Creamy Crockpot chicken and gravy recipe is great served on top of rice or pasta for dinner! Use fresh breasts, thighs or start with Crockpot frozen chicken to make this family friendly dinner.
This family friendly dish is a bit like your childhood favorite Campbells chicken and rice dinner. Tender meat with gravy in your slow cooker is the ticket to an easy dinner for your whole family. Crockpot recipes are the best. (affiliate links present)
Creamy Crockpot Chicken Recipe
Looking for a similar easy recipe but for your Instant Pot? We have that too! Done in about 15 minutes total, try our Instant Pot chicken and rice dish. Good old fashioned Crock is great though if you want to throw it all in in the morning.
Then you can serve it in bowls as is, over rice or next to a dollop of mashed potatoes. Totally up to you how it is served but any way you cut it youโll love every bite!
with Cream of Chicken Soup
You could use any sort of condensed soup of your choice really. The mushroom version works just as well if you prefer that flavor combo. I have found a dry dairy free version online too so my husband can enjoy it with us. You make semi homemade with almond milk and then pour that in.
with Gravy
I mean it is sauce or if you want to call it gravy then go with that term, whatever. What you serve it with is up to you but typically I call this chicken soup over rice. SO you know what we go with but butter noodles would work well too, or mashed potatoes.
Raw chicken on the low setting generally cooks to fall apart status in about 4-6 hours. The more sauce thatโs in your pot and the fewer pieces of meat, the shorter time is necessary.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, I think chicken thighs would be a great choice too. Medium sizes are best, if very thick I would slice them in half lengthwise. Using leftover chicken breast would cut down timing to 2 hours
- Salt and pepper are basic seasonings, I have heard some say theyโve added a packet of dry Italian dressing seasoning for a bolder flavor
- Chicken broth or you can of course make your own Instant Pot chicken broth beforehand as homemade.
- Dry chicken gravy mix packets
- Minced garlic jarred or chopped from fresh
- Sour cream or dairy free alternative works
- Cream of chicken soup or any condensed soup really
Variations
You could add sliced or whole baby bella mushrooms into the mix too if youโd like. If you donโt want them to become too soft then add during the last hour and submerge. In this case you could use a can of cream of mushroom instead, either works.
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes. I would say thereโs only a difference of 30 minutes or so between this and fresh breasts. Just make sure the internal meat temperature gets up to 165 degrees during the cooking process to be safe.
Can you use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken?
Yes, they are interchangeable. Once you have all of your ingredients together it is just a matter of whisking them together (minus the sour cream) and adding your meat. Before you push those into the liquid into your pot, season them well with salt and pepper. Of course as always feel free to add any other seasonings you enjoy.
How to Make Crockpot Creamy Chicken
Time needed: 6 hours
Creamy Crockpot Chicken
- Add ingredients
In the crock of the slow cooker, pour the water (or broth). Whisk in the gravy mix, condensed soup, and minced garlic until smooth. Use salt and pepper to season the chicken breast on both sides. Push the chicken into the gravy mixture. (use medium size breasts, if very thick slice them in half lengthwise so they arenโt as thick)
- Cook
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the cover and use two forks to shred the chicken OR remove the chicken and dice with a knife. If it is not really easy to shred with 2 forks it probably isnโt done. It should pretty much fall apart when gently shredded. Thick breasts may need more time.
with Noodles
If you want to make more of a casserole type of meal, boil noodles to al dente on the side. Drain and fold in after you shred the cooked meat or serve on top of them. You can alternatively serve this as is with a side of air fryer biscuits, or if you have a 2nd pot Crockpot baked potatoes with it too.
The best thing to serve this with: Stir the chicken and add the sour cream into the gravy. Serve over Ninja Foodi rice or egg noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions or parsley.
- Instant Pot white rice is our favorite
- This is pressure cooker quinoa if you prefer that
- Egg noodles are cheap and super easy
- Slow cooker mashed potatoes are really yummy too
- This is a great slow cooker chicken recipe using meat in your freezer.
How long does it take to cook chicken in a Crockpot?
That answer is is complex. It depends widely upon what else youโre adding into the pot. If itโs all alone it may take just 2-3 hours cooking time on low with some broth. I always have something else in there so itโs usually closer to 6 hours. Crockpot cheesy chicken and rice recipe is similar to this one.
Adding other ingredients such as broth will lengthen the cooking process, but it also makes your food so much more flavorful. Making large pots like this is great when you have a large gathering too. Less time for you in the kitchen, and food is available most of the day in your pot.
Is it better to slow cook on low or high?
That probably depends on whom youโre asking but personally I like low and slow. Really, the only difference between the both settings on a Crockpot is the amount of time it takes to reach the simmer point, or temperature required to cook.
Obviously, the low setting takes longer than high which means most recipes can be cooked on either setting. I just feel like meat becomes more tender when it is cooked low and slow.
How long is too long to cook chicken in a slow cooker?
Most small kitchen appliances will automatically shut off after a day or so but letโs be real. You do need to pay attention to how long it is turned on and plugged in for safety reasons if nothing else.
Once your food is done, Iโd say two to four hours max is the length of time that one should be kept on the warm setting. Store leftovers in the fridge. When reheating you could add brown onion gravy to the top to add more moisture.
- You can make this for a large gathering with our 5 ingredient chili.
- Then youโve gotta try our Crockpot hamburger casserole that is my girlsโ favorite meal.
- Lazy lasagna is a close second family favorite dish.
Creamy Crockpot Chicken
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1/2 tsp salt, more or less to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 c chicken broth, or water
- 2 packets chicken gravy mix, .87 oz each
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Instructions
- In the crock of the slow cooker, pour the water (or broth). Whisk in the gravy mix, condensed soup, and minced garlic until smooth.
- Use salt and pepper to season the chicken breast on both sides. Push the chicken into the gravy mixture. (use medium size breasts, if very thick slice them in half lengthwise so they aren't as thick)
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the cover and use two forks to shred the chicken OR remove the chicken and dice with a knife. (if it is not really easy to shred with 2 forks it probably isn't done. It should pretty much fall apart when gently shredded. Thick breasts may need more time)
- Stir the chicken and add the sour cream into the gravy. Serve over rice or egg noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions or parsley.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, if I cook it at High; for how long then?
I think chicken turns out better on low but I would imagine 3-4 hours depending on their size.
This is total comfort food. Such a great way to use the slow cooker too.
You canโt beat chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes. My son especially loved this recipe. Thanks!
It has been a while since I pulled out my crockpot, but this is a recipe that I definitely need to make! I have so much chicken in the freezer, so I know that this is going to be a hit!
This recipe takes me back to my childhood! I love that it is a crockpot recipe. It was really easy and so good.
Could this be done in a pressure cooker or air fryer?
@Louan, I didnโt mean to say air fryer, my text to speak was on and it caught the commercials haha I only wanted to ask if it could be done in a pressure cooker?
Can I cook this quicker if the crockpot is on high? My chicken breast are frozen.
If you are cooking all day the timing on thawed vs. frozen really isnโt a whole lot different. If you want it a LOT faster than all day then yes you could use high but it does dry out the meat more.
Hello! Would like to double the recipe, do I need to cook it longer? Or same amount of time? Thanks!