This chicken divan crock pot recipe is a classic comfort recipe that you've likely had in some form or another. Cooking it in the slow cooker makes it super simple.
The chicken turns out very tender, and the sauce is very prolific and creamy.
Chicken divan in its simplicity essentially combines chicken, rice, and broccoli into a one-pot casserole meal that is both delicious and nutritious.
Combine those characteristics with easy, and you have the makings for a dinner recipe that you'll come back to over and over again. My slow cooker goulash is also a very easy, delicious dinner meal your family will love.
What You'll Need
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-½ cups fried onions (like Durkee brand, but I typically use a store brand)
1 cup of brown rice (NOT quick cooking)
1 quart chicken stock or broth
4 large garlic cloves, minced (or 2 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons dry marjoram
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 cup shredded chedddar cheese (I like to use sharp)
2 cups broccoli florets
This is a typical easy crock pot meal. You basically dump most of the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it do its job of cooking the most tender, creamy chicken dinner you could imagine.
The chicken turns out so tender, and the rice turns out creamy and flavorful after soaking up the broth.
The added fried onions thicken the broth even more to create a creamy texture that's sure to please your whole family. Hearty, satisfying, and delicious!
Tips & FAQs
The broccoli is added near the end of the cook time in order to preserve more of its distinct flavor and avoid getting overly soft.
This recipe is typically made in the oven - a popular, hearty casserole dish - but I thought a nice rendition in the slow cooker was in order.
I like to use my slow cooker, especially in the summertime, when I want to save time and not heat my house up as much. This is the perfect dish to "fix and forget."
After cooking, you can either shred the chicken and mix in with the rest of the ingredients, or you can leave the chicken breasts whole.
Since this is a recipe designed for four people, you would want to at least cut each breast in half before serving. It's a lot of meat, even for four people, so use your own judgment here.
Makes for great leftovers, and if you have more chicken left over than rice and broccoli, you can easily cook up more to go with the leftover chicken for another meal.
Feel free to use thighs in this recipe in place of the breasts, but keep in mind that there will be more oil produced since thighs are a fattier cut of chicken meat.
You'll probably want to trim the fat beforehand, but if you don't it shouldn't matter too much, as fat does add flavor.
Best to use boneless and skinless thighs to make things easier once everything is done. If using thighs, use four in place of the two large breasts in the recipe.
I hope you love this chicken divan crock pot recipe as much as my family and I do! Please try it, and let me know in the comments below how it turns out for you!
Here's an easy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole that's very similar to this Chicken Divan, but it cooks in the oven. Easy & tasty!
Other Chicken & Casserole Recipes to Love:
📋 Recipe
Chicken Divan Crock Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts , boneless, skinless
- 1 cup brown rice , uncooked (NOT quick cooking)
- 1 quart chicken stock or broth
- 2 tablespoon garlic , minced (about 4 large cloves)
- 2 teaspoon marjoram , dry
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt , more to taste
- 1 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
- 2 cups broccoli florets , fresh
- 1-½ cups fried onions (like Durkee - I usually use store brands)
Instructions
- Add 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts to your slow cooker and top with rice, chicken stock, fried onions, garlic, marjoram, black pepper, and salt.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, low for 6-7 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of cook time, turn heat to warm and add broccoli and top with cheese.
- Cover and let sit 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and broccoli is a bit soft. Serve hot.
Cathy J says
Can I cut up the chicken so it is in bite sized pieces or would it get dry? Is it best to cut up raw or "shred" after it is cooked? Also, would like to use boneless, skinless thighs. Thoughts?
Sally says
Thank you for your questions, Cathy. I would leave the chicken in larger pieces and shred or cut up after cooking. This will help it to retain more moisture. Using thighs is a great idea, especially if you're looking for less-dry meat. Thighs have more fat and tend to be more flavorful than breasts. Hope that helps!
Sally says
It would keep for awhile on warm, but I wouldn't add the cheese or broccoli until 30 minutes before you want it to be ready. Thanks for your question Abbey! Let me know how yours turns out!
karen mck says
This is a wonderful recipe! I've made it twice & we enjoyed it immensely. Not to mention, putting everything into the crock pot (broccoli, later), and voila!! Thank You, Sally. I found out I can make this gluten free, if I can locate Acme's O Organic brand fried onions! Next time...
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed it immensely, Karen! Thanks for letting me know!
Sally says
Alyssa - Thanks for your question. If you use white rice, you can use long-cooking white rice and put it in at the same time called for in the recipe, or you could cook it separately on the stove top and add it in with the cheese. If using quick cooking, I would add it near the end of the cook time (about an hour near the end), or you could simply cook it on the stove top for good measure.
Lindy says
Does the chicken need to be cooked already, or can it be placed in raw? Thanks!
Sally says
The chicken will be raw when you put it in your slow cooker. Thanks for your question, Lindy!
Sue says
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Thanks!
Sally says
You could, although I prefer fresh broccoli for this recipe. Frozen is more prone to becoming mushy, but certainly try it and let me know how it turns out.