Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe comes out perfectly juicy and seasoned every time! Learn my tips for getting the best crockpot chicken breast, perfect for salads, sandwiches or an easy dinner.

overhead image of four chicken breasts in white slow cooker.

I KNOW.

Boring, right??

Except, perfect slow cooker chicken breast isn’t boring at all.

This chicken is so flavorful, and so juicy, with just a few ingredients (and one secret ingredient!).

I will admit, I have made plenty of dry, overcooked, unpalatable boneless chicken breasts in the slow cooker. I’m not proud of it, but we all do it every now and then, am I right??

I wanted to come up with a foolproof way to make great crockpot chicken breast — that is big on flavor (but still versatile enough to use it a variety of different ways or add your own sauce at the end), and ridiculously juicy.

Naturally, I started with this Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipe as my base, since so many of you have already loved it (check out this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken if that’s more your style!), but I made a couple swaps and additions for an extra little boost of flavor.

This slow cooker chicken recipe is perfect just on its own, with a side of rice or noodles or a big salad if that’s your thing, but if you’ve got leftovers?

Throw them in this Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti the next day, or swap the ground beef for chicken in this Rigatoni Pasta Bake.

sliced crockpot chicken breast on grey plate.

How to make perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Breast:

  1. Choose good quality chicken. I’m not saying it has to be expensive (I buy my chicken breasts frozen when they’re on sale!), but overtime I’ve noticed that there can be a real difference in quality from one box of chicken breasts to the next. Find a kind you’re happy with it and stick with it.
  2. Not too full or too empty: I use this 2.5 quart crockpot for, honestly? Almost everything these days. It’s the perfect size for 4 or 6 chicken breasts. I’ve found if I cook just a couple chicken breasts in a larger crockpot, it cooks more quickly and is more prone to overcooking. When you have your slow cooker at least half full, it gives the chicken a little “insulation” and prevents it from cooking too quickly.
  3. To sear or not to sear. I tried both ways because I like to know what I’m talking about when I’m giving you the most delicious slow cooker chicken breast you’ve ever had. What I found was not a lot of difference between the two. If you want to sear it beforehand, go ahead, if you’re frazzled enough as it is and want to dump and go, do that.
  4. Butter (my secret ingredient that makes all the difference). Or margarine. Another moment of honesty — I use margarine a lot. I just don’t hate it. Chicken thighs are known to have much better flavor and juiciness than breasts, and it’s because they have 3x the amount of fat. I figured if I added just a little bit of fat into the slow cooker, I could give my chicken breasts some of that some fat love. (SPOILER: it works. It’s delicious, and not even drowning in half a cup).
  5. Don’t overcook. If you want a longer cook time, try filling your slow cooker more than half full, as this slows down the cooking process some.
crockpot chicken breast in white slow cooker with juices.
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Tips for making frozen chicken in the crockpot:

Here’s the truth:

I woke up one morning, the morning I wanted to start testing this slow cooker chicken breast, with my chicken breasts still rock solid in the freezer because I, like many parents of 3 kids 6 and under, had forgotten to take them out.

Rather than cooking frozen chicken in the crockpot, I placed my chicken breasts in a large freezer bag, sealed it tight, and covered them with cool water (think perfectly not cold or not warm), and let them sit about 20 minutes. Flip, and let sit another 20 minutes. Perfectly thawed.

I threw them in the slow cooker and away I went.

It’s not that you can’t cook frozen chicken in the crockpot — it’s just that I knew they would cook more evenly and probably be better if I didn’t.

Now, I’ve cooked frozen chicken breasts plenty of times (remember that I used to work outside of the house and be gone for 8+ hours a day), and they’ve been just fine.

They will release more moisture and cook a little less evenly, but the world will (probably) not end.

Variations on this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast:

  • Toss in a package of taco seasoning for slow cooker chicken tacos!
  • Brush with barbecue sauce once they’re done cooking, before serving.
  • Brush with pretty much any of your favorite sauces, and there you go — the easiest dinner you never had to babysit!
  • Jazz things up and try this Crockpot Tuscan Chicken!

More crockpot chicken breast recipes:

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Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

4.97 from 669 votes
This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe comes out perfectly juicy and seasoned every time! Learn my tips for getting the best crockpot chicken breast, perfect for salads, sandwiches or an easy dinner.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings
Calories 157cal

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir together the salt, parsley, garlic, pepper, onion powder and paprika. Season both sides of the chicken.
  • Add chicken broth and butter to slow cooker, and stir to combine (mash the butter up a bit to disperse if you can).
  • Add the chicken to the slow cooker, overlapping only as much as necessary.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. 
  • If you’re hoping for clean slices, remove to a cutting board and cover to keep warm. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 157cal | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 451mg | Potassium: 430mg | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Keywords crockpot chicken, slow cooker chicken

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    This was my first ever time using the slow cooker. The results were delicious and so tender! And I can’t eat dairy so I used vegan butter and it tasted so good still.

  2. wilhelmina says

    Love this juicy and delicious chicken! I like to make a big batch so that I can use the leftovers in recipes later in the week!

  3. Jen says

    This works beautifully! Such an easy way to make chicken without having to do any work. It come out perfect and juicy every time.

  4. Hamid says

    i used the recipe with 2 chicken breasts weighing 1.5 pounds total. i cooked on low for 3 hours. the center was white when i cut in but along the edges i could see a little bit of pink, these were larger breasts so i’m not sure if 3 hours cooked it enough? i don’t know anything about cooking, i’m going to get a meat thermometer for when i try again. in the end i put the chicken in a pot on the stove with some chicken broth and let it cook some more, was getting a little paranoid and didn’t want to get food poisoning

    • Ashley Fehr says

      The center will take the longest to cook, so I wouldn’t be worried about coloring along the edges. It is definitely safer to go by temperature instead of color!

  5. Nadia says

    When my four year old son says, “More please!”, it’s definitely going down as one of my favorites. Easy recipe to follow. Thank you!

  6. mrknifenut@yahoo.com says

    Wow is all I can say! I am new to using a crock pot & doing a Google search popped up your recipe 1st. I went to the store & bought all the ingredients & used a 5qt slow cooker. You were right, it does cook a little faster. I didn’t let it go the full 3hrs, maybe 2:45 & it still was a little extra done. Meat thermometer had it over 190°, whoops! But it had amazing taste & I could still cut it easily with a fork. I paired it with some Spanish rice & it was delicious! I can’t wait to try out your other recommendations! Thank you.
    Adam S.

  7. Therese says

    I have a multi-purpose appliance that includes slow cooker. But it does not have the low option. Instructions say that the slow cooker is at high setting. Have you ever cooked this at high setting in slow cooker?

  8. Melissa says

    Your slow cooker shredded chicken recipe cooks the chicken on low for 6 hours. Why does this one only cook for 3 hours on low.

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Generally when I’m cooking chicken to shred I cook it longer so it is falling apart. This recipe is still just as juicy and you could likely shred it after 3 hours.

  9. Linda S. says

    Waiting for it to finish cooking in the crock pot. Anticipation!!! I used 6 thighs instead of chicken breasts. Will let you know how it turns out!

  10. Lisa Clark says

    This seems too simple to be this wonderful! I have used this recipe 3 times in 2 weeks. The chicken is wonderful as a main entree because it is so moist and flavorful, and Ihave also used it for recipes that call for cooked chicken. It takes those recipes to the next level. I am generous with the spices and lat time threw in some basil and oregano too. Thank you, thank you!!

  11. Kim says

    Coming from a Italian family, I am always skeptical of online recipes Because nothing comes close to even tasting As good. I was hesitant to try this one, especially with basic ingredients inside a slow cooker. But all I can say is WOW!

    I didn’t have parsley and used Thyme instead but wow, this chicken is juicy and delicious even the next day!

    I doubled the spice ingredients just because I didn’t want to make more if I fell short and i laid the chicken on top of the spices, but not as heavy as breading cutlets. This is my go to chicken recipe now!

    • Ashley Fehr says

      It will depend on the size of your slow cooker and the size of your chicken breasts. The cook time won’t change considerably unless your crockpot is very full, and then it may take a little longer but probably not more than 4 hours.

  12. Viv says

    Why didn’t I believe you when you said three hours on low?? 🙂 I kept them in longer and yep, dry. When I made this again (following the directions this time) it was perfect! I use this chicken as a base in lots of dinners. Thanks!

  13. Patti says

    I’m going to try this today with 2 large breasts, potatoes, carrots and celery. . What do you think??

  14. Rosita says

    I made 4 chicken breasts in a 4 quart slow cooker. Followed the recipe exactly. 3 hours on the dot and the chicken was perfect, juicy and not overcooked. I will use it to make chicken salad. So happy I found this recipe!

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