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This easy Crockpot Chicken and Rice is perfect for a cozy weeknight meal! Brown rice, juicy chicken, and quick peas and carrots are smothered in mozzarella and cheddar cheese for a family-friendly dinner everyone will love.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice
This easy cheesy chicken and rice recipe is made in the slow cooker for a convenient, low-effort dinner with a creamy texture and deliciously classic flavor. It is a versatile recipe that is kid-friendly, simple, and nutritious. This creamy comfort food dinner is loaded with protein and will keep you feeling full for hours!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- KID FRIENDLY – There are no spicy or unusual ingredients in this recipe, meaning it is an easy option for children and picky eaters. Kids often love cheesy rice, comforting chicken, and sweet peas and carrots.
- INEXPENSIVE – This is an easy recipe to make, usually with groceries you already have on hand! You can buy rice, chicken, and frozen veggies in bulk when they’re on sale, then you will be ready to make this easy meal any time.
- MEAL PREP FRIENDLY – This recipe can be made up to 3-4 days in advance and reheated for easy meals. It works great as a leftover lunch, and it’s easy to pack for future meals as well.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. You can find exact measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Chicken – I used chicken breasts to keep the dish lean. You can use thighs, tenderloins, or any other boneless, skinless cut if you prefer.
- Brown rice and Chicken broth – These cook up nice and fluffy, and the broth gives loads of flavor. Homemade chicken stock would be most flavorful, but store-bought or veggie broth will work as well.
- Yellow onion, Jarred pimentos, and Frozen peas and carrots – Feel free to use frozen, pre-chopped onion to make things easier as well. Canned peas and carrots will also work if that’s easier for you.
- Italian seasoning, Garlic powder, Salt, and Black pepper – These are great for a general, kid-friendly palate. Feel free to swap out for your favorite seasonings if you prefer.
- Whole milk, Shredded cheddar cheese, and Shredded mozzarella cheese – This makes this dish creamy, cheesy, and SO delicious! Freshly shredded cheese melts better than the pre-shredded version from a bag, but either will work fine in this recipe.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice in the Crock Pot
This dinner is SO easy, and all you need is a slow cooker. One with a timer and a warming function makes it easier to make this while you’re at work or busy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this easy chicken recipe.
Cook
First, add your cubed chicken, brown rice, chicken broth, chopped onion, pimentos, and seasonings into you slow cooker. Stir to combine, then cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the rice and chicken have cooked through.
Stir in peas & carrots
Once the chicken and rice are cooked, stir in the peas and carrots and allow them to cook for about 30 minutes. If you’re using canned peas and carrots, they’ll likely be warm quicker.
Add in milk & cheeses
Stir in the milk, mozzarella, and cheddar cheeses. Continue stirring until the warm rice and chicken melt the cheese and the milk is fully incorporated.
What to serve with chicken and rice
This can be a great all-in-one meal that requires no extra side dishes if you want! Feel free to garnish with chopped green onions, fresh herbs, cracked pepper, or a bit of parmesan. If you want to add more veggies, though, I highly recommend something crunchy like garlic butter green beans or air fryer brussels sprouts.
Need to stretch it further?
If you will have more dinner guests than you expected, you can quickly bulk up this meal by air frying frozen broccoli to stir throughout for more nutrition. Crumble some air fryer bacon to add protein and crunch.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
Allow the dish to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 3-4 days. You can easily pack in individual containers for an easy grab-and-go lunch meal prep.
This meal is easy to freeze for a healthy, delicious meal later! First, allow it to cool completely as any residual heat will turn into condensation and freezer burn. Then transfer it to freezer bags or individual containers so that it’s easy to reheat just what you need. Thaw overnight in the fridge for the best texture.
Reheating Instructions:
This meal is so easy to reheat! Simply transfer an individual portion to a microwave-safe dish, then blast at 50% power in 1-minute increments. Add in a teaspoon or two of water to help things stay nice and juicy. Stir between each blast for even reheating.
To reheat multiple portions at once, place in an oven-safe dish with 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth, then reheat (covered) at 350 degrees F until warmed throughout.
More Crock Pot Recipes
Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 ½ cups brown rice dry
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 4-ounce jar pimentos, do not drain
- 4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Add the diced chicken, brown rice, chicken broth, onion, pimentos, and seasonings to your slow cooker and stir to combine. Slow cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until the rice and chicken have cooked through.
- Stir in the frozen peas and carrots and cook on low for another 30 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and cheeses until the cheese has melted and everything is combined. Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
