Crockpot Shredded Chicken

You’re only a few steps away from making your own tender Crockpot Shredded Chicken! You can use this juicy chicken as a make-ahead ingredient for barbecue chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, chicken casseroles, chicken soup and meal prep.

Ingredients to Make Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe

I’m an avid Costco fan. It would be a rarity for me to leave there without a rotisserie chicken. That being said, I don’t go every week and love to make my own shredded chicken at home using my slow cooker. The chicken breasts are super tender and juicy cooked in a crockpot, and I love having ingredients cooked and ready to transform into a round two meal. Ingredients you’ll need to make easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Liquid – Low sodium chicken stock or chicken broth adds moisture and forms the cooking liquid.
Oil – Olive oil adds flavor and helps the spices adhere to the chicken.
Seasonings – Granulated garlic or garlic powder, seasoned salt, black pepper and onion powder.

how-do-you-make-shredded-chicken-in-a-crockpot

How to Make the BEST Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe

Prepare the Crockpot: Pour chicken stock into a crockpot sprayed with cooking spray.
Prepare the Chicken Breasts: Drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil. Season the chicken breasts on all sides with granulated garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper and onion powder.
Transfer to the Crockpot: Arrange chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Cover and Cook: Lock the lid in place and cook per the cook time in the recipe.
Shred the Chicken: Remove chicken to a platter. Use two forks to shred.
Serve: Use this shredded chicken for recipes that call for chopped or pulled chicken such as chicken BBQ, turn it into Mexican shredded chicken for tacos and burritos, in soup, casseroles, sandwiches etc.

Tips for Making Crockpot Shredded Chicken Recipe

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: Large 6 quart slow cooker, measuring cups, measuring spoons, forks and platter.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can season the chicken breasts one day in advance, cover and chill to expedite assembly.
Alternate Shredding Option: You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer on low speed fitted with the paddle attachment to shred the entire batch of chicken. When doing so, drain the cooking liquid and strain it to be used in another recipe for a future meal. Pop it into the freezer and store it for up to 3 months.
How to Use Crockpot Shredded Chicken: The sky’s the limit for using this juicy chicken. We love this shredded chicken in enchiladas, tacos, chicken casseroles, mixed with barbecue sauce for BBQ chicken sandwiches, in dips, chicken soup, turned into chicken salad in addition to many more uses.

Recipe Variations

Chicken Breast Substitution: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts.
Spices: You can use any prepared rotisserie chicken seasoning or dry rub of your choice for this recipe. Be generous, it’s directly related to the flavor of the pulled chicken.
Protein: You can also use this recipe to cook turkey breasts. Bone-in turkey breast will take longer to cook. See my recipe for Slow Cooked Turkey Breast to see how.
Herbs: You could add fresh herbs such as rosemary, tarragon, cilantro, thyme or bay leaves to expand the flavor profile.

Storage and Leftovers

Storage: Store leftover Crockpot Shredded Chicken in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the microwave or in a large skillet over medium heat.
Serve: Add cold to casseroles, turn into chicken barbecue, soups, stews and salads.
Freezing: Store Shredded Chicken in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 2 months.

More Easy Crockpot Recipes to Make

Crockpot Chili for game day and casual dining.
My Crockpot Chicken and Rice is a one dish meal.
Homemade Crockpot Barbecue Pork and Beans are a game changer.
Cheesy Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese is a lifesaver on busy oven days.
Crockpot Pulled Chicken Tacos make an easy homemade fiesta.
Crockpot Chicken and Dressing is comfort food made easy.
Easy Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Crockpot Italian Meatball Tortellini Soup from Recipes that Crock.

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