Crockpot Shredded Chicken: The Easiest Meal Prep Staple

This crockpot shredded chicken is the meal prep basic I always keep on repeat, because a handful of simple seasonings turns plain chicken breasts into juicy, tender shredded chicken with almost no effort. The crockpot does all the work, cooking the chicken low and slow until it pulls apart easily with two forks, and you end up with a big batch ready to use in whatever you are craving that week. Pile it into tacos, stir it into a chicken salad, tuck it into sandwiches, or add it to soups and casseroles, since this shredded chicken is flavorful enough to eat on its own but neutral enough to work in almost any recipe. It also freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch on a Sunday and have dinner half done for busy nights ahead. Once you see how easy this crockpot shredded chicken is, it may just become your new go to for weekly meal prep.

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Why this is the best Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipe

It's incredibly easy. Crockpot shredded chicken is one of those recipes that does most of the work for you. Add the chicken and seasonings to the slow cooker, let everything cook, and shred the tender chicken when it's done.

Crockpot shredded chicken uses simple ingredients. You don't need a long grocery list or anything unusual to make flavorful shredded chicken. A few basic seasonings turn plain chicken into a versatile staple you can use all week.

Crockpot shredded chicken is ideal for meal prep. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and portion it out for lunches and dinners. Having cooked chicken ready to go makes busy nights significantly easier.

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You can use shredded chicken in almost anything. Add the shredded chicken to tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, sandwiches, wraps, soups, casseroles, pasta, rice bowls, and more. Keeping the seasoning fairly simple means you can give the chicken a completely different flavor depending on how you use it.

The slow cooker keeps the chicken tender and juicy. Low, gentle cooking makes the chicken easy to shred and helps prevent the dry, rubbery texture you can get from overcooked chicken.

What you'll need to make the best Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipe

Equipment

• Crock pot
• Instant read thermometer - I use this thing every single time I cook any kind of meat or poultry. It can go right in the crockpot, and it tells me when my chicken breasts are done, often well before the recommended time in any recipe. Chicken is not like beef, where it gets more tender the longer it cooks. Chicken breasts get dry and tough when overcooked, even when cooked in a rich sauce like this one.
• Chicken shredder - I love this little thing. You put your chicken breast into it, add the lid, twist a few times, and your chicken is perfectly shredded. It makes what used to be a very tedious and terrible task for me into one that literally takes under a minute.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breast - You can also use thighs, and it does't really matter whether they're boneless. If they're bone-in, they'll take a little more effort to shred later, but it doesn't hurt anything, and some people say that chicken cooked on the bone tastes better than boneless chicken breasts.
• Chicken broth - You could use water in a pinch, but the chicken broth adds flavor.
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika - This gives the chicken a very subtle warm flavor.
• Garlic powder - This is just for seasoning.
• Onion powder - And so is this.

How to make easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipe

1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
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   Sprinkle evenly with salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
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   Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
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2. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shreddable and has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF.
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3. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks or remove it to a chicken shredding tool.
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4. Stir the chicken into the cooking juices.
5. Serve on brioche buns or use for meal prep. Add BBQ sauce or other spices if desired and garnish with parsley before serving.

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Substitutions & variations

You can make crockpot shredded chicken with boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins, or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs have a little more fat and tend to stay especially juicy, while chicken breasts have a milder flavor that works well in almost any recipe.

For Mexican-style shredded chicken, add taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, and a little salsa. Use it for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, nachos, or taco salads.

For Italian shredded chicken, season the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and a little Parmesan cheese. It works well in pasta, casseroles, sandwiches, or on pizza.

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For BBQ shredded chicken or buffalo shredded chicken, toss the cooked and shredded chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce and let it warm in the Crockpot for another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve it on sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads, or rice bowls.

You can also divide a large batch of plain shredded chicken into smaller portions and season each one differently. This is especially useful for meal prep because one Crockpot of chicken can become several completely different meals during the week.

Storing leftover Crockpot Shredded Chicken

Allow leftover Crockpot shredded chicken to cool to room temperature, then transfer it along with some of its cooking juices to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keeping a little liquid with the chicken helps it stay moist instead of drying out.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm larger amounts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of broth, the reserved cooking liquid, or water if the chicken seems dry.

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Crockpot shredded chicken also freezes very well, which makes it especially useful for meal prep. Portion the cooled chicken into freezer bags or airtight freezer containers, add a little cooking liquid, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

For easy future meals, freeze the chicken in portions based on how you normally use it, such as one- or two-cup portions. Then you can pull out exactly what you need for tacos, casseroles, soups, sandwiches, or another quick dinner.

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Here are some of our favorite recipes using shredded chicken:

Check out more delicious Crockpot recipes

• CrockPot Jambalaya
• Crockpot Corn Chowder
• Easy CrockPot Salsa Chicken
• CrockPot Chicken and Potatoes
• CrockPot Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Crockpot Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
• How to Make the Best Crockpot Meatloaf

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