Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup
Canned chicken crockpot recipes are the pantry dinner you can pull together without thawing anything. This one turns canned chicken, rice and vegetables into a creamy casserole-style meal.
Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes3
hoursCanned chicken, rice and vegetables cook in a creamy broth. Cheese melts in at the end.
Ingredients
3 cans (12.5 oz each) chicken breast, drained
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed
1 cup frozen broccoli florets
1 cup frozen diced carrots
1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp sour cream
Directions
- Spray the slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Drain the canned chicken well and break up large chunks.
- Stir the soup and broth together in the insert until smooth.
- Add the rice, onion, garlic, thyme, onion powder, pepper and salt. Mix well.
- Fold in the chicken and carrots. Spread everything in an even layer.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 hours. Do not lift the lid for the first 90 minutes.
- Check the rice. It should be tender with most of the liquid absorbed.
- Stir in the frozen broccoli. Cover and cook 20 more minutes on HIGH.
- Stir in the cheddar and sour cream until melted and creamy.
- Let it rest uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken before serving.
Notes
- Canned chicken is already cooked, so you are only heating it and cooking the rice. Swap the soup for cream of mushroom if you prefer. Leftover rotisserie chicken works too. Leftovers keep 4 days and reheat best with a splash of broth.
Why short cook times matter for canned chicken
Canned chicken is already cooked, which changes how you use a slow cooker. There is no tough raw meat to break down, so long cook times only make it dry and stringy. This casserole-style dinner is built around a short cook: three hours on LOW, just long enough for the rice to soften in the creamy broth.
It is a pantry dinner at heart. Rice, condensed soup, a few frozen vegetables and cheese turn three cans of chicken into a creamy, filling meal. Almost everything is shelf-stable, so you can keep the ingredients on hand and make it on a busy night. Prep takes about ten minutes, and nothing needs to be browned, chopped in bulk or cooked ahead.
Ingredient notes
Canned chicken breast: Look for chunk chicken packed in water. Drain it well and break up any large chunks with a fork. Skip the pouches labeled as spreads. Check the label for sodium, since canned chicken can run salty, and that is why this recipe uses low-sodium broth and only a half teaspoon of salt.
Cream of chicken soup: One can is the creamy base. It also helps the rice cook evenly, because it adds fat and body to the broth.
Long grain white rice: Rinse it first, then measure. Do not use instant rice, which turns to paste, or brown rice, which needs far more liquid and time.
Frozen broccoli and carrots: Frozen vegetables are picked and frozen quickly, so they hold their color. The carrots go in with the rice, and the broccoli joins near the end.
Cheddar and sour cream: Stir them in at the very end, off the heat or on WARM. Cooking them for hours makes the cheese oily and the sour cream grainy.
Tips for the best result
Do not lift the lid early: Rice needs steady steam. Opening the lid in the first 90 minutes drops the heat and leaves a hard center in the grains.
Check the rice at 2 1/2 hours: Slow cookers vary a lot. If the rice is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, you are done. If not, give it another 20 minutes.
Rest before serving: The most common mistake is serving right away when the pot looks loose. Five minutes uncovered lets the rice absorb the last of the liquid and the sauce thickens.
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Swaps for crockpot canned chicken recipes
Use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup if you prefer, and swap the broccoli for green beans or peas. For a lighter dish, use a reduced-fat soup and Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds heat.
Leftover rotisserie chicken works in place of the cans, and you can use fresh vegetables if you add them with the rice. Do not use uncooked chicken here, because three hours is not long enough for it to be safe.
What to serve with it
This is a one-bowl meal, so keep sides simple. A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, warm dinner rolls or steamed green beans all work. A little hot sauce at the table wakes up the creamy flavor. Sliced tomatoes with a pinch of salt and black pepper are another easy side that cuts through the richness.
Storing and reheating
Cool within an hour and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. The rice keeps absorbing liquid, so it will be thick when cold. Reheat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until steaming hot. It freezes for 2 months, but the rice gets softer after thawing. Portion it into single servings first, so you can pull out only what you need for a quick lunch.
Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 3 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by (12.5 oz each) chicken breast, (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, low-sodium chicken broth, long grain white rice
Tips for Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup
Canned chicken is already cooked, so you are only heating it and cooking the rice. Swap the soup for cream of mushroom if you prefer. Leftover rotisserie chicken works too. Leftovers keep 4 days and reheat best with a splash of broth.
Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup FAQ
How long does Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup take?
Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup takes 3 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Canned Chicken Recipe with Rice and Cream Soup?
14 ingredients, led by (12.5 oz each) chicken breast, (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, low-sodium chicken broth, long grain white rice. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
