Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
28 Comments Jan 14, 2022
Updated Oct 27, 2024
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Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is a recipe you must have in your back pocket. The shredded chicken can be used in so many recipes and can be frozen if needed.
I’ve received many emails and messages about how to make a basic crockpot shredded chicken that can be used in other recipes that call for cooked chicken. Some recipes call for boiling chicken, you can get that type of poached chicken by using your crockpot!
If you have a recipe that calls for a shredded or cut-up rotisserie chicken, this chicken will work perfectly! The chicken stays moist from the added butter (just a touch) and chicken broth, it is tender and shreds up easily.
Recipe Ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs – Four pounds will make enough shredded chicken for the entire week.
- Seasonings – We are only adding salt, pepper, garlic powder and a bay leaf. We don’t want to over power the flavor of this chicken so we can use it in a variety of cuisines.
- Chicken broth – This will keep the chicken moist as it cooks all day. You can also use slow cooker chicken stock.
- Salted butter – Adding a touch of fat will add flavor to this chicken.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place the chicken in the crockpot and add the remaining ingredients on top.
Step Two – Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. When the cooking time is up shred or dice chicken and use it in your favorite recipes.
How to shred or dice the chicken:
- My favorite way to shred chicken is with 2 forks right in the slow cooker. Drain off part of the broth before doing so.
- If you want to make a quick job of shredding, use a handheld mixer on low speed and beat the chicken, and the chicken will shred quickly.
- If you need diced chicken, place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, cut the chicken into cubes for your recipe.
How to use shredded chicken:
- Hot chicken sandwiches – pile the chicken on buns and
serve them with barbecue sauce or buffalo style. - Chicken soups – such as chicken noodle or chicken gnocchi.
- Chicken salad – Instead of shredding the chicken, make a flavorful chicken salad! The chicken is very similar in taste to poached chicken.
- Mexican meals in a snap – use the chicken in tacos, taquitos, or even enchiladas.
- Perfect for picky eaters – Have picky eaters in your family? This cooked shredded chicken is great for those picky eaters and you can use the remaining chicken in recipes for the rest of the family.
Variations
- Buffalo – Add 1 cup of buffalo sauce to the chicken AFTER cooking for a spicy kick.
- Mexican – Before cooking add one package of taco seasoning and 2 cans of Rotel tomatoes, omit the chicken broth.
- Garlic Herb – Add two minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon oregano, and one teaspoon basil at the beginning of the cooking time.
- BBQ – Add 2 cups of barbecue sauce to the shredded chicken AFTER cooking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can freeze this chicken after it has cooled down. Place the chicken in ziplock bags or Tupperware, add a bit of the broth. Adding the broth will help prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to two months. To thaw the chicken place in the fridge for 24 hours before you need it, make sure to heat thoroughly before serving.
Yes! There is plenty of room in a 6-quart crockpot to double this recipe if you want to make a very large amount of shredded chicken. Doube all the ingredients. Cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 9 hours.
If you have plenty of liquid in your crockpot you won’t have an issue overcooking the chicken, it will only get more tender with time.
Yes, if you do not have thawed chicken, frozen will work fine. If you use frozen chicken breasts be sure to keep the lid on the slow cooker the entire cook time, to ensure it cooks properly. Don’t use chicken that is extremely freezer burnt, it may have an off-taste. I cook frozen chicken breasts for 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH
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Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
How to Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, (or boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 tsp. salt, (sea salt if you have it)
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp. salted butter, (no need to melt)
- 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts (or thighs) to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, garlic powder and lay over the bay leaf and butter.
- Pour over the chicken broth.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4. If you use frozen chicken breasts, keep the lid on the entire cooking time and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- When the cooking time is done, drain off a majority of the chicken broth (save the broth if you are going to freeze the chicken), leave about a half cup in the slow cooker with the chicken. Shred the chicken with 2 forks or use a hand-held mixer and use the beaters on low speed to shred the chicken.
- Use the chicken in your favorite recipe and enjoy. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Sarah’s Notes
- Buffalo – Add 1 cup of buffalo sauce to the chicken AFTER cooking for a spicy kick.
- Mexican – Before cooking add one package of taco seasoning and 2 cans of Rotel tomatoes, omit the chicken broth.
- Garlic Herb – Add two minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon oregano and one teaspoon basil at the beginning of the cooking time.
- BBQ – Add 2 cups of barbecue sauce to the shredded chicken AFTER cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More chicken recipes here on The Magical Slow Cooker:
- Slow Cooker Seasoning Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken and Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
- Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken and Veggies
- Slow Cooker No Peek Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This is the best recipe I have found for chicken in the slow cooker. And the tip for using your stand mixer to shred it is so good! It worked perfectly. All of your tips and suggestions are great, thank you for sharing.
Use this in 4 qt crock to get the chicken shredded for my Mom’s chicken stew recipe. While the chicken is cooking in the crock, I get out the soup pot and start the vegetables. The chicken is perfect and I don’t have to fuss like I used to. Thank you!
I wanted to try this recipe. But I live in a country where you can’t find salted butter.
Will unsalted butter work?
Thank you!
Yes, unsalted butter is just fine. Add a touch of salt to taste at the end of the cooking time if needed.
I needed a dinner that was ready when i walked through the door after work, so I put two huge frozen chicken breasts and a frozen turkey thigh in the slow cooker at 6AM along with the other recipe ingredients. 5pm that evening it was perfectly delicious! A little shredding was all that was needed. I added some dried oregano to half of the chicken and we had chicken “taco/fajitas” for dinner. I froze the rest and will probably use it to make chicken soup. Thank you for a great recipe!
This is absolutely awesome! I just finished off my first packs of shredded chicken. This made cooking recipes using it so much easier! I love this. Thank you so much!
For those who would like barbecue chicken rather than pork, works well too!
Love it – freeze into small portions to use in other recipes – will save time on other recipes – makes house smell Great, without heating up whole house.
Okay. Pretty sure you just changed my life. I made this today. I made two 2.5 lb chicken tenderloin packs. It actually took 5 minutes to put together and it was just waiting there for me when I got home. I could barely bring it from the pot to the cutting board before it basically shredded itself. I HATE prepping and cooking chicken for a meal, this made me feel like I was cheating! Thank you for this simple life hack!
YAY! So great to hear. Thank you for letting me know.
My daughter tried this today. Couldnt believe how easy was to do and how moist. Thanks for sharing.
I do this quite often but adding the butter is a nice touch to keep it moist! Enjoying your recipes!