One of the best things about shredded chicken is how versatile it is. Toss it in soups, wraps, quesadillas. Stuff it into enchiladas or add it to pasta or salads. It’s a perfect shortcut ingredient to keep in your freezer for times when you need to whip up a meal quick. I’ve written here before about making shredded chicken on the stove top, but today we’re going to get even more hands-off by using a slow cooker.
This is the best way to make flavorful and moist shredded chicken with minimal effort. Just pop the chicken in your slow cooker, add a couple of ingredients, and let the slow cooker do its magic. All you have to do once it’s done is shred your chicken and then add it to your favorite shredded chicken recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken breasts: This recipe calls for 2-3 pounds of chicken breast, but you can cook less or more as needed. Just keep in mind that less chicken will require a shorter cooking time and more chicken will take longer. Chicken broth/water: Both chicken broth and water work here. Using chicken broth just adds a little extra flavor. Italian seasoning: This recipe just is lightly seasoned, so it can be used almost universally across dishes. Italian seasoning will give the chicken a great base flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand (and don’t want to make your own Italian seasoning), you can replace it with ½ teaspoon basil and ½ oregano.
How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Assemble your ingredients: Place your chicken in the slow cooker, add water or broth, and sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the top.
Cook: Cook your chicken until it has an internal temperature of at least 165°F, (which is about 2-3 hours on high or 3 to 6 hours on low).
Shred your chicken: Once cooked all the way through, remove your chicken from the pot, and shred using your favorite method.
Then, enjoy!
Variations
Don’t have boneless skinless chicken breasts? This recipe will work for any cut of chicken, just adjust the times slightly.
Bone-in Chicken Breasts: Cook to 165°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2-3 hours on high, 3-6 hours on low Bone-in Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low Whole Chicken: Cook until chicken breasts are at 165°F and thighs reach 175°F, 3 to 4 hours on high and 4 to 7 hours on low
How to Shred Chicken Quickly
Once your chicken is cooked, there are a ton of ways to shred chicken, but these are my favorites:
Two Forks
For this method you will need two forks. Hold one in each hand and then use one fork to anchor the chicken in place while your other fork works tearing away pieces of meat shredding them into smaller pieces.
Handheld Electric Mixer
If you have a handheld mixer, using it to shred chicken is incredibly fast and efficient. Just place your cooked chicken into a bowl, turn your mixer on to medium-low, and place the beaters against the chicken breasts. As you press the beaters into the chicken, the meat will begin to break up. Continue until your chicken is mostly shredded and the beaters no longer appear to be breaking up the chicken further. Then, use your hands to tear apart any final pieces of chicken that are too large.
Stand Mixer
This last method will shred the largest amount of chicken in the shortest amount of time. Place your chicken in the bowl of your stand mixer and attach the paddle attachment. Set your mixer to low, and slowly increase the speed to medium. Keep the speed at medium until your chicken is mostly shredded. Be sure not to overly process – there will be a few pieces of chicken that you will have to tear apart by hand.
Do I need to cover the chicken in a slow cooker with liquid?
It is typically recommended to use some liquid when cooking in a slow cooker, but you do not need to completely cover the meat in liquid. The ¾ cup called for in this recipe is plenty.
Is it better to cook chicken in the crockpot on low or high?
If you have the time for it, use the low setting. Cooking on low allows the meat to cook through more evenly, making it less likely that parts of the chicken will become overcooked.
Why is my Crockpot Chicken tough?
Even in a slow cooker, chicken breasts can still be overcooked. When that happens, the meat will begin to dry out and become less tender. To avoid this, keep an eye on the temperature of your meat and shut off your slow cooker when the chicken reaches 165-175°F. A slow cooker with a thermometer probe like the one I used in this recipe makes this very simple and easy.
Can I Cook Frozen Chicken in the Slow Cooker?
While many people will just add an extra 30 minutes to 1 hour to their cooking time and toss their chicken in frozen, the current USDA guidelines recommend using only thawed meat in your slow cooker because while thawing, the food will spend too long in the “danger zone.”
What to do with the remaining liquid in the slow cooker?
If you’re going to be storing the chicken, I like to return the shredded chicken to the cooking liquid and store it in the juices as they help keep the chicken from drying out when reheated. If you’re making rice, soup, or gravy, you can substitute the liquid for any of the water/broth in those recipes. Otherwise, you can simply discard it.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the shredded chicken tightly covered in the cooking juices for up to 4 days. Freezer: Store the chicken in its juices in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
Recipes to Use Shredded Chicken
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken and Broccoli Orzo Chicken Taco Soup Freezer Burritos
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