Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice

You’re really going to love this Cheesy but Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice. It’s so easy to pull together in your Instant Pot, Crockpot, or even on your stove top and your whole family will love it.

This easy recipe has all the same flavors as the traditional Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole, but lightened up so you can enjoy it without the guilt. This version is packed with protein and uses turkey bacon instead of regular bacon to reduce some of the fat and calories. 

You’ll be satisfied with this comfort food recipe, but enjoy the benefits of simple ingredients and less calories. 

Where’s the recipe?

My readers come from all levels of experience in the kitchen, and I receive a ton of questions about my recipes from new cooks.

To better serve all of my readers, I add a lot of helpful information in all of my posts. This includes: recipe tips, detailed cooking instructions, and diet information. Some of these may be useful to you and others may be some that you already know. 

If you’d like to skip over all of the extra information, please scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find this easy to print recipe for this Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole Recipe.

Ingredients in Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice

Recipe Tips

• For Pressure Cooker: Only use frozen chicken and dry, uncooked rice. This recipe will not work if you substitute with thawed chicken or minute rice because the ingredients won’t have enough cooking time. 
• You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. 
• This is a great meal prep recipe! It can be frozen in single servings and reheated in the microwave.
• Serve this recipe as is in a bowl, inside lettuce wraps, on a bed of cauliflower rice, or inside bell peppers.
• Store leftovers or meal prep meals in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

How to make this Casserole in the Instant Pot:

1. Lightly spray your pot insert with cooking spray olive oil and set to sauté. 
2. Place your bacon in a single layer. Fry on one side for 3-5 minutes. Flip your bacon and fry 3-5 more minutes, or until fully cooked and the edges have begun to curl. Transfer your bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. Once your bacon is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.
3. Clean pot out, if desired, and place your frozen chicken in the bottom of your pot.
4. Sprinkle the ingredients for the ranch seasoning mix on top of your chicken: garlic, onion powder, dried dill, parsley, and black pepper.
5. Push the frozen chicken breast to one side of your pot, and then add your brown rice to the other side.
6. Add the chicken broth (or 1 cup of water) on top of the brown rice. 
7. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve handle to Sealing. Set your cook time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
8. When the cook time is done, turn off your “keep warm” button if it’s on.
9. Allow the pressure to naturally release in the pot. This means don’t move the valve to Venting, just allow the pot to sit for 10-15 minutes and it will do the work itself. For this recipe, naturally releasing pressure allows the chicken to retain it’s tender texture and also allows the rice to “unstick” itself from the bottom of the pot. 
10. When the pressure valve drops, or after 15 minutes, remove the lid of your Instant pot.
11. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks (or shred chicken with a stand mixer). 
12. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine chicken and rice.
13. Allow a few minutes for the contents of the pot to cool and add Greek yogurt, cheese, and cooked turkey bacon.
14. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Top with green onions and additional cheddar cheese, as desired. Serve warm.

How to make this Casserole on the Stovetop

1. You will need to defrost your chicken first to make this on the stovetop.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat on the stove. Add diced chicken, garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, and black pepper.
3. Add in 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil and stir in your brown rice.
4. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the chicken and rice simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
5. When the chicken is cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F), shred with two forks or using a stand mixer.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. While the chicken and rice are still hot, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
7. If you’d like to brown the top of your casserole, preheat the oven to 400º and let it brown in a casserole dish for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

How to make this Creamy Chicken Casserole in the Crock Pot

1. You will need to thaw your chicken first to make this in a slow cooker.
2. Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, pepper, dill, and parsley to your slow cooker insert.
3. Pour the brown rice next to the chicken, and then cover with 1 1/2 cup chicken broth.
4. Cover your slow cooker and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours until your rice and chicken are cooked.
5. Remove the lid, break apart the chicken using two forks or a stand mixer. Then, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt.
6. Let your casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers: Each 1 ¼ cup serving (using fat free yogurt and fat free cheddar cheese) of this Weight Watchers recipe has 8 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 8 Points on the 2023 Plan.

21 Day Fix: For this 21 Day Fix casserole, the entire recipe is counted as: 9 Red Containers, 4 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. Per 1 ¼ cup serving, count 2 ¼ Red Containers, 1 Yellow Container, and ½ Blue Container.

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Love this Crack Chicken Recipe? Here’s more like it:  

• Crack Chicken Pasta Salad
• Healthy Crack Chicken 
• Crack Chicken Soup
• Dairy Free Crack Chicken
• Instant Pot Crack Chicken

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Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice

Created by: Becca Ludlum

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Approximate Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Servings 4 Servings

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This Healthy Crack Chicken Casserole with Rice can be made in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove. This simple recipe is a cheesy gluten free dinner recipe.

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Sealing Rings
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients 

• ▢ 8 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped
• ▢ 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast (frozen for Instant Pot method because it takes extra time to cook the dry rice)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp dill dried
• ▢ 1 tsp parsley dried
• ▢ 1/2 tsp pepper
• ▢ 1 cup brown rice dry
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth low sodium, 2 cups if cooking on the stove top
• ▢ 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• ▢ 2/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Lightly spray your pot insert with cooking spray olive oil and set to sauté. 
• Place your bacon in a single layer. Fry on one side for 3-5 minutes. Flip your bacon and fry 3-5 more minutes, or until fully cooked and the edges have begun to curl. Transfer your bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. Once your bacon is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.8 slices turkey bacon
• Clean pot out, if desired, and place your frozen chicken in the bottom of your pot. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast
• Sprinkle the ingredients for the ranch seasoning mix on top of your chicken: garlic, onion powder, dried dill, parsley, and black pepper. 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp pepper
• Push the frozen chicken breast to one side of your pot, and then add your brown rice to the other side. 1 cup brown rice
• Add the chicken broth (or 1 cup of water) on top of the brown rice. 1 cup chicken broth
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve handle to Sealing. Set your cook time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
• When the cook time is done, turn off your "keep warm" button if it's on.
• Allow the pressure to naturally release in the pot.
• When the pressure valve drops, or after 15 minutes, remove the lid of your Instant pot.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks (or shred chicken with a stand mixer). 
• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine chicken and rice.
• Allow a few minutes for the contents of the pot to cool and add Greek yogurt, cheese, and cooked turkey bacon. 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 2/3 cup cheddar cheese
• Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Top with green onions and additional cheddar cheese, as desired. Serve warm.

Stove Top:

• You will need to defrost your chicken first to make this on the stovetop. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast
• Cook bacon according to package directions and chop into small pieces after it's cooled. 8 slices turkey bacon
• Heat a large skillet on high heat on the stove. Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, and black pepper. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp pepper
• Add in 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil and stir in your brown rice.
• Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the chicken and rice simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
• When the chicken is cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F), shred with two forks or using a stand mixer.
• Remove the skillet from the heat. While the chicken and rice are still hot, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, 8 slices turkey bacon, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Slow cooker:

• You will need to thaw your chicken first to make this in a slow cooker.
• Cook bacon according to package directions and chop into small pieces after it's cooled. 8 slices turkey bacon
• Add the chicken, garlic, onion powder, pepper, dill, and parsley to your slow cooker insert. 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley
• Pour the brown rice next to the chicken, and then cover with 1 1/2 cup chicken broth. 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup chicken broth
• Cover your slow cooker and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours until your rice and chicken are cooked.
• Remove the lid, break apart the chicken using two forks or a stand mixer. Then, mix in the cheese, bacon, and Greek yogurt. 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, 8 slices turkey bacon, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Let your casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serves 4 | Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup (3/4 cup meat and 1/2 cup rice)

Healthy Eating Plans 

Weight Watchers Points: Each 1 ¼ cup serving (using fat free yogurt and fat free cheddar cheese) this recipe has 8 Blue Plan Points 11 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 8

21 Day Fix: For the entire recipe of 21 Day Fix chicken and rice casserole: 9 Red Containers, 4 Yellow Containers, and 2 Blue Containers. (Per 1 ¼ cup serving) 2 ¼ Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, and ½ Blue Container. 

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Recipe Tips 

• For Instant Pot cooking – Only use frozen chicken and dry, uncooked rice. This recipe will not work in the Instant Pot if you substitute with thawed chicken or minute rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg

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