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Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Crock Pot Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Published: Dec 3, 2024 · Updated: Mar 19, 2025 by Marye

Get ready for some easy comfort food, y'all! Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole is so easy to make! It’s just perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a lazy weekend lunch. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover chicken or rice that you have in the fridge.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Closeup of the chicken broccoli casserole in the slow cooker.
Overhead view of the finished casserole in the crockpot with text overlay for Pinterest.

Y’all, get ready for the ultimate comfort food that’s as easy as it is delicious! This Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole is the perfect go-to for busy weeknight dinners or laid-back weekend lunches. Creamy, cheesy, and downright cozy, it’s a lifesaver when you need something hearty but simple. Got leftover chicken or rice hanging out in the fridge? Toss them in and let your crockpot work its magic!

First published March 10, 2023. Last updated December 3, 2024 for readability and more information.

Table of Contents
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
  • 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
  • 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
  • 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
  • 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole.
  • Marye's Tip o' the day
  • 💭 Insider tips: things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
  • 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
  • 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
  • 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
  • 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite

  • Chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is super easy when you make it in a slow cooker. It's classic casserole-style comfort food with only minutes of prep.
  • This cheesy recipe is great for potlucks, weeknight dinners, and busy weekends.
  • Using Minute rice means the rice cooks perfectly in the slow cooker - not to much and not too little!

One of the greatest gifts modern technology has given us is the magic of coming home to a warm, comforting meal without lifting a finger after the prep is done. This delicious crockpot chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is slow cooking at its best—a lifesaver for busy moms and the perfect solution for those crazy, nonstop days!

🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients for chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole in the crockpot.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

One thing I love about slow cooker meals is that they are so easy to switch up if you have picky eaters or can't get to the grocery store

  1. Try it with thick-cut pork chops or boneless turkey breast.
  2. You can swap either the cream of chicken soup or the cream of celery with a cream of mushroom soup if you'd like (or need) to. I do that with other recipes like the crock pot chicken and stuffing casserole.
  3. Out of chicken stock? No problem. Use water and a bouillon cube/paste, or just water if you're really in a pinch.
  4. Add cauliflower florets along with the broccoli for some variety.
  5. Stir in some mushrooms and diced onions for a bit more bulk.
  6. Use any kind of Minute rice you like—white rice, brown rice, long grain, or whatever suits your fancy as long as it's instant rice.
  7. Swap half of the cheddar with parmesan cheese for a different flavor. You could also use mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar altogether.
  8. Garnish with some fresh herbs, if you have them! Green onions, dill, and parsley are yummy options for this chicken broccoli casserole.

Next time give this crockpot Hawaiian chicken a try!

🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.

Cheesy sauce being mixed together.

Stir the chicken broth, soups, and cheese together in a bowl.

Chicken, broccoli and sauce added to the slow cooker.

In a greased slow cooker, layer the broccoli florets on the bottom. Then, add the chicken and top it with the soup mixture. Cook.

Cooked chicken has been shredded and rice is added.

Shred the chicken and stir it back in along with the Minute rice.

Casserole being topped with cheese.

Top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and let it melt.

🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -

Stir in some pimentos for color... It's similar to pimento cheese!

zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive

🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole.

If you have some leftovers, storing them is easy.

Let the extras cool to room temperature before spooning them into an airtight container and refrigerating. For best results, consume within three days.

You can freeze it for up to 3 months if you have to, however the texture can get mushy and unappetizing.

You can quickly reheat leftover cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole in the microwave. Give it a few 30-second rounds of heat, stirring in between each until it's hot.

On the other hand, if you have a lot left over, feel free to reheat it in the oven. Spoon everything into a casserole dish, cover it tightly with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until heated through.

A spoonful of casserole being served from the slow cooker.

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Marye's Tip o' the day

Don't swap the uncooked rice for cooked, or it'll get mushy in the crockpot.

💭 Insider tips: things to know

  1. Shredded cheese from a block melts much better than the pre-shredded stuff. Use whatever fits your schedule, but for the best cheesy casserole ever, take an extra minute to shred it yourself!
  2. A whole head of broccoli will stay fresher longer than pre-cut fresh broccoli florets. So, if you're not making this slow cooker chicken broccoli meal for a few days, I recommend skipping the pre-cut option.
  3. For juicy chicken, start checking the temperature after six hours. Once it reaches 165 degrees F, you can shred it and move on in the recipe.
  4. Quickly shred the chicken by popping it into your food processor. However, be sure to use the plastic dough attachment, not the metal blade!

👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

Can I use frozen broccoli, instead?

Since frozen broccoli is blanched (partially cooked) before freezing, I don't recommend it in this recipe. It will get mushy and nobody really enjoys mushy vegetables.

Can I use sour cream instead of the soups?

Some dairy products like sour cream have a tendency to curdle in the crockpot. Though it's not always the case, I don't recommend using sour cream in this recipe. If you just want a bit of tangy flavor, add a dollop right before serving.

Is it okay to freeze leftover broccoli casserole?

You can! While crockpot chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is safe to eat within three months of freezing, the texture can get a little softer after thawing. Some people don't prefer the texture of instant rice after it's been frozen and thawed.

A serving of chicken and broccoli being removed from the slow cooker.

⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -

Pre-cut veggies are a great way to save time!

📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love

  • Creamy chicken tetrazzini in a slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
  • Ranch chicken in the slow cooker waiting to be served.
    Creamy Crockpot Ranch Chicken
  • Closeup of this crock pot chicken recipe spooned over white rice.
    Crock Pot Dixie Chicken
  • Closeup of this recipe for the feature image.
    Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with

Close up of finished carrots.

Not only are Maple Roasted Carrots quick and easy to make, but their sweet flavor is the perfect complement to a tender chicken casserole.


Closeup of biscuits piled in a bowl.

Buttermilk biscuits are buttery, pillowy-soft, and the perfect way to make a meal stretch for big families!


Peanut butter cookies in a bowl showing texture of the cookies.

Finish off a classic dinner with a fitting dessert—nothing beats the chewy texture and sweet, salty flavor of Peanut Butter Cookies.

🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose

Transform leftovers into a comforting, cheesy chicken and rice soup by adding some chicken broth and a splash of cream. Heat everything together on the stovetop, and you’ve got a warm, hearty bowl of goodness.

📞 Wrapping it up: the last word

There's something about the combination of broccoli, rice, and chicken in a cheesy sauce that's just so. darn. good!

When it goes together this easily there's no reason not to make it!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Closeup of the chicken broccoli casserole in the slow cooker.

Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole

4.92 from 12 votes
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Get ready for some easy comfort food, y'all! Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole is so easy to make! It’s just perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a lazy weekend lunch. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover chicken or rice that you have in the fridge.
Course Casserole,Main Dish - Chicken,Slow Cooker
Cuisine American - Southern
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings:8
Calories:406
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated, divided use
  • 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
  • 10.5 ounces cream of celery soup
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
  • 6 cups broccoli florets, fresh
  • 2 pounds chicken breast, boneless/skinless or chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ cups uncooked instant white rice, like Minute Rice. Do not use regular rice!

Instructions

  • Spray the slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray.
  • Add the broccoli.
  • Mix the soups, chicken stock, and 1 ¼ cup of the cheese in a large bowl.
  • Spoon over the chicken.
  • Cook on low for 6 hours, or until chicken registers 165F.
  • Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.
  • Stir in the uncooked rice.
  • Stir in the chicken,
  • Cover and cook 15 more minutes, or until rice is tender.
  • Stir.
  • Turn off slow cooker and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Notes

Storage:
Let the leftovers cool before spooning them into an airtight container and refrigerating. For best results, consume within three days.
You can freeze this casserole but the texture may get a little mushy.
Tips:
  • Don't swap the uncooked rice for cooked, or it'll get mushy in the crockpot.
  • For juicy chicken, start checking the temperature after six hours. Once it reaches 165 degrees F, you can shred it and move on in the recipe.
  • If you are using leftover cooked rice stir it in right at the end.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 859mg | Potassium: 763mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 917IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

Closeup of the chicken broccoli casserole in the slow cooker.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

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Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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