Crockpot Cheesy Chicken and Rice
This easy Crockpot Cheesy 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. You don’t have to worry about babysitting your food and can instead focus on family, work, or all the things you need to take care of. This simple comfort food dinner is loaded with protein and will keep you feeling full for hours!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients for Crockpot Chicken and Rice
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 (and it’s what I bought in bulk already). 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 rice & chicken
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! You can add more veggies by air frying some frozen broccoli or maybe fresh green beans. Stretch the meal further by starting with a Cucumber Salad (or a Wedge Salad), then pair with a Rosemary Gin Fizz for a great meal.
Storage 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.
Can you freeze cheesy rice?
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 about a tablespoon of water or broth, then reheat (covered) at 350 degrees F until warmed throughout.
If you like this easy dinner, you’ve got to try these crockpot recipes!
- Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken & Potatoes – This recipe is perfect when you need to get a big family dinner on the table without a lot of work! Potatoes, peppers, and onions are the perfect side for the juicy, tender chicken.
- Crock Pot Taco Soup – This inexpensive soup is the perfect pantry stable recipe, great for a chilly night on a busy week.
- Pork Sirloin Roast – You can make this juicy roast in the Instant Pot, Crock Pot, or on a Dutch oven on the stove. This is perfect for a meal prepped dinner.
- Crockpot Crack Chicken – This is an easy recipe for sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more! It’s easy, cheesy, and so juicy.
- Crock Pot Sundried Tomato Chicken – SO CREAMY! You won’t believe the amazing flavor that will come from this easy dinner.
Crockpot Cheesy 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
- 4 oz 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
I used long-grain brown rice. I would not recommend any other type of rice, as the cook time will be different.
This recipe freezes really well, and leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days!
