Crock Pot Shredded Chicken is one of the easiest ways to make tender, juicy chicken for busy weeknights and budget-friendly meal prep. With just a few simple ingredients and minutes of prep, you’ll have flavorful shredded chicken ready for tacos, salads, casseroles, and more.
This family-tested recipe is perfect for making ahead so dinner is faster, easier, and more affordable all week long.
I love to keep shredded chicken on hand. It is so convenient for quick meals during the week. The possibilities are really endless for the meals you can make with it.
We recently made instant pot shredded chicken and it was a huge success. I thought I would try using the crock pot this time. The results? Perfectly tender chicken packed with flavor! The secret is the chicken broth and the flavor is so yummy. I think it gives it a ton more flavor than using water. If you love this recipe, make sure to also check out Rotisserie Chicken or Crockpot Whole Chicken.
Be sure to explore our Crock Pot Dinners for Busy Nights Series for more simple, family-friendly recipes.
Why Make Shredded Chicken in the Crock-Pot?
Slow cooking is the easiest, most hands-off way to transform plain chicken into juicy, shredded strands that soak up any flavor you add later. We love to make a big batch to meal prep for the week.
Toss everything in before work, come home to perfectly cooked chicken, and shred it for tacos, casseroles, soups, pizzas, sandwiches, or week-long meal prep bowls.
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless works best for easy shredding. You can also use skinless chicken thighs for a more budget-friendly option.
- Chicken Broth – Adds flavor while cooking. You can substitute with water + bouillon if needed.
- Salt and pepper – Simple seasoning, but you can easily customize later depending on your meal.
Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe.
How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Crockpot
Step 1 – Place chicken breasts in a crock pot.
Step 2 – Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken. Next, pour the chicken broth all over the top.
Step 3 – Put the lid on and let the chicken cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Step 4 – Once the chicken has finished cooking, take it out of the crock pot. Shred and put back in the slow cooker to soak up the juices.
How to Shred Chicken
You can use 2 forks to easily shred the chicken. The meat is super tender and this is really easy. I also like to use my stand mixer. This is a little trick I learned to quickly and easily shred large quantities of chicken.
If you haven’t tried it, it is so easy. You can learn how to shred chicken with a mixer. This is my preferred method if I am cooking a lot of chicken. It is so fast and I also like the texture of the chicken.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook – chicken can dry out if left too long
- Shred while warm for easiest texture
- Return to juices after shredding for more flavor
- Use a mixer for large batches to save time
- Add seasoning after cooking if using for multiple recipes
Variations and Additions
- Onions – Often times I will add in freshly sliced onions for amazing flavor. You can also use ½ tablespoon of onion powder.
- Spices – Add in these seasoning to the chicken while cooking for a delicious variation. Add in 2 tbsp of taco seasoning or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, oregano or paprika.
- Sauce – We love to add in ½ cup of BBQ Sauce for delicious flavor.
Recipes to Use Shredded Chicken
- Chicken Taquitos – This recipe is even easier since you have the shredded chicken ready to go.
- Tacos- Shredded Chicken tacos with all of the toppings are a favorite around here. Baked Chicken Tacos are also a hit and so easy topped with Homemade Salsa Recipe.
- Sliders- The chicken is perfect to make Balsamic Chicken Caprese Sliders, Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Appetizers- Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups are packed with flavor and so easy. Check out more Mini Crock Pot Recipes for all your appetizer recipes.
- Chicken Pot Pie- the best comfort food.
- Crack Chicken– This is yummy over pasta, on a sandwich or alone.
- Mexican Chicken Soup– Perfect for when you are craving soup and a great way to stretch your meat budget!
- Green Enchilada Chicken Soup – Perfect for busy weeknights.
- Salad- Top your favorite salad with chicken for added protein. We love this Easy Caesar Salad Recipe.
- Pizza- My family loves BBQ Chicken Pizza and Buffalo Chicken Pizza. You can use flatbread from the grocery store to make this so easy.
- Also check out What to Make with Shredded Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken in the slow cooker. Cooking time will not change. Just make sure internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees before removing from the slow cooker.
Use broth instead of water and add seasoning or sauces based on how you plan to use it.
We like cooking chicken on low but the chicken still comes out tender and juicy by cooking on high.
1 pound of chicken typically makes about 2 to 2½ cups of shredded chicken.
Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breast and your slow cooker. If cooking the chicken breast on low, the chicken is ready in about 6 hours. If you decide to cook on high the chicken will be ready in about 3 hours.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Fridge – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator. We like to store in the liquid to keep the chicken juicy.
- Freezer – The easiest way to freeze the shredded chicken is to do it in serving sizes you will use for recipes. I like to divide it by the cups and freeze. Shredded chicken will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to serve.
- Reheat – Microwave with a splash of broth or sauce, or warm in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop.
More Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
If you make Crockpot Shredded Chicken to meal prep for the week, let us know by leaving a comment or a star review! We are always excited to hear what recipes you make with this shredded chicken.
Crock Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Chicken Breasts approximately 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Place 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of a crock pot.
- Pour 1 cup chicken broth over the chicken and sprinkle 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken, shred with 2 forks and return the chicken to the crock pot.
Can you freeze the cooked Chicken for future meals?
Tara – Yes this chicken freezes great in the cooked form!
What a great idea. This will save time and money on other meals. Thanks
Yes I agree Debbie! If you try it out, please come back and let me know what you think!
I’ve done this before it makes so many different meals and the chicken is delicious!
Joann – I’m so glad you love it! We agree that it is perfect for meal planning and lots of meals!
I do my chicken like this to do quick casseroles. I looked for the recipes you spoke about on your video but couldn’t find them. Could you email me several recipes I could use. Thank you!
Sorry about that John! Here are a few of my favorites that I hope you try out! Ultimate Chicken Casserole, Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, Ritz Chicken Casserole , Chicken Tater Tot Casserole and King Ranch Chicken Casserole. I hope you try these out and let me know what you think!