This tender, juicy, and flavourful shredded chicken is so versatile that it can be used in many ways; it’s well worth making and having on hand for sandwiches, wraps, dinners, and just about anything you can think of!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
- It’s so easy and mostly a hands-off recipe; the slow cooker does all the work!
- Very versatile! Throw it into whatever your heart desires.
- It freezes and thaws beautifully.
LOOKING FOR IDEAS TO USE SHREDDED CHICKEN?
- Homemade Mini Pizzas
- Add to Fried Rice
- Hawaiian pizza scrolls
- Sandwiches
- Fresh or toasted wraps
- Pasta dishes
- Chicken salad
- Pizzas
- Chicken tacos, the list is endless!!!
INGREDIENTS:
- Chicken breast, we have used 4 large chicken breasts this time, but you can add as many as you like.
- Garlic powder
- Salt, we used sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Sweet paprika
- Onion powder
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER SHREDDED CHICKEN:
- Place whole chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
- Add all seasoning ingredients to a small bowl and mix.
- Spoon the seasonings over the top of the raw chicken breasts.
- Place the lid on and turn on high for 3-4 hours. Or cook on low for 6-8 hours. Depending on your slow cooker. The sunbeam one I have seems to run a little hotter on high and low compared to the last one I had. So just check and see if it’s cooked; if not, keep cooking.
- Once cooked, either shred with two forks on a plate, or if you have a KitchenAid stand mixer or similar, place 2 chicken breasts in the bowl at a time and, using the steel mixing paddle, turn on speed 1 for about 20 seconds, or until shredded to your liking.
- OPTIONS: You can either use it as is in any recipe, or add the shredded chicken back into your slow cooker to add all those beautiful flavours and some of the liquid back in. See how much liquid your chicken has left in the slow cooker and decide which option you’d like to use, depending on what you will be using it for. You will likely need to take some liquid out of the slow cooker if there’s too much, and the chicken may become too soggy.
VARIATIONS:
- You can add as many or as few chicken breasts as you like. I have filled my slow cooker up most of the way before, and it works perfectly. The only thing I would suggest is to move them all around halfway through cooking, as the bottom and sides of the slow cooker naturally cook the chicken quicker, and the inside doesn’t get as much of a chance to cook if it’s too full. This fixes that issue, also it prevents the chicken from getting too tough.
- Add any seasonings your heart desires. Add just salt and pepper if you like, or none at all and season when cooking with the shredded chicken.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Slow cooker
- Small mixing bowl and spoon
- A KitchenAid stand mixer and steel mixing paddle OR
- Two forks to shred by hand
- Measuring spoons
TIPS:
- Make sure to turn at least once, halfway through the cooking time, if you have loaded up the slow cooker full of chicken breasts.
- Place portions you may need for lunches or dinners in a flattened zip-lock bag or an airtight container for future meals.
- Shred whilst still hot, as it pulls apart alot easier.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
On high for 3-4 hours OR low for 6-8 hours. Every slow cooker is a little different, so keep an eye on it and check if it can be pulled apart easily with two forks or cut the middle of the larger ones with a knife. Continue cooking if needed until done.
Make sure not to overcook it. If cooking on high, make sure to turn the chicken halfway through cooking so all the chicken has a chance to cook evenly and not become tough. Adding some of the cooking liquid to the chicken before shredding keeps all the lovely flavours together and adds delicious moisture to the chicken.
Always when it is hot. It’s far easier to shred warm or hot chicken as it falls apart more easily.
Shredded chicken will last for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months, in an airtight container or sealed ziplock bags with the air squeezed out. This thaws beautifully overnight in the fridge, ready to use.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a star review and comment on how you used it! Thanks!
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Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Total Time: 3-4 hours
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, High-Protein
Description
This tender, juicy, and flavorful shredded chicken is so versatile that it can be used in many ways; it’s well worth making and having on hand for sandwiches, wraps, dinners, and just about anything you think of!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place whole chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
- Add all seasoning ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
- Spoon the mixed seasonings over the top of the raw chicken breasts.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Once cooked, either shred with two forks on a plate, or if you have a KitchenAid stand mixer or the like, place two chicken breasts in the bowl at a time and, using the steel mixing paddle, turn on speed 1 for about 20 seconds, or until shredded to your liking.
Notes
- Cooking time can depend on your slow cooker, as some run hotter than others. Check at the 3-hour mark for high or the 6-hour mark for low, and cook longer as needed. I have cooked four large chicken breasts here, on high, and they were cooked in 3 hours and 15 minutes, turning the chicken breasts 2 hours into the cooking time.
- Shred whilst still hot or warm, as it pulls apart more easily.
- Add some of the juices to the plate/bowl to keep some flavour and moisture in the chicken.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Slow cooker
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American