What a great recipe to have on hand when time is tight – with a quick prep time and the option to cook in the slow cooker all day, you’ll have the most delicious shredded chicken for dinner with barely any hands-on work. Includes freezer instructions, too!
I know this may not be the most exciting recipe on the planet – but in my day-to-day life, it’s often the most simple staples I rely on when times get busy.
This shredded chicken is wonderful to have in your backpocket for exactly those busy days. Prep time is incredibly short, and you can opt to have it cook all day. Plus, it freezes great so you can make extra to keep on hand for a later time!
Tip: If you need a faster recipe, try my shredded chicken recipe you can easily and quickly make on the stovetop!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs for a more budget-friendly alternative. I do not recommend using any type of bone-in chicken cuts, as it’s quite a hassle to remove them before shredding.
- Seasoning: Feel free to make any changes to your liking here. I’m just providing my favorite spice mix. I will recommend to not skimp on the seasoning, else the chicken can be bland. Do keep in mind your type of chicken broth, if it’s quite salty be mindful of the salt you add.
- Oil: Neutral vegetable oil or olive oil are both great options here.
How to make shredded chicken in the crockpot
1. Assemble ingredients: Place the broth in the crock, then add the chicken. Combine the seasoning in a small bowl.
2. Season: Evenly sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning, then pour over the oil.
3. Slow cook: Close the lid and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 hours. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat!
If your chicken releases a lot of liquid, drain some of it before shredding. Make sure to save the juices to add back in if needed! Allow the chicken to rest on a plate, covered, for 10 minutes before shredding – this ensures a juicier texture.
Recommended internal temperature for chicken
Wondering when your chicken is done and safe to be eaten? I highly recommend investing in (the following is an affiliate link an I earn a commission for purchases made through it) a meat thermometer. I check pretty much everything I cook and bake with mine to make sure I’m at the accurate temperature.
The US government’s food safety website recommends cooking all poultry to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
4. Shred chicken: Use your preferred method to shred your chicken. If you’re worried about scratching your crock, place the chicken in a mixing bowl to shred!
I like shredding chicken with two forks, because I have more control over the texture and size of shreds. It’s much easier and faster to use a hand mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment! The hand mixer can scratch the crock a little, so I would recommend doing it in a separate mixing bowl if you’re concerned!
Summary of steps
- Place broth and chicken in crock pot.
- Add seasoning and oil.
- Slow cook until done.
- Rest chicken, drain cooking juices if needed (save them!).
- Shred chicken, add juices back in until happy with juiciness.
Recipe notes
❋ Frozen chicken needs to be defrosted before using it in the slow cooker. Frozen meats are not safe to cook in a crockpot. If you only have frozen chicken on hand and no time to thaw it, I recommend making some instant pot chicken to shred after cooking – you can use the chicken from frozen in the pressure cooker. You can also thaw the chicken and then cook in on the stovetop to shred.
❋ Add back in as much of the cooking juices as you like. The chicken will soak some up and become more supple and juicy. That being said, I personally don’t like my shredded chicken to be swimming in liquids, especially not if I’m going to use the chicken in a recipe – so be mindful of the amount you add, for how you intend to use it.
❋ You can slightly vary the cooking time according to your needs. If you use the recommended 4 quart slow cooker and the 2 pounds of chicken breast, your chicken can be done in 3-4 hours on LOW – depending on how hot your cooker runs. However, you can leave it for 6 hours if you need it to cook for a longer time. You can also cook in on HIGH for 2-3 hours, but in my experience it’s usually worth it to cook chicken on low in the crockpot because the texture comes out better.
❋ The recipe can be doubled to cook a large amount of chicken. If you catch a great sale and want to make sure you have shredded chicken on hand in the freezer, this is a great method to cook a large amount of chicken at once. Use a 5-6 quart crock if using 4 pounds of chicken. The larger crock and larger amount of food takes more time to heat up, so your cooking time will be closer to 6-7 hours on LOW.
Storage tips
- Prep: Allow the chicken to cool for 15 minutes before packaging and storing in the fridge or refrigerator. Never place piping hot food in a cooling device, as it may spoil the food already in there!
- Pack: Package and label the cooled chicken in airtight freezer bags or containers.
- Store: Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to use frozen shredded chicken:
- Frozen shredded chicken needs to be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- For faster thawing, fully submerge the bag or container in a cold water bath (not hot!!!) for 30 minutes. If the chicken is still frozen, change the water and thaw for another 30 minutes. It’s important to ensure the bag or container is fully sealed, and to make sure the water stays cold. You can also use the defrost setting on your microwave. For more information about thawing food safely, read the USDA’s guidelines.
- You can use it from frozen in dishes like soup, cooked casserole fillings (eg a filling you are preparing hot on the stove before assembling the casserole – not one you simply stir together), pasta or stir-fries.
Serving ideas
There are plenty of delicious ways to use your shredded chicken to pull together an easy dinner. It works especially great in Chicken Quesadillas, in Chicken Enchiladas or in Chicken Tacos.
Or serve it over a salad, or in a casserole – my Tomato, Cucumber Avocado Salad is a favorite here, as is my Cornbread BBQ Chicken Casserole.
However, it’s also delicious in Buffalo Chicken Dip, or in Chicken Salad.
More basic chicken recipes
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Recipe details
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 pounds chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil OR neutral vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prep chicken: Pour broth in (~4 quart) crockpot. Nestle chicken on top, preferably in a single layer.¾ cup chicken broth, 2 pounds chicken breast
- Season: Combine all of the seasoning in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over chicken. Drizzle with oil.1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon ground paprika, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours (see notes for cooking times!) or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Make sure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Rest: Once chicken is done, switch off crock and remove chicken to a plate. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
- Shred: If crock is filled with plenty of juices from cooking, remove some before shredding (be sure to save it in a cup). Shred chicken using your preferred method:Using two forks yields larger chunks, but takes more time. Can be done right in cooking juices in crock.Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment takes all but 30 seconds. Yields smaller shreds. Using a separate bowl with a hand mixer is recommended, as the mixer may cause scratches on the crock.Use chicken right away, or store for later (see notes).
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Boneless thighs can be used instead. Frozen chicken needs to be fully thawed before using. Bone-in chicken not recommended.
- Seasoning: Seasoning can be adjusted to your liking – make sure to season adequately to avoid bland chicken. Type of broth used determines amount of salt needed.
Recipe notes
- Cooking juices: Add cooking juices to shredded chicken to your liking. Be mindful of your intended use, don’t add too much or a casserole or dip may turn out too liquid.
- Cooking time: If using a 4 quart slow cooker (or slightly smaller) and 2 pounds of chicken breast, chicken can be done in 3-4 hours on LOW – depending on how hot cooker runs. A cooking time of 6 hours is fine, if needed. Cooking on HIGH for 2-3 hours is fine, but cooking on low yields a slightly better texture.
- Double recipe: If doubling the recipe, a 5-6 quart crock is needed. Cooking time will most likely be closer to 6 hours on LOW.
Storage
- Package and label the cooled chicken in airtight freezer bags or containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Frozen shredded chicken needs to be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before using. See post for more tips on defrosting and using frozen, shredded chicken.
Steph says
Delicious! I doubled the recipe and made it for the first time when family came to town, and we loved it. I was looking for a slow cooker pulled chicken recipe that wasn’t too citrusy or didn’t have a tomato base. I wanted a perfect savory blend and this recipe hit the spot. Best of all, it’s easy to make. It took longer for me to clean the chicken than it took to measure the ingredients and throw it all together.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Steph!