up to two months in portions.
Can I use white rice?
Yes. Shorten the cook time.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. They work the same way.
Brown Rice Crockpot Chicken
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Two forks
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup brown rice uncooked
- 2 cup chicken broth
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Cooking
- Add. Put the chicken in the crockpot and season it.
- Rice. Add the rice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Liquid. Stir in the broth and soup.
- Cook. Cook on high 3.5 to 4 hours to 165 F.
- Finish. Shred the chicken and stir in the cheddar.
