The Best Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe (So Easy & Tender!)
This easy recipe for Crock Pot Shredded Chicken is one of my favorite crockpot chicken recipes! Crockpot Shredded Chicken is perfect for easy meal prep and can be used in a variety of main dish recipes, but the best thing is that it is freezer friendly!
Making this Simple Crockpot Chicken Recipe
Is it a slow cooker or a crock pot? What do you call this favorite, time saving small kitchen appliance? For me, I always call it a crock pot.
One of my favorite time saving methods in the kitchen is to use the crock-pot to make shredded chicken when I need it for other dishes.
In this All-Purpose Shredded Crock-Pot Chicken, chicken breasts are slow cooked with broth, leeks, carrot, celery, onion, garlic and herbs for a tender, well-flavored shredded chicken.
Learn how to make shredded crockpot chicken, pro tips for storage and freezing, and some of my favorite healthy dinners that this recipe can be used in.
My Favorite Things About this Crock Pot Shredded Chicken
5 reasons I think this Easy Slow Cooker Chicken is the best shredded chicken recipe:
- This kind of recipe is great for weekly meal prep. You can easily cook a week’s worth of tender chicken with very. little effort. Saving time is awesome!
- The recipe produces juicy chicken that is so tender it practically falls apart.
- My recipe for Crockpot Shredded Chicken has great flavor – better than a rotisserie chicken.
- Batch cooking this crock pot shredded chicken is a great way to take advantage of sale prices.
- It is so versatile and can be used in a variety of ways!
Ingredients for this Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe
This recipe calls for the following ingredients:
- Chicken Stock
- Leek
- Yellow Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Bay Leaf
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary
- Chicken Breasts
- Salt
- Black Pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this crockpot chicken with broth, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make this Easy Shredded Chicken in the Crock Pot
This recipe is pretty simple and straight forward, but here’s a quick overview of how to make shredded chicken in crockpot:
- Add the vegetables and aromatics to the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Then, add the chicken on top of the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth over top.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the herbs.
- Cook the chicken on low setting for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and fork tender.
- Remove from crock-pot and let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Drain excess liquid (reserve) and discard vegetables.
- Shred and use in a recipe.
The above is simply a quick summary of this shredded crockpot chicken recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making this Basic Crock Pot Chicken
TIP #1 – Cook time can vary depending on what size chicken you use. Larger chicken breasts will have a longer cooking time than smaller chicken breasts even if the total pounds of chicken are the same. Large chicken breasts can also be cut in half. The important thing is that the internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F.
TIP #2 – If you decide to use something other than boneless, skinless chicken breast, I recommend removing the skin before adding the chicken to the crock pot. It is a great way to make sure the flavor infuses into the meat and it cuts down on the amount of fat released into the broth.
Tip #3 – Don’t leave out the veggies and herbs. They add a lot of flavor to the chicken.
Tip #4 – Reserve the cooking liquid if you plan to freeze the chicken as this will prevent it from drying out. (see more below)
Tip #5 – The cooking liquid can be used in other recipes if you strain it first. It will add flavor to instant pot rice or quinoa cooked in the instant pot. It can also be used in soups.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken FAQs
Got questions about how to cook chicken in the crockpot? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What is the Best Chicken to use for this Shredded Crock Pot Chicken?
My favorite way to prepare this recipe is to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I think it is the easiest way because you don’t have to worry about discarding skin or bones when shredding the chicken.
However, you can use whatever type of chicken you prefer when preparing this recipe: bone in chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs, a whole chicken, etc.
Can I Make this Crockpot Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you can definitely prepare this easy shredded chicken recipe in the Instant Pot. Just make sure that you add 1 cup of broth (or water) because that is required according to Instant Pot instructions.
Cook the chicken on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release completely before opening. Then, check the temperature at the thickest portion of the chicken to make sure it is at least 165 degrees F.
If the chicken is under cooked, return the lid and cook on high pressure for another 2-3 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
Precautions: Do not touch the steam escaping because it is very hot and can burn. Do not remove the lid until all of the pressure has released.
What are the Best Ways to Shred Crock Pot Chicken?
There are several different ways to shred cooked chicken, ranging from using a hand mixer or standing electric mixer to using two forks and a cutting board.
Head over to my How to Shred Chicken Tutorial for details on all the different ways to shred this slow cooker chicken.
Should I let this Crockpot chicken cool before shredding?
After removing the crockpot chicken from the slow cooker, transfer it to a plate or cutting board and let it cool until you can handle it without burning yourself.
However, don’t let this Crockpot chicken with broth cool completely. The chicken is easier to shred when it is still warm.
Is shredded chicken the same as pulled chicken?
Yes – people often use these two terms interchangeably. If you’re looking for a recipe for pulled chicken Crockpot, this simple Crockpot chicken recipe can be used.
How to Store this Easy Crock Pot Shredded Chicken
Transfer the cooled, crockpot shredded chicken to an airtight storage container. Transfer in to the refrigerator and use within 4-5 days.
Freezing this Shredded Crockpot Chicken Recipe
This recipe is easily doubled, or even tripled if you have a larger crock pot. The chicken can be frozen in portions for later use.
Tips for Freezing this Crockpot Shredded Chicken:
- Cool the chicken completely first.
- Make sure you use a freezer-safe, airtight container if using a storage container.
- For a space constrained freezer, freeze the chicken in vacuum sealed bags. They’ll take up less space this way.
- The best way to freeze this chicken without it drying out is to package the crockpot chicken with broth together in the containers. Adding the leftover cooking broth will help prevent the juicy chicken from drying out while it is frozen.
- Label and date each frozen portion with the quantity and date.
- Use within 3 months for best results.
- Thaw the shredded chicken overnight in the refrigerator.
My Favorite Recipes to Use this Crock Pot Shredded Chicken In
I love that this shredded crockpot chicken is so versatile! You can add it to pretty much any recipe that calls for shredded chicken or already cooked chicken. It also tastes great on salads, sandwiches, pizza, and so much more!
Here are a few of my favorite recipes that you can add this crock pot shredded chicken to:
- Add this shredded chicken to hearty grain bowls like this Chicken, Beet, and Arugula Quinoa Bowl.
- Use it to make a chicken salad or chicken sandwich using this Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe.
- Add it to comfort food casseroles like this Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust.
- Use this shredded chicken in a batch of your favorite chicken soup. I like this recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
- Add it to your favorite pasta recipe. I think it would work great in this Pasta Primavera with Zucchini.
- This shredded chicken also goes great on pizza! Try this recipe for Barbecue Chicken Pizza.
- Make a panini with this crockpot shredded chicken. It tastes so good on this Chicken, Apricot, and Brie Panini!
More Crock Pot Recipes
Looking for more favorite crock pot recipes to add to your weekly meal plan? Maybe some of these suggestions will become family favorite recipes for your family like they are in ours!
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken is the perfect shredded chicken recipe for your next Mexican recipe. Packed with flavor and super tender thanks to hours in the crock pot, this recipe is sure to please!
Homemade slow cooker queso is a cinch thanks to your Slow Cooker. Crock-Pot Queso con Carne features gooey cheese combined with spicy meat, tomatoes, and plenty of tortilla chips for scooping.
Next time you’re craving Pork Carnitas, try this Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wrap version. Top it off with some fruity Mango Salsa for a fresh burst of flavor.
Spend 5 minutes prepping this Slow Cooker Apple Oatmeal the night before, and wake up to a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal that is full of fall flavor!
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more crockpot recipes.
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Crockpot Shredded Chicken
This easy recipe for Crock Pot Shredded Chicken is one of my favorite crockpot chicken recipes! Crockpot Shredded Chicken is perfect for easy meal prep and can be used in a variety of main dish recipes, but the best thing is that it is freezer friendly!
Ingredients
- 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
- 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chicken broth or bone broth
- 4 - 6 chicken breasts
- 2 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small handful fresh parsley leaves
- 1 small sprig rosemary, optional
- 2 teaspoon salt, according to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, according to taste
Instructions
To Prepare the Chicken
- Add the leek, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves to the bottom of a slow cooker. Then, add the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth over top.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the herbs.
- Cook the chicken on low setting for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and fork tender.
- Remove from crock-pot and let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Drain excess liquid and discard vegetables
- Shred or chop and use in a recipe.
Notes
Can I Make this Crockpot Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot?
Follow the recipe ingredients and preparation as instructed, but using an instant pot instead of crock pot.
Cook the chicken on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release completely before opening. Then, check the temperature at the thickest portion of the chicken to make sure it is at least 165 degrees F.
If the chicken is under cooked, return the lid and cook on high pressure for another 2-3 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
Precautions: Do not touch the steam escaping because it is very hot and can burn. Do not remove the lid until all of the pressure has released.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 69mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Try this Recipe At Home
Next time you’re preparing a recipe that requires shredded chicken, give this delicious recipe a try! When you do try it, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and give this Shredded Crock Pot Chicken a review for others to see.
Liz says
I make Italian Beef sandwiches, though a friend called them “Chicago Meat” for some reason so that’s what we call them.
1 5-6 pound beef roast
1 large jar hot pepper rings
1 can beef broth
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Throw it all in the crock-pot (juices and all) and cook for 7 -8 hours on low. Serve on rolls with cheese melted over it.
Jennie says
My favorite crock pot recipe is from my friend Alyssa. She calls it her” big ol pot of meat”.
English Roast
1 envelope of dry italian dressing mix
1 envelope of dry ranch dressing mix
can of coke
put all ingredients in crock pot and cook for 10-12 hours( the longer the better). Shred about 1/2 hour before serving placing meat back in crock pot to soak up juices.
So flavorful!
Marcie says
Love all these slow cooker recipes! This one is great, although I prefer it without the pecans:
Ingredients
1 (18.25-oz.) package German chocolate cake mix 1 (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup sour cream 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 1/4 cups milk, divided 1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels Vanilla ice cream (optional) Preparation
1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
3. Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.
Southern Living
OCTOBER 2008
Stefani says
i love mushroom chicken! so easy, especially with the crock pot (we always called it a crock pot). dad used to get everything started in the morning before work/taking us to school, and by the time we came home..dinner was ready 🙂
ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch garlic powder
bit of butter and chicken broth
1 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 onion, sliced
1. Pound chicken breasts to 1/2″ thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
2. Add chicken to crockpot, along with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 5-8 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
Lisa says
Our favorite crock pot recipe is Black Eyed Pea Soup, as featured on the following blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/12/crockpot-black-eyed-pea-soup.html
Our changes: We use a mild sage pork sausage we purchase from our local farmer, homemade stock, and stir in kale during the last 10-20 minutes of cook time. We think the kale gives the dish that last needed texture and flavor!
Krista says
Just wanted to pass along a quick tip I read several years ago that saves me so much time when shredding cooked boneless/skinless chicken. When the chicken is still warm, use your hand mixer to shred the chicken. Shreds exactly the same as shredding with forks in at least half the time!
I use a jar of salsa with b/s chicken in my crock pot and shred with my mixer. That mixture goes into all kinds of dishes, enchiladas, quesadillas, chicken tortilla soup, you name it.
Margaret Gibb says
My favorite Crockpot recipe is very, very simple.
1. Place 5-6 chicken legs in crockpot, unbrowned.
2. Pour over 1/2 little bottle of Frank’s red hot sauce.
3. Add a couple pats of butter,not too much
4. Turn on low and cook for 8 hours.
5. When finished, shred chicken and serve on rolld with “sauce” from bottom of crockpot over the top of chicken.
I am sure there are so many things that could be added to the sandwich, but I do love it just plain.
Bonnie Tanner says
I made this Crock Pot coconut chicken curry a few weeks ago and it was delicious!!!! http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-coconut-chicken-curry/
Louisa [Living Lou] says
I always call it a slow-cooker! I love having a good recipe for all purpose shredded chicken. Can be used in so many dishes.
Jenna says
This is a recipe my sister makes every year, always makes it feel as if Autumn has begun.
Autumn Stew
2 cups Potatoes, chopped and peeled
2 cups Carrots chopped
2 cups Butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 cup Mushrooms, chopped
1 cup Onion, chopped
Beef stew meat
Enough water to cover, plus one cup
1 beef bullion cube
Butter
Flour
Dried parsley flakes
Dried thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
Place potatoes, carrots onion and squash in a slow cooker. Brown beef in butter and transfer to crock-pot. Stir flour into pan drippings. Add bullion cube to 1 cup warm water and stir to dissolve. Gradually add water to pan and bring to a boil; cook about 2 minutes, until thickened. Add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper pour over beef. Cover with water and cook on low for approximately 8 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.
Lynda says
Crock-Pot is a registered brand name for the original slow cookers produced by that company. On the http://www.crock-pot.com site under “About Us,” it states that the term “crockpot” without a hyphen is a slow cooker.
I use the term “slow cooker” as much as I can remember to do that, to avoid confusion. I think the one I use the most is actually a West Bend slow cooker. I just purchased a 2-in-1 small slow cooker set, to make smaller portions as sides, dips or desserts.
Rachel says
Mmmm…. As a mom of 5 littles, I have so many favorite crock pot recipes. Guess right now it’s Stephanie’s (from crockpot365.blogspot.com) Azorean Beef Stew. It’s smells heavenly all day, and is perfect for a crisp fall evening. Thanks for this opportunity!!
Megan J says
I’ve always called it a crock-pot 🙂
Here’s my favorite crock pot recipe– make it almost every week!
Crock Pot Yogurt (adapted from the Crockpot365 blog)
Ingredients: 1/2 gallon whole milk, single serving size of plain yogurt w/ active culture (I use Dannon), 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional)
1) Put half a gallon of whole milk in the crock pot, and turn it on low for 3 hours. (you can use 2% or skim but your yogurt will be much more watery)
2) Turn off the crock pot, and leave it covered for 3 hours.
3) Scoop out 2c or so of the warm milk into a bowl. Mix in the plain yogurt and powdered milk (powdered milk just makes the yogurt thicker– closer to the consistency of store-bought yogurt). When its combined well, pour it back into the crock pot and mix everything together.
(sometimes at this point, i pour the mixture through a seive into the containers I store my yogurt in– it basically just makes the yogurt smoother and takes care of any bits that didn’t get mixed well)
4) Put the container(s) of liquid in a warm place for 8+ hours. This takes a little trial and error– some people wrap the crock pot in a towel or blanket, some put a heating pad on low over it, I put it in my oven with just the light on. The goal is to keep it around 100-110 degrees.
5) Chill it in the frig for a few hours.
If you put 1/2-1c of the yogurt in a separate container, you can use that as the “starter” for your next batch, so the only thing you’ll need to keep buying at the store is milk (and powdered milk if you want)
Jeannine says
I have always referred to it as a “crock-pot” and my favorite “crock-pot” recipe is below. Thanks!
Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can campbell’s fiesta nacho cheese soup
1 small can salsa verde
1 small can green chili’s
1 can chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1 can corn
1 can black beans
Optional toppings
Tortilla chips (broken)
diced tomatoes
sliced green onion
chopped cilantro
avocado
lime
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
In Crock Pot combine first 9 ingredients (tomato sauce through chicken breasts). Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred with fork, return to crock pot. Add corn and black beans and warm 10-15 minutes.
Serve soup with toppings as desired.
Molly Jo says
SLOW COOKER RATATOUILLE
I’m the first to admit, whenever I hear “Ratatouille” I think of Remy the Rat and Alfredo Linguini from the Disney movie. That is, in fact, what inspired my first attempt at making this dish.
This dish is super easy, super cheap, and super delicious. It can be eaten as a main dish with breadsticks, or tossed onto pasta. I add the cooked veggies onto crust and sauce for a homemade pizza. It freezes great, and reheats in the microwave. However you choose, enjoy!
VEGETABLE INGREDIENTS:
1 medium eggplant
2 medium zucchini
2 cups cut mushrooms
5 Roma tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red or yellow bell pepper
OIL INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 4 fresh pressed garlic cloves (depending on size and how much garlic you like)
1 TBSP dried Italian seasoning mix (I prefer Pampered Chef or McCormick)
Chop all vegetables and set half of each aside. Layer the first half of each in the crockpot in this order: Eggplant, zucchini, mushroom, tomato, onion, bell peppers.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pressed garlic, and Italian seasonings. Mix well. Drizzle half over the layered vegetables.
Repeat the layers of vegetables, drizzle with remaining oil mix.
Cover, and let sit on medium low for 5 or more hours, or on high for 2 hours. Stir halfway to blend juices, vegetables, and oil.
Sandra says
To answer your initial question, I’ve always heard that the actual item is a slow cooker and Crock-Pot is a trademarked name by Rival.
My favorite slow cooker recipe is:
Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients:
1 ½ pound beef tenderloin, top loin steak, top round, or stew meat
4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 2/3 cups beef broth
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
Pepper to taste
1-2 cloves garlic
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium chopped onion
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup sour cream
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Dried basil to taste (about 1 tsp.)
Egg noodles of your choice
Directions:
1. Cut beef across the grain into thin strips. Cook and stir beef, garlic, salt, pepper, and worcestershire in 2 Tbsp. butter over low heat until browned. Place in crock pot.
2. In same pan, melt remaining butter, then sauté mushroom and onions until onions are soft and mushrooms have cooked down a bit. Add to crock pot.
3. Add 1 1/3 cup beef broth to crock pot, and add ketchup, and basil. Stir well to mix flavors together.
4. Cook on low for 5 hours or until meat is thoroughly cooked and very tender.
5. In cup, whisk flour and remaining 1/3 cup beef broth until smooth. Stir into crock pot to thicken. If you like it extra thick, then use any additional broth and more flour until you get thickness you like. Remember that when you add the sour cream, it thins the sauce a little.
6. Once the sauce is thickened, add sour cream and stir to mix in completely.
7. Cook on low additional 30 minutes while you boil and prepare noodles and other side dishes.