My Crock Pot Chicken-Rice Dinner Recipe Eases Up Meal Preparation

My Crock Pot Chicken-Rice Dinner can free up a busy day.

Being attached to my stove or working harder than I need to are not my idea of what cooking should be like.  I believe if a recipe has too many steps that waste too much time or calls for expensive ingredients, then it is not for me.  Instead, a recipe has to be simple with common available ingredients besides being delicious.  I’m sure there are plenty of others that don’t mind following lengthy procedures or spending a lot more for ingredients, but why bother when you can create incredible dishes without all the fuss and expense?  

The Simpler and Cheaper to Make This Main Dish the Better

Now that you understand my philosophy, you can appreciate my great chicken dinner that I have for you today.  This recipe is one of those that I love to make when I have tons to do and don’t want to worry about dinner.  In fact, you can prepare this recipe in two different ways in the crock pot or in your oven.  Either method turns out nearly a complete dinner with the exception of your salad or vegetable to accompany it as a side dish.

My Crock Pot Chicken-Rice Dinner produces a tender, delicately seasoned chicken from slowly cooking it for about six hours on low heat surrounded by creamy rice.  Imagine a sauce of cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, paprika, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and one envelope of onion soup mix to reinvent the flavor. 

Substitute for Ingredients You Have Doesn't Hurt

If you check your pantry and don’t have any dry onion soup mix on hand, you can improvise and substitute one-half cup of freshly, chopped onion.  The same goes for your mushroom soup or celery soup.  You can use two cans of cream of mushroom soups or two cans of cream of celery soup.  You can even substitute a can of  cream of chicken soup for one to change the recipe with what you have.  I have made this recipe with so many different variations without losing any delicious aspects of this dish while saving me an extra trip to the grocery store.  

I usually use a few chicken breasts, but you can use thighs or drumsticks whatever you prefer.  

You also can bake this recipe in your oven in a covered casserole at 350-degrees for about two hours or so.  I do suggest checking it after the first hour to stir and see if you need any more liquid before finishing.

My Crock Pot Chicken-Rice Dinner

My Crock Pot Chicken-Rice Dinner is creamy, hearty and makes a satisfying main dish.

1 cup regular rice
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup 
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of celery soup
1 can of water
1 can of milk
½ teaspoons of paprika
½ teaspoons of thyme leaves
1 envelope of onion soup mix or ½ cups of finely chopped onion
3 chicken breasts or 6 pieces of chicken (thighs or drumsticks)
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Place over your rinsed chicken pieces in your waiting crock pot.

Combine rice, soups, water, milk and seasonings and pour over the chicken.  

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over everything.

Cover with the lid and then turn on the low heat and cook for about six hours.

Check after two hours to see if you need to add any extra water for your rice.  If so, you can give it a quick stir and add about ½ more water or milk and continue until chicken is finished cooking.  

ENJOY!