Simple Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Every meal prepper needs a shredded chicken recipe! Even if you’re not batch cooking, making shredded chicken in the slow cooker is easy and a practical menu staple for many different meals. The slow cooker is the perfect choice for shredded chicken that stays juicy and tender.
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What’s To Love About This Recipe
- This is the best base recipe for making so many different dishes. If you prep a batch ahead of meal time, it will save you time, energy, and stress on those super busy days!
- Setting up the slow cooker with this recipe takes less than 5 minutes, and you can make enough shredded chicken for several meals.
- With only chicken broth added, you can keep the flavors simple so that the chicken is easy to season when combined with other ingredients in soups, salads, casseroles, and more.
- When I have proteins ready to go in my fridge or freezer, it’s much easier to eat healthy meals at home instead of grabbing fast food or takeout. I’m always glad I made the time to prep the chicken ahead in the slow cooker!
Ingredients Needed
You’re just two ingredients away from simple shredded chicken!
- Chicken breast – Use boneless skinless chicken breast and make sure to thaw it first if frozen. I used 2 pounds of chicken in my 3-quart slow cooker.
- Chicken broth – Adding broth, instead of just water, keeps the chicken flavorful and can add even more nutrition to the meat. Bone broth is also a good option to get extra vitamins, minerals, and protein.
How To Make Shredded Chicken In The Slow Cooker
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Remove chicken breast from the slow cooker and use forks to shred.
Pro Tips
- Make sure the chicken is covered with broth as it cooks to prevent it from drying out.
- I used a 3-quart slow cooker, but you can easily halve or double this recipe with an 8-quart slow cooker.
- Thaw the chicken before slow cooking. Frozen chicken may stay in the temperature “danger zone” in the slow cooker for too long. You don’t want to take the risk of illness!
- Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 ℉ and shreds easily with a fork. To make it even more shreddable, cook it a bit longer.
- You can shred with forks, meat forks, or even using your stand mixer or hand mixer. If it has cooked long enough, it should shred easily.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- If you like, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs by following the same steps. The darker, fattier meat from chicken thighs, with its added flavor, is delicious in soups or served on sandwiches and sauces.
- I prefer to keep the chicken plain for flexibility in various recipes, but you can add any type of seasoning you like! Just add the blend right into the slow cooker. Here are some of my favorite options for quick, healthy seasonings:
- You can also dice the chicken with a sharp knife if you’d rather have cubed chicken instead of shredded meat.
How To Serve Shredded Chicken
The sky’s the limit here! Add shredded chicken to soups, casseroles, tacos, wraps, salads, and more!
Easily defrost a portion from your freezer and add a premade pasta sauce with noodles for a meal in under 30 minutes. Or, chop up some of your favorite veggies to make a cold chicken salad for easy lunches with crackers or on a sandwich.
Use shredded chicken for nachos in an adaptation like my Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Nachos or with whatever toppings you want to use up in your fridge. Add some sauces such as buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce, or mix up Zesty Lime Jalapeno Ranch Dressing to add chicken to your favorite sandwiches or salads.
Storing and Reheating
Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze leftovers for later, I recommend first dividing the chicken into 1/2 or 1-pound portions so that it’s easy to measure for future recipes. Freeze for up to 3 months using a vacuum sealer, Souper Cubes, or my favorite stasher bags.
Defrost when ready to eat and reheat according to your recipe directions.
Simple Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Add ingredients to slow cooker
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours
- Remove chicken breast from slow cooker and use forks to shred
Notes
- Let the chicken cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For easy storage, divide the chicken into ½ or 1-pound portions in the freezer.
- Chicken must be thawed before placing it in the slow cooker.
- Cooking time will vary based on the size of the individual chicken breasts.
- Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 ℉ and shreds easily with a fork.
- Make sure the chicken is fully covered with broth to prevent dryness.
Nutrition
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken FAQs
- Can chicken be overcooked in the slow cooker? Chicken can overcook if it is left on heat after it has fully cooked. Once the chicken is easy to shred, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool or serve immediately.
- What if my slow cooker chicken doesn’t shred easily? Cook the chicken for another 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow it to reach a higher temperature and become easier to shred. Adjust time as needed.
- Is it better to cook the chicken on low or high? You can cook this recipe on low or high, depending on your schedule. There is no significant difference in the outcome based on the heat setting.
- Can shredded chicken be made in the Instant Pot? To adapt this recipe for the Instant Pot:
- Place chicken breasts or thighs in the Instant Pot and add the broth.
- Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, and allow a 10-minute natural release.
- Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot, and shred.
