Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
9 Comments Jan 04, 2023
Updated Jan 08, 2025
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This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast recipe is a quick way to get perfectly cooked chicken that can be used in various easy weeknight dinners. It’s sure to make meal prepping much easier!
Serve this crockpot chicken breast recipe alongside my Slow Cooker Potatoes Romanoff or Slow Cooker Peas and Carrots.
Table of Contents
Having a crockpot chicken breast recipe like this on hand not only helps with cooking chicken to tender perfection but also gives you an easy way to meal prep or serve a delicious meal in a short amount of time. Recipe ideas aren’t too hard to come by once you have the main course cooked.
Not to mention, I’m all for easy recipes with a short cook time. Check out the serving suggestions below for recipe ideas your whole family will enjoy!
What you need:
- Chicken Breast: This recipe is specifically for cooking boneless skinless chicken breasts, although you could use it for boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Chicken Broth: Works as a liquid base to keep the chicken from sticking during the slow cooking process and helps provide juicy chicken. You can also make a batch of my slow cooker chicken stock for this recipe.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder are familiar flavors typically used when seasoning chicken. This may sound like boring seasonings but remember you can use this chicken in a variety of meals from Mexican to Italian (and more), and you can season it more later.
- (The full recipe is in the recipe card below the photos).
Variations
- Change things up by adding red pepper flakes, oregano, Italian seasoning or thyme to the chicken.
- If you’re making something Mexican-inspired, toss in some chili powder or cumin for extra flavor.
- Throw in some onion slices for more flavor—they taste great with the chicken and can be used in other recipes later.
- For lemon pepper chicken, just add a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of zest for a fresh, zesty vibe.
- Make this low sodium by using low sodium broth and lessen the salt.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Pour some of the chicken broth into the crock pot and place the seasoned chicken inside.
Step Two – Pour the remaining chicken broth over the chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. The chicken should be cooked through and will be sliceable. You can cook it past this point, though, it will shred instead of slice. If you want shredded chicken, you can cook for up to 8 hours.
Step Three – Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve the cooked chicken or place it in the fridge for later use. Only slice what you need; otherwise, put the crockpot chicken breasts in the fridge whole.
How to use:
- A perfect protien to have on hand if you are meal prepping!
- One of the easiest ways to use this chicken is in chicken noodle soup. Check out my slow cooker chicken noodle soup.
- If you’re looking for a bold flavor, slice or dice the chicken and smother the pieces in buffalo sauce (Frank’s red hot). (Or use the chicken in my buffalo ranch chicken dip.)
- Shred the chicken and add a packet of taco seasoning. Then use it to create tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more!
- Toss in a pasta recipe or serve as a protein along side a box of mac and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
No, you should always use thawed chicken for safety reasons.
Strain the chicken broth using a sieve and remove all the chicken and fat bits. Take the strained chicken broth and use it in your recipes right away or freeze it.
Cooked chicken is good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or in the freezer for two months. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or freezer safe storage container.
Chicken Breast Crock Pot Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Season your chicken breast with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
- Place your chicken in your crockpot and cover them with the chicken broth.
- Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. The chicken should be cooked through, and will be sliceable.You can cook it past this point, though, it will shred instead of slice. If you want shredded chicken, you can cook for up to 8 hours.
- Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing (covered lightly with foil). Slice and serve OR place in fridge and slice later in the week when you need it.
- Strain your chicken broth using a sieve and remove all of the bits of chicken and fat. Take the strained chicken broth and use in your recipes right away or freeze.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- This recipe is specifically to use the chicken breast into other dishes, so the seasonings are very simple. Additional seasoning that can pair with lots of meals, is paprika, and thyme.
- Keep the breasts whole until you are ready to use them. Slice it just before adding it to your desired recipe. The chicken will stay moister and taste fresher if you slice as needed.
- Cooked chicken is good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or in the freezer for 2 months.
- Change things up by adding red pepper flakes, oregano, Italian seasoning or thyme to the chicken.
- If you’re making something Mexican-inspired, toss in some chili powder or cumin for extra flavor.
- Throw in some onion slices for more flavor—they taste great with the chicken and can be used in other recipes later.
- For lemon pepper chicken, just add a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of zest for a fresh, zesty vibe.
- Make this low sodium by using low sodium broth and lessen the salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Could I put them in from frozen? How long then?
All my recipes start with thawed meat, some studies suggest it isn’t safe to cook from frozen.
Love this chicken, it is versatile. Added to lemon chicken soup and made sandwiches. Will make this again.
Easy simple and delicious . Thank you.
Thank you. I finally know how to make my chicken tender and juicy. I cooked it 4 hours. Thanks.
Looks yummy
This chicken really was magical! I made the shredded version with taco seasoning for chicken tacos. Delish and super easy!
Did you cook it on low for 8 hours?
I’m saying this as for all the directions and peeping and cooking I will add one more after finished chicken so far all was very simple to do and easy to get ready for making.thank you