This slow cooker Amish-style chicken and rice is the kind of quiet, dependable supper I lean on when my mind is tired and the pantry is thin. Around here in the rural Midwest, cream-of soups and slow cookers have carried many a family through busy planting seasons and long winters. This version uses just five ingredients: we lay raw chicken thighs in the slow cooker, pour cream of celery soup right over the top, add rice and two simple pantry helpers, then let it all melt together into a creamy, comforting meal. It’s not fancy, but it tastes like the suppers I grew up on—steady, filling, and kind to a home cook who doesn’t know what to make but still wants to put something warm and loving on the table.
Serve this creamy chicken and rice straight from the slow cooker with a big spoon, letting everyone scoop into shallow bowls. A side of buttered peas or green beans feels right at home, and a simple lettuce salad with a tangy dressing helps cut through the richness. Warm dinner rolls or slices of soft white bread are perfect for mopping up the extra sauce. If you like a little color, sprinkle each serving with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions just before bringing it to the table.
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 4–6 thighs)
2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of celery soup
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional, to taste)
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little butter or cooking spray so the rice doesn’t stick too much.
Lay the raw chicken thighs in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. It’s fine if they touch a bit, but try not to overlap too much so they cook evenly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of celery soup, chicken broth, salt, and pepper (if using) until fairly smooth. This is your creamy base that will soak into the rice and chicken.
Pour the cream of celery soup mixture evenly over the raw chicken thighs in the slow cooker, just as you would in a simple church-supper casserole. Make sure all of the chicken is coated with the soup mixture.
Sprinkle the uncooked long-grain white rice evenly over the top, letting it sink down into the sauce a bit. Gently press the rice down with the back of a spoon so it’s moistened, but do not stir everything together; keeping the layers helps the rice cook evenly.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and the rice is soft and creamy. Avoid lifting the lid during the first few hours so the rice can steam properly.
Once done, give the rice and sauce around the chicken a gentle stir to loosen everything. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve the chicken thighs over big spoonfuls of the creamy rice, making sure each plate gets plenty of that savory celery-scented sauce from the bottom of the slow cooker.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly richer dish, stir 2 tablespoons of butter into the hot rice and sauce just before serving. If you like a bit more vegetable flavor, you can add 1 cup of frozen peas or mixed vegetables over the top of the chicken before pouring on the soup mixture; they’ll cook right along with everything else. For extra Amish-style seasoning, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or parsley into the soup mixture before pouring it over the chicken. If you prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs, they work fine—just start checking for doneness closer to 4 hours, as they can cook a bit faster. To stretch the meal for a bigger family, add an extra 1/2 cup rice and an extra 1/2 cup broth, and plan on the higher end of the cooking time. Leftovers reheat nicely on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce. If your slow cooker tends to run hot and the edges dry out, stir once gently around the 3-hour mark and add a little extra broth if needed to keep things creamy.