Dump and go crock pot recipes exist for one reason: dinner should not require a babysitter. This creamy chicken and rice version asks you to stir five things together in the slow cooker insert, set it to low, and come back to a pot of tender chicken and velvety rice that tastes like you stood at the stove.
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The trick to making rice work in a slow cooker is the liquid ratio. Long-grain white rice needs less liquid than pasta or potatoes, so I use 3 cups of broth for 1 1/2 cups of rice and add the cream soup at the start rather than the end. That combination gives you rice that is cooked through but never mushy, and chicken that shreds with a fork after about 3 hours on low.
This is a base recipe, not a cage. Swap the chicken for pork chops, the rice for orzo, or the cream of chicken for cream of celery, and the method still holds. What matters is keeping the liquid-to-starch ratio close and not lifting the lid.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Thighs stay juicy through a long cook where breasts dry out; if you only have breasts, add them frozen and check at 2 1/2 hours. Look for thighs with even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
1 1/2 cups (285g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
Use plain long-grain or jasmine, not instant or parboiled, which turn to paste. Do not rinse it here; the surface starch helps thicken the sauce.
1 (10.5 oz / 298g) can cream of chicken soup
Cream of celery or cream of mushroom works as a straight swap if you want a different flavor. Buy the regular, not the low-fat version, which separates during long cooking.
3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
If using regular broth, cut it to 2 3/4 cups plus 1/4 cup water, or the dish turns salty. Better-than-bouillon paste dissolved in water is a solid substitute.
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
Half-and-half makes it richer; unsweetened oat milk is the best dairy-free swap and will not curdle. Avoid skim milk, which can look grainy after 3 hours.
1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 160g)
Frozen diced onion works with no changes, about 1 cup straight from the bag. Finely dice fresh onion so it softens fully in the cook time.
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Granulated garlic is a 1-to-1 substitute; fresh minced garlic can turn bitter over a long slow cook. Check the date on your jar, since stale garlic powder tastes dusty.
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Crush it between your palms before adding to release the oils. Poultry seasoning or a pinch of dried sage are good swaps.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh-cracked is best; pre-ground loses punch fast. Add salt only at the end, since the soup and broth already carry plenty.
1 cup (120g) frozen peas, kept frozen
Stir them in at the very end so they stay bright green. Frozen corn or a mixed vegetable blend works the same way.
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan
Parmesan adds a savory edge; sharp cheddar or Gruyère melts in just as well. Grate it yourself for a smoother melt than the shaker can.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Sliced green onion tops or torn basil are fine substitutes. Skip dried parsley here; it adds color but no flavor.
Tips & Tricks
- Do not lift the lid. Every peek releases heat and can add 20 to 30 minutes to the cook time, which is the number one cause of crunchy rice in a slow cooker.
- Stir once at the start, then leave it alone. Rice settles into an even layer, and stirring halfway through pushes starch out and makes the texture gluey.
- Check at the 2 1/2 hour mark on low. Slow cookers run hot or cool depending on the model, so the first time you make this, test a grain of rice early rather than trusting the clock.
- Salt at the end, not the beginning. The soup and broth concentrate as they cook, so seasoning early often overshoots.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Coat the insert
Lightly spray a 6-quart slow cooker insert with cooking spray. This keeps the rice layer from welding itself to the bottom during the long cook.
2. Whisk the base
In the insert, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, thyme, and pepper until smooth. Whisking here, rather than dumping, prevents clumps of soup from sitting on top of the rice.
3. Stir in the rice
Stir in the uncooked rice and diced onion until evenly distributed. Level the mixture with the back of a spoon so the liquid sits evenly.
4. Nestle the chicken
Set the chicken thighs on top in a single layer, pressing them down just until they are mostly submerged. Do not stir them in; keeping them on top lets them poach gently.
5. Cook on low
Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or on high for 1 hour 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The edges should be bubbling and the rice should look glossy, not wet.
6. Shred and enrich
Turn off the heat. Lift the chicken out, shred it with two forks, and stir it back in with the Parmesan and frozen peas. Cover and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature so the peas heat through and the sauce thickens.
7. Season and serve
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, then scatter the parsley over the top. Serve straight from the insert while it is hot and creamy.
Delicious Variations
Mushroom and herb
swap the cream of chicken for cream of mushroom and add 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion.
Tex-Mex
replace the thyme with 1 teaspoon cumin, use a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles in place of 1 cup of broth, and finish with shredded Monterey Jack.
Orzo and spinach
use 1 1/2 cups orzo in place of rice and stir 3 cups of baby spinach in at the end until wilted.
How to Store Dump and Go Crock Pot Recipes: Creamy Chicken and Rice
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The rice absorbs liquid as it sits, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in single portions for up to 2 months. Rice texture softens on thawing, so freeze it as a casserole-style base rather than expecting separate grains.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes with 2 tablespoons of broth, or microwave covered in 1-minute bursts, stirring between, until steaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I put raw rice in a crock pot?
Yes, raw long-grain white rice cooks fine in a slow cooker as long as you use the right liquid ratio and do not lift the lid. Use about 2 cups of liquid per 1 cup of rice and cook on low so the grains hydrate slowly. Instant or quick-cooking rice will turn to mush and should not be used.
Q: Why is my crock pot rice crunchy?
Crunchy rice almost always means too little liquid or too much lid-lifting. Each peek releases steam and heat, so the rice stops cooking while the clock keeps running. Add 1/2 cup of hot broth, cover, and cook another 30 minutes on low without opening it.
Q: Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but add them frozen and check at 2 1/2 hours, since breasts dry out faster than thighs. Pull them as soon as they hit 165°F (74°C) and stir them back in at the end. Bone-in breasts need about 30 minutes longer.
Q: How long does chicken and rice take in a slow cooker?
About 3 hours on low or 1 hour 45 minutes on high for this recipe in a 6-quart cooker. Smaller 4-quart cookers run hotter, so start checking 20 minutes early the first time.
Q: Can I double this dump and go crock pot recipe?
Only if your slow cooker is 7 quarts or larger, and expect to add 45 to 60 minutes to the cook time. Overfilling a cooker is the fastest way to get unevenly cooked rice, so keep the insert no more than two-thirds full.
Grab your slow cooker, dump these five pantry staples in, and let it work while you do something better with your evening. If you make it, come back and tell me which variation you tried.
Dump and Go Crock Pot Recipes: Creamy Chicken and Rice
These dump and go crock pot recipes make creamy chicken and rice with zero browning: toss it all in, walk away, and dinner is ready in 3 hours.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups (285g) long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 (10.5 oz / 298g) can cream of chicken soup
- 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 160g)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (120g) frozen peas, kept frozen
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
📋 Instructions
- 1Coat the insert — Lightly spray a 6-quart slow cooker insert with cooking spray. This keeps the rice layer from welding itself to the bottom during the long cook.
- 2Whisk the base — In the insert, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, thyme, and pepper until smooth. Whisking here, rather than dumping, prevents clumps of soup from sitting on top of the rice.
- 3Stir in the rice — Stir in the uncooked rice and diced onion until evenly distributed. Level the mixture with the back of a spoon so the liquid sits evenly.
- 4Nestle the chicken — Set the chicken thighs on top in a single layer, pressing them down just until they are mostly submerged. Do not stir them in; keeping them on top lets them poach gently.
- 5Cook on low — Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or on high for 1 hour 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The edges should be bubbling and the rice should look glossy, not wet.
- 6Shred and enrich — Turn off the heat. Lift the chicken out, shred it with two forks, and stir it back in with the Parmesan and frozen peas. Cover and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature so the peas heat through and the sauce thickens.
- 7Season and serve — Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, then scatter the parsley over the top. Serve straight from the insert while it is hot and creamy.
