This Crockpot shredded chicken is so easy, juicy, flavorful, and perfect for meal prep! It’s an all-purpose recipe that can be used to make wraps, sandwiches, tacos, and even casseroles.
One of my favorite things to make in the slow cooker, is simple shredded chicken (or pulled chicken). I can use it for so many recipes, which makes it easy and convenient to cook lunches and dinners in no time. Chicken breasts are lightly seasoned then slowly cooked in the Crockpot all day, to make tender chicken that easily shreds.
How to Make Shredded Chicken
- Place thawed chicken breasts in the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper.
- If desired, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil for extra flavor. You can also season with poultry seasoning, or garlic and/or onion granules if desired.
- Cover with the lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the Crockpot, and shred with 2 forks or in a bowl with a hand held or stand mixer.
How to Use Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
After you shred the chicken, either use right away in your favorite recipes. Or store in the fridge tightly covered for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the crockpot shredded chicken in a sealed freezer bag for up to 2 months.
As for how to use shredded or pulled chicken, here are some ideas:
- Use in tacos or nachos – before cooking the chicken, season with taco seasoning.
- Make salsa chicken – to the Crockpot, just add a jar of salsa and let the chicken cook with the salsa. Once shredded, mix in the chicken with the salsa and serve in tacos, sandwiches etc.
- Use in casseroles!
- Make a pasta dish, or a pasta salad.
- Add to soups or salads – make chicken noodle soup.
- Add to pizza – this shredded chicken is perfect for a pizza topping.
- Great for canapes, make pinwheels or bite sized sandwiches.
Chef’s Tips
- You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs to make slow cooker shredded chicken.
- Do not overcook the chicken – You want the chicken to stay moist, but you also need to make sure that it easily shreds so keep checking on it.
- Use with your favorite sauce such as ranch, hot sauce, salsa, you name it!
- You can easily double this recipe.
- Shred the chicken using 2 forks, your hands, or a mixer.
- This slow cooker cooked chicken is also perfect for dicing and slicing.
- Thaw the chicken in the fridge before you put it in your slow cooker, as cooking frozen chicken in the slow cooker might not be safe. Reason behind it, is that frozen chicken will take a while to defrost, and this means that it might stay at room temperature for too long and that time can be enough for harmful bacteria to develop.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 8 ounces
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker, and season well with salt and pepper (and any other seasonings if using).
- Cover with the lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- When the chicken is ready, check for doneness by inserting the thermometer in the center of the chicken, and the internal temperature of the chicken should read 165°F or 75°C.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then shred it while it’s still warm using a hand mixer, 2 forks, or your hands.
Video
Notes
- You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs to make slow cooker shredded chicken.
- Do not overcook the chicken – You want the chicken to stay moist, but you also need to make sure that it easily shreds so keep checking on it.
- Use with your favorite sauce such as ranch, hot sauce, salsa, you name it!
- You can easily double this recipe.
- Shred the chicken using 2 forks, your hands, or a mixer.
- This slow cooker cooked chicken is also perfect for dicing and slicing.
- Thaw the chicken in the fridge before you put it in your slow cooker, as cooking frozen chicken in the slow cooker might not be safe. Reason behind it, this is that frozen chicken will take a while to defrost, and this means that it might stay at room temperature for too long and that time can be enough for harmful bacteria to develop.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow on Pinterest @nourishplate and on Instagram @nourishplate
Comments & Reviews
imsen says
This is the best recipe I have found for chicken in the slow cooker. And the tip for using your stand mixer to shred it is so good! It worked perfectly. All of your tips and suggestions are great, thank you for sharing.
Quick and Easy Family Recipes