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    Crockpot Shredded Chicken (Slow Cooker)

    By 34 Comments ChickenOn The Healthy/Lighter SideSlow Cooker

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    This Crockpot Shredded Chicken is easy, flavorful and a great way to meal prep for the week ahead! How to make shredded chicken including tips, tricks and shredded chicken recipes.

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    crockpot shredded chicken in slow cooker

    I know, I know.

    Not that interesting, right?

    There’s no bacon, or cheese, or chocolate…. There’s not even any carbs 😉

    But since the popularity of this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, I’ve realized that I really love storing up a collection or super practical, easy recipes for kitchen basics that will make your life a hundred times easier through the week. It was high time for this crockpot shredded chicken to join the family.

    As moms and dads and adults who have a million things on our plates, this is the key.

    Another lifesaving recipe? This ultra juicy Slow Cooker Chicken Breast!

    crockpot shredded chicken pulled chicken

    During the fall, my husband works 14 hour days, 5 or 6 days a week so I am all about making lives easier. With a 6 year old, 3 year old and a baby, my hands are often full at 5:00 when everyone’s tummy starts rumbling.

    Having this crockpot shredded chicken prepped is a lifesaver and is so easy to stir into soups, pasta, make quick sandwiches or, hey, even add to a boxed pasta mix when times are really crazy 😉 (yes, I have a couple emergency boxes of mac and cheese in the cupboard!).

    Tips for making this Crockpot Shredded Chicken:

    • Don’t overcook. I know it can be tempting to leave the chicken in for a long time as you would think it would end up more tender, but that’s not always the case. You really want to be sure you hit the sweet spot between “just enough” and “dry and unappetizing”.
    • Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Avoid having to deal with skin and bones to make this crockpot shredded chicken recipe super simple. Chicken thighs will have a little more fat (flavor!) and more moisture. Chicken breasts are leaner, but also don’t pack quite the same amount of flavor as thighs. You can use one or the other or a combination! I use chicken breasts because they always turn out incredibly moist and it’s easy to add flavor 🙂
    • Know your slow cooker. When cooking 4 chicken breasts like this recipe calls for, I love using my 2.5 quart crockpot — it’s the perfect size and heats up quickly. If you’re doing more chicken than that, you’ll likely want to use a 4-6 quart crockpot. Note that if your crockpot is very full, it will take longer to heat and cook.
    • Keep the seasoning simple. You don’t want to end up with a week’s worth of single-purpose chicken (unless you do, I guess!), so by keeping the seasoning on this slow cooker shredded chicken basic, you can use it in a multitude of ways. It doesn’t scream “Mexican!” or “Italian!” or “curry!”.

    How to shred chicken:

    I know a lot of people like to make shredded chicken with an electric mixer or stand mixer because it shreds quickly and easily.

    This is a great way to do it, but honestly? I prefer a couple of forks.

    It really doesn’t take that long, and I’m all about using the least amount of dishes as possible. I really dislike washing big pots and bowls so I avoid using extra at all costs!

    crockpot shredded chicken recipes in white slow cooker

    After simmering away low and slow, this slow cooker shredded chicken comes together (or rather, apart! Lol) with little effort. No need to pull out the big guns 😉

    Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipes:

    So now that we have all of this wonderful, flavorful, moist slow cooker shredded chicken, the real question is what to make with shredded chicken? I love having a bunch on hand in the fridge because it is so versatile and makes weeknight meals so much easier to manage.

    Here are some easy things to make with shredded chicken:

    How to make easy Shredded Chicken Tacos:

    If you’re wanting to make slow cooker shredded chicken tacos, simply swap the seasoning for roughly 2 teaspoons taco seasoning.

    Cook and shred the chicken as the recipe calls for, and then taste and adjust the seasoning as you require. Serve with taco shells, chips, tortillas, and all your favorite taco toppings!

    crockpot shredded chicken in white slow cooker
    Print Pin Recipe

    Crockpot Shredded Chicken

    This Crockpot Shredded Chicken is easy, flavorful and a great way to meal prep for the week ahead! How to make shredded chicken in the slow cooker including tips, tricks and shredded chicken recipes. 
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword how to make shredded chicken, shredded chicken breast, shredded chicken recipes, slow cooker shredded chicken
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 6 hours
    Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 67kcal
    Author Ashley Fehr

    Ingredients

    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
    • 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
    • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    • Place chicken breasts in 2.5-4 quart crockpot. Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle with seasonings.
    • Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours, until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F minimum) and fall apart tender.
    • Using two forks, gently pull and shred the chicken in the liquid (if your chicken has released a lot of liquid, you may want to remove some liquid before shredding, but save it in case you want to add more back in). 
    • Serve as desired or let cool slightly before refrigerating. Cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for 3-4 days, or packaged and frozen for 3-4 months.

    Nutrition (this is an estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Crockpot Shredded Chicken
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 67 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 1g 2%
    Cholesterol 36mg 12%
    Sodium 288mg 12%
    Potassium 221mg 6%
    Protein 12g 24%
    Vitamin A 0.3%
    Vitamin C 0.8%
    Calcium 0.5%
    Iron 1.6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Comments

    1. This is a VERY strange comment, but I am VERY particular about blood coming out of meat. Do you take out the blood that comes out of the chicken before you shred it or just leave it?

      Reply

    2. Sounds good, but has anyone made chicken salad with this?? Will it change taste, as I usually don’t put anything on chicken when I cook it for chicken salad except salt/pepper.
      Thanks!! Just curious

      Reply

      • You can make this with just salt and pepper if you prefer Marilyn! It won’t change the taste much but will add some flavor so you may want to adjust the seasoning of your salad.

        Reply


    3. Thank you for this recipe! I will be using this for meal prepping since I am on somewhat of a competition diet and I eat about 30 to 36 ounces of chicken a day. 😁

      Reply


    5. I made this yesterday with 3 chicken breasts for 3 hours and it turned out just fine but I think the next time I will cook it at 2.5 as I think my slow cooker cooks pretty fast. It’s a great recipe and so nice to have shredded chicken on hand as there are so many things you can do with it. Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply


        • I already posted a comment for this recipe but I have to post one more. This is absolutely the best recipe!! I’ve made it several times now and it always comes out so nice and tender. I tried so many other recipes but the chicken was always dry or chewy. There are so many possibilities with this recipe and I can’t thank you enough for it. I also drizzle some of the juices from the crockpot over the shredded chicken and that keeps it very moist until ready to use. Thank you!!

          Reply


    6. I tried this recipe last night when I was trying to make my buffalo chicken dip and it made my life so much easier ! I usually just get a rotisserie chicken but it’s a pain to get the meat and skin off of the bone, and there’s practically no meat! I was able to make a bigger serving and the chicken wasn’t bone dry! Will be keeping this in mind for future meals! Thank you 🙂

      Reply


    7. This is AMAZING! I always avoid boneless skinless chicken breast because I can’t stand how dry they are, even after the of prep work pounding them out. I put all 8 breasts into the crockpot, added broth and seasonings and voila! I made enchiladas the first night, chicken in gravy with biscuits the second night, and chicken quesadillas the third night. I fed my family of 7 a healthy meal three times with very little work. If I could leave 10 stars I would!!

      Reply

      • I’ve never done it with totally frozen chicken breasts but I’m sure it can be done! You’ll definitely need to cook longer though. I’m not sure the exact cooking time but I would probably cook 8 hours at least if the crock pot is pretty full.

        Reply


    9. I love having cooked chicken on hand for last minute meals. I have a baked version that I love, but I’ll have to give this one a try. Sometimes I just don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up the house. Thank you!

      Reply

    15. Hello, I am hoping to make this this weekend. However I want to only make 2 chicken breasts (probably 1lb) on a 2qt slow cooker. Would I need to decrease the cooking time to ‘find the sweet spot’? If so, what us your estimate?

      Reply

      • Hi Marcia! I wouldn’t necessarily reduce the cook time, but I would reduce the seasoning. I’d maybe use about half of the seasoning, as you don’t want it to be overly salty! I hope that helps 🙂

        Reply

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