Sugar Spun Run

Sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes

Join My Facebook Page Follow Me on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
    • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Savory / Kitchen Tips: Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Kitchen Tips: Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

February 17, 2018 Updated March 25, 2020 BySam 24 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Slow Cooker Shredded chicken

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is the easiest way to shred chicken at home.  Just set it in your slow cooker or Crock Pot with a bit of broth and some spices for a few hours and it will shred into the juiciest, most tender chicken ever! This simple recipe is a great starting point for some of my other favorite recipes, like my buffalo chicken dip! 

A bowl of shredded chicken

OK I get it.  Shredded chicken is not very glamorous.

There’s no frosting, no sprinkles, no chocolate chips, and certainly no sugar.  Why are we even talking about this again?

Because knowing how to easily shred chicken is a kitchen staple, and while it may be lacking in sugar, there’s a reason I want to share it with you today. It’s because I’ve made this “recipe” no less than ten times in the past two weeks.  Seriously.

I’ve been working on a handful of savory recipes — some personal dinnertime and party favorites that I have held back from sharing for so long (stay tuned for my white chicken chili and chicken tortilla soup!) — and many of them call for shredded chicken.  Rather than insist that you buy and shred a rotisserie chicken or leave you wondering about the best way to shred your chicken at home, I thought it might be best if I just provide a recipe for this.

Chicken breast in the slow cooker with chicken broth and spices

Don’t worry, this recipe is as short and sweet as they come, I promise.

How to make shredded chicken

  1. Place chicken breast, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and spices in the basin of a crock pot.
  2. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
  3. Remove chicken breast and use two forks to shred.

Doesn’t get much easier than that, does it? Very similar to my easy BBQ pulled chicken recipe!

Can you overcook chicken in the slow cooker?

Yes, it is possible!  If the meat is cooked too long it could end up dry and not juicy and tender. The recommended times in my recipe are ideal for juicy results, but if you use less chicken than the recipe calls for I would recommend checking it sooner.

Can I use frozen chicken?

I’ll admit, I used to frequently use frozen chicken in my slow cooker. However, as per food safety guidelines, frozen chicken breast should be thawed before being cooked in a slow cooker and you should not cook chicken breast in the slow cooker from frozen.

Shredding a chicken breast with two forks

I’ve used this recipe in my homemade chicken pot pie (and as a substitute in my turkey pot pie), my buffalo chicken mac and cheese, and in so many other easy recipes.

Alright, I hope you don’t mind the brief break from the sugar.  If you have any other kitchen tips you’d like me to write about, please leave them in the comments!

Shredded chicken in bowl

Crock Pot Shredded Chicken

How to make shredded chicken in your slow cooker.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shredded chicken, slow cooker shredded chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 3 lbs
Calories: 525kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast¹ (1.4kg)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (235ml)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in the basin of your slow-cooker.
  • Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
  • Chicken is finished when internal temperature has reached 165F (75C) and it can easily be shredded with a pair of forks.  Remove chicken from crockpot and use two forks to easily pull apart and shred chicken.

Notes

¹As per food safety guidelines, frozen chicken breast should be thawed before being cooked in a slow cooker and you should not cook chicken breast from frozen.
This recipe can be scaled to make more (or less) shredded chicken.
Cooked shredded chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.  It may be frozen for several months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup shredded chicken | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 97g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 290mg | Sodium: 1395mg | Potassium: 1741mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

A cutting board loaded with juicy shredded chicken

Filed Under: Kitchen Tips, Savory

Related Posts

  • Pulled Chicken (Crock Pot BBQ Chicken)
Previous Post Kitchen Tips: Easy Oreo Crust Recipe
Next Post Dessert Bowls

Comments

  1. Pam says

    August 1, 2020 at 8:05 am

    Tip for shredding boneless chicken: use a hand mixer instead of killing your fingers! It literally takes about 30 seconds!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      August 1, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      Thanks for sharing, Pam! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Norman Epperson says

    July 8, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    I have not tried this method yet but as all your recipes are great I am sure it will be a success. I normally take whatever chicken is left over from family cookouts or dinner and debone it and chop it up to make chicken salad or pulled chicken (I can’t wait to try your version) but although my chicken salad is tasty the following day the mayonnaise has bled out and the salad is watery. I have just figured out how to stop that from happening. Once I have removed the chicken from the bone I do a coarse cut to make it easier to process in the blender until it is finely chopped. Then I mix with the relish and mayo and any other items that are good to me like onion (which I put in the blender with the cut chicken) and there’s no bleed out even a week later. It even has the same texture as store bought.

    Reply
    • Sam says

      July 9, 2020 at 10:13 am

      Thank you so much for the tips, Norman! I hope you love the chicken. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Ashley says

    April 28, 2020 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    Turned out excellent!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      April 28, 2020 at 9:54 am

      I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Ashley! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Christene says

    March 24, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Please, please do not put frozen chicken in a slow cooker. The meat does not get to a safe temperature quick enough and becomes a bacteria breeding ground. I use my slow cooker 5/7 days of the week and love a good shredded chicken but it absolutely must be thawed beforehand

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      March 25, 2020 at 7:51 pm

      Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention, Christene. I have updated the post to reflect this. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Christy McBrayer says

    December 1, 2019 at 12:07 am

    5 stars
    Hi Sam! Have you tried shredding chicken with your stand mixer? It will change your life! You can add cooked chicken breasts (boiled, sautéed, baked, etc) 3 breasts at a time. Use your paddle attachment and run for 1 minute to 1 1/2 minutes and it will shred it better than using forks. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 1, 2019 at 7:53 am

      Hi, Christy! I have heard such great things about this method, Christy, but haven’t actually tried it yet. I will have to for sure next time. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Hye K. says

    January 11, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Hi Sam,
    I’ve only discovered your website couple months ago but I have already made few recipes and have thorough enjoyed reading and watching new videos.

    I just joined Instant Pot community and I am learning to use it instead of slow cooker. Have you tried cooking his chicken in instant pot? If yes do you have recommended cooking time?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 11, 2019 at 4:53 pm

      I have not tried using an instant pot. I actually don’t even own one. Sorry. 🙁

      Reply
  7. Elizabeth says

    February 19, 2018 at 9:17 am

    5 stars
    Such an easy to make recipe. I think this is perfect as additional ingredient for salads or spreads. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Pat says

    February 17, 2018 at 11:29 pm

    Yummy and unusual Sam

    About 2/3 of the way into cooking this chicken, add additional broth if needed and sauerkraut. Cook together until the chicken is soft enough to shred and then spooned the chicken, kraut and broth over mashed potatoes. You will now have to begin calling this sweetkraut.

    I love it and so do people who have avoided kraut in the past. Hugs, Pat

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 26, 2018 at 10:41 pm

      This actually sounds really good! Looking forward to trying it out, thanks Pat!! <3

      Reply
  9. Lynn says

    February 17, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    Salted or unsalted chicken broth?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 17, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      Either would be fine. I used regular/not low sodium chicken broth

      Reply
  10. Kathy says

    February 17, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    Love this idea! Thank you!

    Reply
  11. Julie Bass says

    February 17, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Needed something for dinner so your email came at the perfect time. Just finished shredding it and the whole house smells amazing. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 17, 2018 at 5:27 pm

      So glad to hear this! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you, Julie!! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Anne says

    February 17, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this post! I have a little that’s a picky eater and I bet she will eat this. Also love the whole blog. So many good recipes. I alway open and read your emails.

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 17, 2018 at 5:27 pm

      I’m so glad it is helpful! Thank you so much for reading, Anne! I appreciate it! <3

      Reply
  13. debbie says

    February 17, 2018 at 12:09 pm

    boneless or bone -in chicken breast?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      February 17, 2018 at 12:14 pm

      I used boneless/skinless and that’s what I’d recommend. I don’t think that bone-in would be a problem, though, just a bit more difficult to shred and you’d have to pick out the bones and pieces.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

Most Popular

flaky biscuit on white cloth

Easy Homemade Biscuits

Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

Slice of yellow cake with chocolate icing on white plate

The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

stack of 5 chocolate chip cookies

The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slice of cheesecake

The Best Cheesecake Recipe

Potato soup in bowl, with toppings

The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

Best Holiday Recipes!

christmas sugar cookie decorated with icing on white plate

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe (With Icing!)

Stack of decorated gingerbread cookie men on plate

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Gingerbread slice with whipped topping

Gingerbread

cookies dipped in chocolate on marble surface

Butter Cookies

Peppermint bark fudge stacked

Peppermint Bark Fudge

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Never miss a recipe!

places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)

Copyright © 2021 · Sugar Spun Run

Privacy Policy|Accessibility Statement