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Need the absolute most basic of all slow cooker chicken breast recipes ever on the planet? This is it!
Basic Slow Cooker Chicken Breast (and how to shred your chicken!)
Last week for Freezer Friday I needed a whole lot of pre-cooked chicken, and oodles of folks asked how I prepped all that chicken easily. I was prepping for week 6 of our Freezer Meal Menu Plan, which called for a whopping 7 pounds of cooked chicken (13 cups) ~ whew!
Thanks to my handy dandy crockpot though, I was able to prep all the chicken in about 5 minutes! Then I let Mrs. Potts do the rest of the work while I went about my day. (I actually have several crock pots since I do freezer cooking on a regular basis.)
It cooked on low for about 4 hours, then I let my crock pots cool down. I quickly shredded it up and all the chicken I needed for Freezer Meal prepping was done. I typically use my mixer to shred my chicken, but Amazon has this cool Chicken shredder tool too – perfect if you love kitchen gadgets!
Chicken Shredder ShredMachine – $13.99
Available in black and red!
Having shredded chicken on hand makes this pesto tortellini bake a breeze!
I batch-cook chicken in the slow cooker pretty often so it's ready to add to my favorite chicken recipes.
For instance – it's super easy to add to these dishes:
- Baked Pesto Chicken Tortellini (our family loves this one in particular)
- BEST Chicken Salad
- Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Potatoes
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crack Chicken Dip
Because this is flavored with just salt and pepper and a few basic spices – it can be used in everything from Chicken tacos to Italian pasta bakes.
Here's how to prep a whole bunch of shredded chicken so you can add lean protein to other quick recipes!
Basic Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts Recipe for Meal Prep
Slow Cooker Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 small chicken bouillon cube
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- Add chicken to the bottom of your crockpot.
- Add remaining ingredients on top of chicken.
- Cook on low 4 hours.
- Cool and shred chicken.
*NOTE: You can sub out the 1 cup water + bouillion cube for chicken broth if you have it on hand.
If you're looking for a deal on chicken for this recipe, you can get this Perdue Chicken Breast delivered right to your door!
How Long To Slow Cook Chicken Breasts:
You'll want to cook your crockpot chicken breast on low for 4 hours so they don't get too dried out.
If you're only cooking a few chicken breasts you'll need even less time in the slow cooker – about 2.5 – 3.5 hours on Low. Remember – my recipe is for 4 POUNDS of chicken breast. Adjust your cook time based on the amount of chicken you're prepping.
Don't Cook Chicken Breasts in the Slow Cooker On High
….UNLESS you're keeping an eye on them to see when they're done and placing a decent amount of butter/olive oil on them to keep them moist.
Chicken that's cooked on high in the slow cooker can dry out easily. If you cook chicken thighs however, you can probably get away with it! (They have more fat and will self-baste)
Ways to Change It Up:
Take this basic slow cooker chicken breast recipe and make your own changes so it's perfect for the meals you're planning. Here are a couple examples:
- Add taco seasoning instead of other spices if you plan to use for Mexican meals
- Use Salsa or Enchilada Sauce for the liquid instead of chicken broth
- Add Barbecue Sauce at the end for a ready-to-go meal
- Top with Butter – if you're not too worried about the fat, this will make your chicken breasts more juicy and flavorful
- Options are endless!
And Costco Fans – if you love picking up the Rotisserie Chicken don't miss our Costco Rotisserie Chicken Tip – another great way to have chicken on hand for other recipes!
It is just my hubby and I now so cooking for 2 is a little harder. I am going to go back to freezer cooking like I did when our 5 children were living at home, these are some great ideas, thank-you for sharing.
Hope you enjoy Tealady3! 🙂
Have you tried this in an instant pot?
That’s how I do mine! Completely frozen 40 mins manual then rest for 10 and release.
40 min? How much chicken? Thanks!
I use my InstaPot all the time to cook chicken breasts especially large quantities. It only takes 10 minutes and use my kitchen aid mixer to shred chicken.
Love that Gretchen! 🙂
How do you use your mixer to shred the chicken? Love this idea!
Do you do frozen? And what quantity for the 10 min? Thanks!
I do instant pot with 4 cups water and it’s zero minutes pressure even if frozen and leave on natural releases based on how many breasts.
For 1 Chicken Breast: Natural Release for 12 minutes
-For 2 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 11 minutes
-For 4 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 9 minutes
Are all of you freezer meals slow cooker meals or are some baked/stove top cooked as well?
Hi Jessica! Some are baked and/or cooked on the stovetop. I hope this helps!
Are you freezing the cooked shredded chicken in one cup increments?
Four pounds of chicken breast equals how much pulled chicken?
Hey Brenda! We got almost 2 cups of shredded chicken per lb. Hope that helps!
If chicken is frozen is 4 hours still enough time?
Hi Sherri! Mine wasn’t frozen, but most crockpots cook so fast these days! If you have a newer crockpot, 4 hours on high would likely be enough even frozen. But definitely make sure to check the temperature before shredding
if you’re unsure!
Hi Laurie,
Thank you for the instructions on cooking so much chicken at once! Such a timesaver!
One of the easiest ways to shred the chicken is using your large stand mixer (Kitchenaid). It shreds it so quickly!! (I’m sure you’ve heard this timesaver before, but in case you haven’t give it a try).
Yes! I love using my kitchenaid to shred – it’s a game changer!
I use my hand mixer – Shred while chicken is still warm. So easy
Which attachment did you like to use with your Kitchenaid mixer? I’m assuming the hook???
Great idea and won’t have to wait to shred chicken until fully cooler…so won’t leave lasting burn marks on your hands!
Take good care and love the “hints”!!
Eileen
You’ll want to use the paddle attachment Eileen! 🙂 Just turn it on low and mix until shredded ~ hope that helps!
You can also use hand mixer. It works great and only paddles to clean since you can use it in the crockpot.
Love that Joyce! 🙂 So handy!
I tried this and ended up with chicken all over my wall lol