Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This post is sponsored by Zoup!. All opinions are my own — I only promote brands I truly enjoy.

This easy Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice casserole is a creamy, protein-packed slow cooker meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s essentially a dump-and-go recipe: about 15 minutes of hands-on prep, and your Crock Pot does the rest. The finished dish is comforting, family-friendly, and reheats well for leftovers.

This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole brings back warm, nostalgic memories of classic rice casseroles, updated with wholesome ingredients and a rich mushroom bisque instead of condensed cream soups. The bisque adds genuine mushroom flavor and a silky texture that helps bind the rice, chicken and vegetables into a satisfying meal.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Ready in minutes to assemble and then slow-cooks itself — just 15 minutes of prep.
• Creamy, comforting, and high in protein thanks to chicken and wild rice.
• Flexible — swap in brown rice, different vegetables, or your preferred herbs and seasonings.
• Leftovers keep well, making this a practical option for meal prep and busy evenings.

Recipe ingredients

This dish uses mostly pantry staples and can be customized depending on what you have at home.

• Chicken breasts — 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless. Season lightly with salt and pepper. You can substitute thighs if preferred.
• Mushroom bisque — 16 ounces (adds creaminess and deep mushroom flavor).
• Onion — 1/2 onion, finely chopped (shallot works too).
• Carrot — 1 medium, peeled and chopped into small pieces.
• Celery — 1 stalk, chopped (optional if you prefer to omit).
• Garlic — 3 cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder).
• Mushrooms — 8 ounces baby bella or cremini, sliced and cooked separately for the best texture (optional but recommended).
• Fresh thyme — 1 tablespoon chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried) and 1 bay leaf.
• Wild rice blend — 1.5 cups regular wild rice blend, rinsed well. Do not use quick-cooking wild rice. You may substitute long-grain brown rice but cooking time and liquid may vary.
• Reduced-sodium chicken stock — 2 cups (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian version).
• Coconut aminos — 1 tablespoon (or soy sauce, tamari, or Worcestershire sauce).
• Dijon mustard — 1 tablespoon.
• Parmesan cheese — shredded, to stir in at the end for savory richness.
• Olive oil — 1 tablespoon for sautéing mushrooms.
• Salt and pepper — to taste.

See the instructions below for full quantities and step-by-step directions.

How to make chicken and wild rice casserole in the Crock Pot

This recipe is simple: most ingredients are combined in the slow cooker and cooked until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is tender enough to shred. Cooking times will vary by slow cooker model, so begin checking for doneness early.

Pro tip: Start checking for doneness after 3 hours on low. On high, check at 2½ hours. The rice should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed.

Prepare and cook the casserole

1. Grease the Crock Pot lightly. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, minced garlic, rinsed wild rice, and chopped thyme to the slow cooker.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the mushroom bisque, reduced-sodium chicken stock, coconut aminos, and Dijon mustard. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and rice, stirring gently to combine.
3. Submerge the seasoned chicken breasts in the liquid and tuck in a bay leaf if using. Cover and cook on high for 2½–3½ hours, or on low for about 3–4 hours, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the chicken shreds easily.
4. When done, remove the bay leaf and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Shred the chicken with two forks.

Assemble the casserole

1. Optional but recommended: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the sliced mushrooms until their liquid evaporates and they turn golden, about 5–6 minutes.
2. Add the shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and shredded Parmesan to the Crock Pot. Stir gently to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan if desired.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

This Crock Pot casserole is essentially a one-pot meal with carbs, protein, and vegetables all together. To round it out:

• Serve with a fresh green salad for brightness during the final minutes of cooking.
• Add a side of roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli to increase the veggie portion.
• Offer extra Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon if you’d like a bit of acidity to cut the richness.

Recipe notes

• Rice tip: Use regular wild rice blend, not quick cooking. Long-grain brown rice is an acceptable substitute.
• If chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half lengthwise so they cook evenly and faster.
• Mushrooms are optional; substitute cooked broccoli, peas, or other favorite vegetables if desired.
• Use a 6-quart or larger Crock Pot for this recipe so there’s enough room for the rice to expand.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.

More Crock Pot chicken recipes you’ll love

• Crock Pot BBQ pulled chicken
• Crock Pot chicken tortilla soup
• Crock Pot Greek lemon chicken soup (avgolemono)
• Crock Pot lemon chicken artichoke soup

Did you try this recipe? If so, leave a review and tag @flavorthemoments on social media to share your photos and variations.

---

Recipe at a glance

Servings: 6    Prep time: 15 minutes    Cook time: about 3 hours on high (or 3–4 hours on low)

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1.5 cups wild rice blend, rinsed
• 16 ounces mushroom bisque
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1–1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Instructions (summary)

1. Combine vegetables, thyme and rinsed wild rice in the Crock Pot.
2. Whisk bisque, stock, coconut aminos and Dijon; pour over rice mixture.
3. Add chicken and bay leaf; cook on high 2½–3½ hours or until chicken shreds easily and rice is tender.
4. Shred chicken, sauté mushrooms in olive oil until golden, then return chicken and mushrooms to the Crock Pot. Stir in Parmesan, season, and serve.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate): Calories 290 • Carbs 40 g • Protein 20 g • Fat 6 g. Nutrition values are estimates for guidance only.

All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.