This slow cooker shredded chicken recipe is one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts! Slow cooker chicken takes just minutes to prep, and can be used in a wide range of dishes.
The results of our Gimme Some Oven reader survey are in! It was so awesome to hear from you and read all of your great (and encouraging) feedback about the site. So thank you to everyone who responded!
As far as your recipe requests go, the top two requested categories amongst many choices ended up being slow cooker and chicken recipes.
Like, by far. :)
So since you all apparently love your chicken and slow cookers as much as I do, I figured why not combine the two and start with a simple recipe for slow cooker shredded chicken!
If you are new to cooking or slow cookers, or if you are just looking for ideas to make weeknight meals all the speedier, I can’t recommend this slow cooker chicken enough. It is one of my favorite cooking time-savers! Your crock pot will do all of the work for you (I set mine for during the day while I’m at work!). Then all you have to do is spend literally less than 5 minutes before and after on prep. And voila — many meals’ worth of shredded chicken will be prepped and ready to enjoy whenever you need it.
I have included a few tips below on what chicken to buy, how to shred, how to store. And then I have also included a few quick recipes so that you can put it to use! This is definitely a staple in my kitchen that I regularly make once every few months, so I hope you might give it a try!
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 480 minutes
- Total Time: 490 minutes
Description
A foolproof recipe for easy slow cooker shredded chicken!
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- (optional) 1/2 cup water or chicken broth (**see note below**)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in slow cooker, and sprinkle with seasonings (and liquid, if using). Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. (*If making a smaller batch, keep an eye on your slow cooker as the chicken will likely need less cooking time.)
- Remove the chicken with tongs, and shred using two forks or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Use immediately, or freeze in ziplock bags or a sealed container.
- **I almost always use frozen chicken when I make big batches of slow cooker shredded chicken like this. And the chicken has always released LOTS of extra juices while cooking, making plenty moist. Some of that extra liquid may be from the chicken breasts being a little icy and frozen. But if you are worried about chicken being dry, feel free to add in a little liquid while cooking.
What Chicken To Buy:
You can either buy fresh or frozen chicken for this recipe. If you buy frozen, though, you need to be sure to thaw it to room temperature before adding it to the slow cooker. (Edited: apparently adding frozen meats to a slow cooker is unsafe!) You can use other cuts of chicken if you’d like, but I would just avoid any chicken with bones so that you don’t have to pick them out.
How To Shred Chicken:
My favorite method is the old fashioned two-forks method. Even with a really large batch of slow cooker shredded chicken, I can shred it all in about 2 minutes since the meat is so tender and easily pulls apart.
You can also add the chicken to a stand mixer and (very briefly!!) mix it with the paddle attachment to break it up.
How To Store Shredded Chicken:
If you are not using the chicken right away, I recommend freezing it in small ziplock bags or sealed containers. Be sure not to put the chicken all together in one huge ziplock bag, because then it is harder to separate and thaw in small batches.
How To Use Shredded Chicken:
I add mine to all sorts of recipes!!! Shredded chicken is awesome in soups, tacos, pastas, quesadillas, sandwiches, enchiladas, appetizers, you name it!
Recipes For Shredded Chicken:
Here are a few of my favorites from the blog:
5 Ingredient White Chicken Chili
Chipotle Chicken and Rice Soup
44 Clove Garlic and Chicken Soup
Such a great idea! I need to use the slow cooker more often!
I absolutely love prepping a ton of shredded chicken to keep in my freezer for easy meals down the road. Great tutorial, Ali!
I love this! One of the things that keeps me from making recipes on busy evenings is having to cook the chicken first. And the crockpot makes it so tender and juicy! I’m going to do a big batch of this and freeze them for easy dinners. Thanks!
I am so glad you posted this Ali! I’ve always wanted to do shredded chicken in the slow cooker but haven’t yet. Now I must. I love shredded chicken so much – we eat it more often than I’d like to admit!
Wow, this looks so perfect for dinner. Actually, I’d love this for dinner tonight … mmmm!
Who knew it was so easy to make right in the slow cooker?!
Is there supposed to be some liquid in the recipe? The top picture shows the chicken pieces sitting in some liquid – water or chicken broth?
I am actually wondering the same thing!
Love how you can use the chicken from this recipe in EVERYTHING!
Can you throw the chicken in the crockpot without any cooking liquid? Boneless skinless breasts are so lean, I can’t imagine them producing the amount of liquid you show in the photo. Please explain! I want to try this at home but would hate to waste all that chicken if it turns out dry.
OMG Ali I LOVE this. I have never done shredded chicken in the slow cooker but I love having it around. In a pinch I always run to the store and get a rotisserie chicken. Now I think I’m just gonna do this. :)