Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

This slow cooker creamy chicken and rice soup is incredibly simple to make. Made with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, chicken, rice, variety of spices, and finished off with cream. Pair this with grilled cheese or crusty bread for dinner on a cold evening!

It's pretty much subconscious at this point— when the weather gets colder and the leaves start falling off the trees, I start craving bowl after bowl of soup. I don't mean to sound so happy about this, but haaaaaaapy dance!

So let's bust out the slow cooker and make this soup that has everything you could probably ever want. This is one recipe that you will want to make immediately.

Here's Why You'll Love This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

• Made in the slow cooker
• Hearty, wholesome & flavorful
• Leftovers for lunches for the week
• Uses pantry ingredients
• Minimal work & minimal clean up

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Ingredients

• Chicken: You can use any cut of chicken you prefer. I usually have boneless skinless chicken breasts so that's what I used— you want 1-1.5 pounds total.
• Spices: This recipe uses classic chicken soup spices, most likely all you have in your pantry like salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, and dried thyme. I also include white pepper to give it a boost of flavor.
• Vegetables: We're using classic soup vegetables like onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. You can add or omit vegetables, it's up to you!
• Rice: I'm using long grain white rice but you can use wild rice, basmati or brown rice. The cooking times can vary per rice, but they still work.
• Chicken Broth: You can use vegetable or chicken broth, either will work. Make sure they are low-sodium, otherwise reduce the salt by 1 teaspoon and taste at the end. It's always easier to add salt later.
• Water: This is just to add a bit more liquid without having to open up another carton of chicken broth. You can use chick broth if you'd like.
• Milk: Milk helps add the creaminess texture to the soup.
• Heavy Cream: The heavy cream helps create an extra creamy soup.
• Roux: If you're not familiar with a roux, pronounced "roo", it's a way to thicken things like gravy, sauce, macaroni and cheese or soup! Making a roux is very simple with equal parts butter and flour, letting it cook down and then adding the liquid (in this case, the heavy cream.)

Let's Make Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup!

1. Place the chicken into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker, like this one. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, white pepper, and bay leaves. Then, add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and rice.
2. Give it a stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred the chicken in to small pieces, then place them back into the slow cooker.
4. Make the roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Let the mixer simmer, whisking often, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. You know it's down if you dip a spoon in it and the wipe your finger on the back of the spoon and the mixture stays in place.
5. Add the milk mixture into the slow cooker and give it a stir. Place the cover back on and allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm— garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Substitutions & Variations

• You can easily use rotisserie or leftover chicken shredded or chopped. Stir it in at the same time as you add the roux to the slow cooker.
• If you prefer chicken thighs, use them! This recipe is very forgiving. You'll follow the same instructions when using chicken thighs as you do chicken breasts.
• This recipe can easily be made dairy free by swapping the butter with vegan butter, the milk and heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream alternative.
• Your favorite type of rice can be used in this recipe, like basmati or brown rice. Keep in mind that the cook time may vary slightly so just check it during the cooking process.

More Soup Recipes To Try

• Easy Lasagna Soup
• Homemade Alphabet Vegetable Soup
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

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4.4 from 8 reviews

This slow cooker creamy chicken and rice soup is incredibly simple to make. Made with carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, chicken, rice, variety of spices, and finished off with cream. Pair this with grilled cheese or crusty bread for dinner on a cold evening!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 6 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: slow cooker

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup sweet onion, diced
• 1 cup sliced or chopped celery (3-4 stalks)
• 1 cup carrots, diced (about 3 large)
• 1 (8 ounce) pack mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Place the chicken into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker, like this one. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, white pepper, and bay leaves. Then, add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and rice.
2. Give it a stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred the chicken in to small pieces, then place them back into the slow cooker.
4. Make the roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Let the mixer simmer, whisking often, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. You know it's down if you dip a spoon in it and the wipe your finger on the back of the spoon and the mixture stays in place.
5. Add the milk mixture into the slow cooker and give it a stir. Place the cover back on and allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve warm— garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool completely prior to freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Milk: Any type of milk works but whole milk will make it the creamiest.
3. Heavy Cream: The heavy cream helps make this recipe creamy. This recipe can easily be made dairy free by swapping the butter with vegan butter, the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream alternative.
4. Vegetables: Feel free to use any type of vegetables that you prefer or have sitting in the refrigerator.
5. Rice: Your favorite type of rice can be used in this recipe, like basmati or brown rice. Keep in mind that the cook time may vary slightly so just check it during the cooking process.