Alright folks, grab a coffee, this one’s easy but I still managed to almost trip myself up. Wanted something hands-off for dinner, saw this creamy broccoli chicken rice thing for the crockpot and thought, “Perfect, toss it in and forget it.” Famous last words, right? Here’s how it actually went down.

The Grand Plan & Gathering Stuff
First things first, dug out my trusty slow cooker. Found the recipe online – looked super simple, just like the title promised. Okay, ingredients: needed chicken, broccoli, rice, cream of chicken soup, cheese, milk… standard stuff. Rummaged through the fridge. Had some frozen broccoli florets (score!), a block of cheddar cheese (double score!), and a couple of chicken breasts lurking in the freezer drawer. Thawed those suckers under cold water while I hunted for the rest.
Recipe called for cream of chicken soup. Found one lonely can in the pantry. Check. Milk? Yeah, had some. Uncooked long-grain white rice? Yep, bag half-full. Seasoning? Just salt and pepper, recipe said. Kept it basic. Measured out what I thought was a cup of rice – honestly, just used a coffee mug, didn’t feel like washing a measuring cup. Figured close enough.
The Toss-In Phase
Time for assembly. Sprayed the crockpot bowl with some cooking spray. Didn’t want a stuck-on mess later. Dumped in the chicken breasts – still a bit frosty in the middle, but whatever, slow cooker magic, right? Poured the cream of chicken soup straight from the can right over the chicken. Looked kinda sad and lumpy. Added a splash of milk – maybe half a cup? – just to thin the soup a bit. Stirred that mess around the chicken best I could.
Next, the frozen broccoli. Just chucked the whole bag in. Recipe said fresh or frozen, frozen is easier. Didn’t even thaw it. Figured it’d cook down fine. Then came the rice. Sprinkled my mug-worth of rice over the broccoli like I was feeding chickens. Looked… uneven. Oh well. Seasoned the whole top layer with a decent sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Didn’t wanna overdo it.
Put the lid on. Plugged it in. Set that bad boy to LOW. Supposed to cook for like 4-6 hours. Set a timer for 4 hours just to check. Walked away feeling smug.
The Waiting Game & The Stir of Doom
About 3 hours in, curiosity got the better of me. Lifted the lid. WHOOSH. Big cloud of steam. Peeked in. Chicken looked cooked through (poked it with a fork, juices ran clear), broccoli was bright green but still kinda firm, and the rice? Well, it looked like rice swimming in soup. Wasn’t really creamy yet, more… soupy. Recipe mentioned stirring halfway, but I forgot. Oops.
Grabbed a big spoon and gave it all a vigorous stir. Broke up the chicken breasts – they shredded super easy. Mixed everything together. Rice was still a bit al dente, definitely needed more time. Sauce seemed thinner than I expected. Hmm. Put the lid back on, cranked it back to LOW.

Cheese Time & The Final Stretch
Checked again after another hour (so total about 4 hours). Rice was cooked! Sauce had thickened up a lot, probably from the rice absorbing the liquid. Looked way creamier, less like soup. Perfect. Time for the cheese. Grated a big handful of that cheddar block – didn’t measure, just covered the top generously. Put the lid back on for about 15 minutes, just long enough for the cheese to get all melty and gooey.
Victory (Mostly) Lap
Turned off the crockpot. Scooped out a big spoonful. Chicken was tender, broccoli was tender-crisp (just how I like it, not mushy), rice was cooked through and creamy, and that cheesy top? Chef’s kiss. The sauce clung to everything nicely. Tasted it. Needed a touch more salt and pepper, but that’s personal preference. Easy fix at the table.
Overall? Super simple, just like it said. Minimal prep, mostly dumping. My takeaways:
- Frozen broccoli works great, no need to thaw.
- Stirring halfway helps distribute everything and prevents the rice from clumping weirdly.
- Cheese on top at the end is mandatory for that melty goodness.
- My “cup” of rice was fine, but actual measuring might be safer if you’re picky.
- Seriously, don’t skip the lid after adding cheese. Melted cheese is happy cheese.
Fed the family, got zero complaints. Leftovers went straight into containers for lunch tomorrow. Crockpot for the win again. Easy peasy, creamy dreamy. Done and dusted.