If you’re a mom working 9-5 like me (or heck, a busy college student—I still remember those days!), you know how much of a lifesaver meal prep can be. This Shredded Chicken recipe done in the crockpot is a serious time saver and the perfect recipe to use in a million different ways. Shred the juicy chicken and add BBQ sauce to part of the batch, then use the rest for chicken salad or tacos! You catch my drift…versatility, minimal dishes, and a bargain at the checkout line? That’s a win in my family!
Weeknights in my house can be a scramble at times (and not the fun breakfast kind). That’s why I love using my slow cooker to make a big batch of shredded chicken for my family. I can toss everything in and have juicy, flavorful chicken that’s basically ready to go in just a few hours. It’s the kind of recipe that makes meal prep feel doable, even when life’s chaotic.
I’ll portion it out for lunches, throw some into quesadillas, or stir it into a quick pasta dish when I’m too tired to think. One batch of shredded chicken with endless options? It’s the kind of dinnertime shortcut that helps keep my week running smoothly!
Chicken breast works great in this recipe because it shreds beautifully after slow cooking. It always comes out tender, juicy, and easy to pull apart with two forks. That said, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if that’s what you’ve got on hand! They’ll just have a slightly different texture as chicken thighs are higher in fat compared to chicken breast, which is leaner.
Frozen chicken breasts will work, too, but make sure it’s fully thawed in the fridge first. Cooking frozen chicken in a slow cooker isn’t recommended, as it can take too long to reach a safe temperature.
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Gather all of your ingredients.
Season the chicken: Drizzle 3.5-4 lbs chicken breasts with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then rub them with the 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1 tsp garlic powder.
Cook the chicken: Place the seasoned chicken into your slow cooker and pour over 2 cups chicken broth. Now, cook on high in your crockpot for 4 hours.
Shred the chicken: Remove the slow-cooked chicken from your crockpot and place it in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
Add some broth (optional): If you want to, you can spoon some of the chicken broth from the crockpot onto your pulled chicken. This can help keep it moist during storage, but I find soaking it in that much liquid after cooking can make the chicken mushy. However, you should absolutely freeze the chicken broth for future recipes!
Serve: You can either serve your shredded chicken warm in the crockpot or let it cool and add it to salads. You can use it however you like, and it’s absolutely perfect for meal prepping!
When I’ve got a container of this shredded chicken in the fridge, I know dinner’s already halfway done. Here are a few ways you can use this simple, flavorful chicken to make mealtime quicker, easier, and a lot more delicious:
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can serve this crockpot shredded chicken cold on salads, or warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop. I like to add a splash of reserved chicken broth while reheating to keep it from drying out. You can also freeze the shredded chicken and broth (store them separately) for up to 3 months. Just let the chicken thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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