Slow Cooker Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice is a delicious recipe that is creamy, cheesy, and super easy! Who doesn’t love a meal that practically cooks itself? This chicken and rice dish is a notch above the rest with seared chicken and added mushrooms, onions, and garlic for extra flavor. No bland white rice here. And bonus…the leftovers are just as tasty as that first amazing bite!
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Should you take the time to sear the chicken?
I often get asked what the importance is in searing meat prior to adding to a slow cooker. After all, we’re using a slow cooker to make life simpler, right? Searing is optional and is not necessary, however; if you have the time it is definitely worth it. Why? This extra little step adds a delicate crust to the outside of the meat sealing in moisture as the meat cooks ensuring both tenderness and juiciness. That crust also adds a rich roasted flavor that creates a more savory dish. In certain recipes, you won’t notice the difference between seared or not, but trust me…you want those burnt brown bits mixed into a neutral dish like rice.
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How to make Slow Cooker Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice
Slow Cooker Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice cooks easily in a slow cooker so you can go about your day unworried about what to do for dinner. After searing the chicken and sautéing the veggies, everything is tossed into the cooker and left to do its thing. If you’re looking for a lighter version of this recipe, here are a few things you can substitute:
- Use a low sodium chicken broth like Imagine’s Organic Low Sodium Broth
- Choose a healthier cream of mushroom soup variety like 98% fat-free, low sodium, or heart healthy
- Substitute brown rice for the white, just keep in mind that brown rice tends to cook more slowly than white
- Choose a fat-free cheese, or leave the cheese out altogether
Equipment Used
Ingredient List
- Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed)
- Vegetables – chopped onions, minced garlic cloves
- Seasonings – chicken broth (I recommend Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base), butter, salt and pepper, parsley
- Rice – white, extra long grain
- Soup – cream of mushroom
- Cheese – shredded Parmesan
Recipe Preparation
- Rinse the chicken and pat with paper towels to dry. I always trim any skin or fat left on the chicken and check for attached bones left behind by a busy butcher. Place breasts on a cutting board, or plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan on medium/high heat. When pan is sizzling, add chicken breasts and sear on each side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until a light brown crust begins to form. Remove chicken and place in a slow cooker. NOTE: Do not over-cook the chicken. You only want to brown the outside, not cook the inside. Over-cooking can result in meat that is tough.
- In the same sauté pan, add the chopped onions and minced garlic and sauté until onions are transparent in color, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan while cooking to blend in the burnt bits of seared chicken. Add sautéd veggies to the slow cooker.
- Using the same pan, add the bouillon base (or granules or cubes) and water and bring to a quick boil until all granules have dissolved. If you’re using prepared broth, simply pour 5 cups into the pan. Add in the cream of mushroom soup and whisk until soup and broth are well blended.
- Rinse the rice in water until no longer cloudy and drain. Rinsing long grain rice will remove the starch that can cause cooked rice to stick together. Add rice to the slow cooker and place the remaining 4 tablespoons butter on top. Pour soup mixture into the slow cooker over the rice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Remove lid and shred the chicken using two forks. There will be liquid on top of the rice, however; this will get absorbed once everything is combined. Stir the shredded chicken and rice to incorporate all ingredients. Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper is desired. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over rice and garnish with parsley.
- NOTE: Do not over-cook Slow Cooker Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice or it could become mushy. When I make this dish, it’s usually ready at the 3 hour mark, however this depends upon the size of chicken breasts used.
Slow Cooker Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice
Cream of Mushroom Chicken and Rice is jam packed with flavor, onions, garlic, and CHEESE!!
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 373kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 cups chicken broth I used Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 stick butter divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups extra long grain rice rinsed
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken and pat with paper towels to dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan on medium/high heat. When pan is sizzling, add chicken breasts and sear on each side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until a light brown crust begins to form. Remove chicken and place in a slow cooker.
- Using the same pan, add the chopped onions and minced garlic and sauté until onions are transparent in color, about 5 minutes. While sautéing, scrape the bottom of the pan to blend in the burnt bits of seared chicken. Add sautéd veggies to the slow cooker.
- Using the same pan, add the bouillon base (or granules or cubes) and water and bring to a quick boil until granules have dissolved. If you're using prepared broth, simply pour 5 cups into the pan. Add in the cream of mushroom soup and whisk until soup and broth are well blended.
- Add rice to the slow cooker and place the remaining 4 tablespoons butter on top. Pour soup mixture into the slow cooker over the rice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Remove lid and shred chicken using two forks. There will be liquid on top of the rice, however; this will get absorbed once everything is combined. Stir the shredded chicken and rice to incorporate all ingredients. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over rice and garnish with parsley.
Notes
Do not over-cook the rice or it could become mushy. My dish was cooked thoroughly at the 3 hour mark, however this depends upon the size of chicken breasts.
Nutrition
Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
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