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Got some chicken and a Crockpot? Dive into this super easy and adaptable way to make shredded chicken!
This chicken has been seasoned and slows cooked all day, and it’s ready to use in your favorite wraps, tacos, or casseroles.
You may even freeze it for later use!
How to Shred Chicken in the Slow Cooker
This Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is easy to make, delicious, and a great way to get meals ready for the week ahead!
To shred chicken, follow these steps:
Because it shreds fast and easily, many people choose to make shredded chicken with an electric mixer or stand mixer.
●This is an excellent technique, but honestly? All you’ll need is a handful of forks.
●It doesn’t take that long, and use as few dishes as possible.
●After cooking low and slow, this slow cooker shredded chicken comes together with little effort.
Ingredients
●4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
●3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt (I use Lawry’s) 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
●1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
●1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
1.In a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker, place the chicken breasts. Seasonings should be sprinkled on top of the chicken broth.
2.Cook for 6-7 hours on low or 3 hours on high, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart tender (165 degrees F minimum).
3.With two forks, gently pull and shred the chicken in the liquid (if your chicken has released a lot of liquid, you may want to remove some liquid before shredding, but save it in case you want to add more back in).
4.Serve right away or set aside to cool slightly before chilling. Cooked chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if tightly wrapped, or freezer for 3-4 months if packaged and frozen.
Preparation Tips:
1.Do not overcook the food: It’s tempting to cook the chicken for a long time in the hopes of softening it, but this isn’t always the case. You’ll want to strike a balance between “just enough” and “dry and unappealing.” Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal. To keep this crockpot shredded chicken entrée as simple as possible.
2.Avoid dealing with skin and bones: Compared to chicken breasts, thighs have more fat (and flavor!) and moisture. Chicken breasts are lighter than chicken thighs, but they lack the flavor. You can utilize either one or both, or a mixture of both. Chicken breasts are popular because they are usually juicy and tasty.
3.Understand your slow cooker: Use a 2.5-quart slow cooker to cook 4 chicken breasts, like in this recipe, because it’s the correct size and cooks quickly. You’ll probably want to use a 4-6 quart crockpot if you’re cooking more chicken. Please keep in mind that if your crockpot is nearly full, heating and cooking will take longer.
4.Keep the seasoning to a minimum: You don’t want a week’s worth of single-purpose chicken (unless you want to! ), so keep the spice on this slow cooker shredded chicken simple so you can use it in a variety of ways. It doesn’t scream “Mexican!” “Italian!” “Curry!” or “Mexican!”
Nutritional Facts
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Storage & Freezing
1.To keep. Refrigerate the shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
2.To heat up again. Rewarm plain shredded chicken in the microwave until hot, adding a splash of water or chicken broth to prevent it from drying out. If you’re serving your chicken with sauce, you may reheat it in the sauce on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
3.To get frozen. Shredded chicken may be stored in an airtight freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Cook Chicken in a Slow Cooker!
Whatever type of slow cooker chicken supper you have planned for the week, it will be both easy and tasty.
And, to top it all off, here are seven tricks I usually use!
1.Warm up your slow cooker: While preheating your slow cooker is generally beneficial, it is especially vital when adding seared chicken or sautéed aromatics. When you place hot ingredients in a cold slow cooker, everything needs to heat up again, which might add 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
2.First, sear the chicken: With very few exceptions (shredded chicken and poaching spring to mind), searing chicken in a hot pan on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker is always recommended. In most cases, simply one side of the bird will be enough. Not only does the deep sear give the meat a nice crust, but it also gives it a nice flavor.
It not only gives a beautiful color, but it also adds a deeper, richer flavor that the slow cooker alone cannot create.
3.Cook the chicken over a potato bed: For a couple of reasons, adding a bed of potato pieces or small young potatoes to the bottom of the slow cooker is a great idea. To begin, this quickly transforms any chicken recipe into a one-pot meal. It also comes with the assurance that the potato side will be flavorful, as they will soak up the fat and fluids from the chicken. It’s a dinnertime victory for everyone.
4.Save slow cooker chicken recipes for later: Slow cooker chicken meals are best held for weekend evenings, meal prep time, or when you can start super early. Because the meat is so lean, chicken isn’t suitable for slow cooker dishes that require an all-day simmer period. Saving slow cooker chicken meals for later is a simple technique to ensure that your food is at its finest and not overdone.
5.Do not add the sauce at the end of the cooking time: The meat soaks up the taste of all the ingredients it’s cooked with, which is part of the beauty of any slow cooker chicken meal. That’s why, if there’s a sauce or a garnish on the table,
6.Take note of the time: On that point, if you’re cooking chicken in the slow cooker, keep an eye on the clock or set a timer. Many recipes are only a couple of hours long. When chicken is cooked for an extended period, even in a slow cooker, it loses its tempting moist bite and becomes very dry.
7.Bring on the lemon, but only when necessary: A dash of something acidic, such as lemon juice, is a fantastic way to liven up any slow cooker meal. If you want to give your chicken supper an extra pop of flavor, keep the squeeze of lemon till the finish of cooking so it shines out and doesn’t become muffled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to use a slow cooker to cook raw chicken?
That’s how you get started.
In the bottom of your slow cooker, place uncooked chicken.
As you like: boneless, skinless chicken breasts since they are simpler to work with when cooked, but any raw chicken will do.
Is there such a thing as overcooked shredded chicken?
Yes, it is conceivable!
If the meat is overcooked, it will become dry, not juicy, and tender.
The timeframes in my recipe are great for juicy results, but if you use less chicken than the recipe asks for.
.How long does chicken take to cook in a microwave?
Combine the chicken, stock, broth, or water in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
Prepare the chicken.
Cook, covered, for 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH, or until the chicken is cooked and registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
Is browning the chicken before slow cooking necessary?
Many people prefer to brown or sear chicken first, even though it is supposed to be cooked slowly from raw.
This can help to retain moisture, save cooking time, or simply improve the food’s overall appearance.
When cooking chicken, keep in mind that a lot of liquid will be emitted.
.Why does the chicken dry out in the slow cooker?
Because chicken breasts contain relatively little connective tissue, they may be cooked fast because the extended cooking time required to soften connective tissue is not required.
They also have a low-fat content, which means they might become dry if cooked over an extended period.
So there you have it, the science behind it.
.In a slow cooker, how do you keep the chicken from falling apart?
When I cook a full chicken in the slow cooker, some don’t use any liquid at all.
If your finished dish is overly watery, remove the cover and cook on high for about an hour.
This will enable some of the moisture in the sauce to evaporate, thickening it.
Is it necessary to fry the chicken before putting it in the slow cooker?
First, sear the chicken.
With very few exceptions (shredded chicken and poaching spring to mind), searing chicken in a hot pan on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker is always recommended.
And, in most cases, only one side of the bird will be enough.
.Conclusion
.What should you do with it now that it’s been shredded?
You can use it to make BBQ chicken sliders by tossing them with a little barbeque sauce.
You may also prepare a delicious chicken salad or tacos using chicken tinga.
You may also keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Have fun in the kitchen!
Shredded Chicken in the Crockpot
This Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is easy to make, delicious, and a great way to get meals ready for the week ahead!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 7 hours hrs
Total Time 7 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5
Calories 158 kcal
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker, place the chicken breasts.
Seasonings should be sprinkled on top of the chicken broth.
Cook for 6-7 hours on low or 3 hours on high, or until chicken is cooked through and falls apart tender (165 degrees F minimum).
With two forks, gently pull and shred the chicken in the liquid (if your chicken has released a lot of liquid, you may want to remove some liquid before shredding, but save it in case you want to add more back in).
Serve right away or set aside to cool slightly before chilling.
Cooked chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if tightly wrapped, or freezer for 3-4 months if packaged and frozen.
Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 19gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 493mgPotassium: 207mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 79IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Shredded Chicken in the Crockpot
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