This slow cooker shredded chicken recipe is the easiest way to make incredibly moist and delicious shredded chicken.
One of the best things about shredded chicken is how versatile it is. Toss it in soups , wraps, quesadillas. Stuff it into enchiladas or add it to pasta or salads. It’s a perfect shortcut ingredient to keep in your freezer for times when you need to whip up a meal quick.
I’ve written here before about making shredded chicken on the stove top , but today we’re going to get even more hands-off by using a slow cooker.
This is the best way to make flavorful and moist shredded chicken with minimal effort. Just pop the chicken in your slow cooker, add a couple of ingredients, and let the slow cooker do its magic. All you have to do once it’s done is shred your chicken and then add it to your favorite shredded chicken recipe .
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts: This recipe calls for 2-3 pounds of chicken breast, but you can cook less or more as needed. Just keep in mind that less chicken will require a shorter cooking time and more chicken will take longer.
- Chicken broth/water: Both chicken broth and water work here. Using chicken broth just adds a little extra flavor.
- Italian seasoning: This recipe just is lightly seasoned, so it can be used almost universally across dishes. Italian seasoning will give the chicken a great base flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand (and don’t want to make your own Italian seasoning ), you can replace it with ½ teaspoon basil and ½ oregano.
How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Slow Cooker
- Assemble your ingredients: Place your chicken in the slow cooker, add water or broth, and sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the top.
- Cook: Cook your chicken until it has an internal temperature of at least 165°F, (which is about 2-3 hours on high or 3 to 6 hours on low).
Shred your chicken: Once cooked all the way through, remove your chicken from the pot, and shred using your favorite method.
Then, enjoy !
Variations
Add tomatoes and taco spices to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos .
Don’t have boneless skinless chicken breasts? This recipe will work for any cut of chicken, just adjust the times slightly.
- Bone-in Chicken Breasts: Cook to 165°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2-3 hours on high, 3-6 hours on low
- Bone-in Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
- Whole Chicken: Cook until chicken breasts are at 165°F and thighs reach 175°F, 3 to 4 hours on high and 4 to 7 hours on low
How to Shred Chicken Quickly
Once your chicken is cooked, there are a ton of ways to shred chicken, but these are my favorites:
Two Forks
For this method you will need two forks. Hold one in each hand and then use one fork to anchor the chicken in place while your other fork works tearing away pieces of meat shredding them into smaller pieces.
Handheld Electric Mixer
If you have a handheld mixer, using it to shred chicken is incredibly fast and efficient. Just place your cooked chicken into a bowl, turn your mixer on to medium-low, and place the beaters against the chicken breasts. As you press the beaters into the chicken, the meat will begin to break up.
Continue until your chicken is mostly shredded and the beaters no longer appear to be breaking up the chicken further. Then, use your hands to tear apart any final pieces of chicken that are too large.
Stand Mixer
This last method will shred the largest amount of chicken in the shortest amount of time. Place your chicken in the bowl of your stand mixer and attach the paddle attachment. Set your mixer to low, and slowly increase the speed to medium.
Keep the speed at medium until your chicken is mostly shredded. Be sure not to overly process – there will be a few pieces of chicken that you will have to tear apart by hand.
Do I need to cover the chicken in a slow cooker with liquid?
It is typically recommended to use some liquid when cooking in a slow cooker, but you do not need to completely cover the meat in liquid. The ¾ cup called for in this recipe is plenty.
Is it better to cook chicken in the crockpot on low or high?
If you have the time for it, use the low setting. Cooking on low allows the meat to cook through more evenly, making it less likely that parts of the chicken will become overcooked.
Why is my Crockpot Chicken tough?
Even in a slow cooker, chicken breasts can still be overcooked. When that happens, the meat will begin to dry out and become less tender. To avoid this, keep an eye on the temperature of your meat and shut off your slow cooker when the chicken reaches 165-175°F.
A slow cooker with a thermometer probe like the one I used in this recipe makes this very simple and easy.
Can I Cook Frozen Chicken in the Slow Cooker?
While many people will just add an extra 30 minutes to 1 hour to their cooking time and toss their chicken in frozen, the current USDA guidelines recommend using only thawed meat in your slow cooker because while thawing, the food will spend too long in the “danger zone.”
What to do with the remaining liquid in the slow cooker?
If you’re going to be storing the chicken, I like to return the shredded chicken to the cooking liquid and store it in the juices as they help keep the chicken from drying out when reheated. If you’re making rice, soup, or gravy, you can substitute the liquid for any of the water/broth in those recipes. Otherwise, you can simply discard it.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the shredded chicken tightly covered in the cooking juices for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Store the chicken in its juices in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
Recipes to Use Shredded Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Freezer Burritos
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning*
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 pounds
- ▢ ¾ cup chicken broth or water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.
- Place chicken breasts in an even layer over the bottom of your slower cooker.*
- Pour chicken broth or water over the top of the chicken breasts and then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the top.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker, and cook until the chicken reaches at least 165°F, about 2-3 hours on high or 3 to 6 hours on low.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow it to sit until cool enough to handle. Use two forks to shred the chicken and then return it to the cooking juices (See post for alternative shredding techniques).
Notes
Refrigerator: Store the shredded chicken tightly covered in the cooking juices for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store the chicken in its juices in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
Bone-in Chicken Breasts: Cook to 165°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2-3 hours on high, 3-6 hours on low
Bone-in Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
Whole Chicken: Cook until chicken breasts are at 165°F and thighs reach 175°F, 3 to 4 hours on high and 4 to 7 hours on low
This creamy and rich Baked Potato Soup is the perfect comfort food. Loaded with bacon, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese, it’s a cold-weather crowd-pleaser that everyone will love!
Potato soups are one of my go-to comfort foods whenever I want something rich and hearty, and you all seem to really enjoy them too, so I’ve posted a bunch of them to the site. My Ham and Potato Soup , Cheesy Sausage Potato Soup , and Broccoli Potato Soup are all reader favorites.
But I’ve had one favorite recipe that I haven’t yet shared, and I’m really excited for you to try it. Let’s get cozy with some Baked Potato Soup!
What is Baked Potato Soup Made Of?
Baked Potato Soup basically contains all of the ingredients you love in a loaded baked potato: russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon, and tangy sour cream but served up in a big creamy bowl of soup.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Any bacon can be used in this recipe. Thick cut, bacon ends, or even turkey bacon work here. Go crazy and choose your favorite!
- Scallions, white and green parts divided: Scallions are playing double duty in this soup. We’re cooking the white parts like regular onions and using the tender green tops as a garnish. Make sure to divide them and keep them separated while prepping the ingredients.
- Milk (preferably whole): While you can use any (unsweetened) milk or milk substitute, the richer the dairy/dairy replacement you use, the richer your soup will be. You can also substitute for some of your milk with a bit of half and half or heavy cream for added richness.
How to Make Baked Potato Soup
Cook your bacon until it is just slightly crispy (although super crispy bacon is delicious, the texture doesn’t work as well in soup). Then remove it from your pot, and set it on a plate to the side. Make sure to discard your bacon grease after.
Add the white parts of the scallions and cook in melted butter until they have begun to soften.
- Then, whisk in the flour , stirring continuously until the flour has begun to turn a pale golden color. (This will help cook the raw flour taste out of your soup, so don’t skip this step!)
- Add broth and potatoes to the pot and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are able to be easily smashed. To help thicken the soup, use a potato masher or spatula to roughly smash about half of the potatoes.
Stir in the milk, sour cream, and bacon (saving ¼ of the bacon for topping) and add salt and pepper to taste.
Dish up into bowls and top with the sliced green parts of the scallions, leftover bacon, and cheese, and enjoy!
How do you store potato soup?
Wait for your soup to cool slightly before transferring it into an airtight container. The soup can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What do you eat with Baked Potato Soup?
Serve bowls of potato soup with slices of garlic bread or French bread with butter and an easy roasted veggie side like roasted broccoli or roasted carrots , that you can pop in the oven while your soup cooks.
Can you freeze Baked Potato Soup?
Yes, but potato soups do not freeze as well as things like stew or tomato soup as potatoes are likely to become slightly grainy after freezing and reheating. I’ve had plenty of readers tell me they freeze my potato soups all the time, so if you want to, go for it.
Freeze your soup for up to 3 months in freezer quart ziptop bags (for fast and easy thawing). Let your soup thaw before placing it in the microwave. Potatoes can easily lose their texture when thawed in the microwave.
What are the best potatoes for Baked Potato Soup?
Because we typically use russet potatoes for baked potatoes, russet potatoes are my go-to for baked potato soup since we’re trying to recreate that classic, familiar flavor. However, you can also use Yukon golds or red potatoes if that’s what you have available to you.
More Cozy Recipes
- Easy Braised Short Ribs
- Classic American Goulash
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- ▢ 12 ounces uncooked bacon sliced into ¾-inch pieces
- ▢ 5 tablespoons ( 71g ) butter salted or unsalted is fine
- ▢ 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced, green and white parts divided (about 6 medium)
- ▢ ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ( 44g )
- ▢ 4 cups chicken broth 2 15-ounce cans
- ▢ 2 large russet potatoes peeled and diced medium about 4 cups
- ▢ 1 cup milk preferably whole
- ▢ 1 cup ( 240g ) sour cream
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ Salt
- ▢ Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
- To a large pot add sliced bacon. Turn heat to medium and cook until bacon is just slightly crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside. Discard bacon grease.
- To the same pot, add butter and heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the white parts of the scallions, and cook, stirring often and scraping any browned cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan, for about 3 minutes, until the scallions have begun to soften.
- Whisk in flour, and whisk continuously for 2-3 minutes until the flour begins to turn a pale golden color. Whisk in broth until smooth and then carefully add potatoes to the pot.
- Bring to a simmer and then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes can be easily smashed against the side of the pot with a fork.
- Use a potato masher or spatula to roughly smash about half of the potatoes in the pot.
- Stir in milk and sour cream, and heat soup over medium heat until warmed through. Add the pepper, and salt generously to taste.
- Stir in about ¾ of the bacon to the soup (reserve ¼ for topping).
- Divide into bowls, top with sliced green parts of the scallions, reserved bacon, and cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast is an incredibly easy and stress-free way to make some of the best-tasting pot roast you’ll ever try!
Looking for a new recipe that is simple, delicious, and pretty much fool-proof? This Mississippi Pot Roast recipe might be just what you’re looking for.
This recipe requires almost no measuring or cutting. All you have to do is (optionally) sear a chuck roast, throw it and the rest of your ingredients into a crockpot, and press start. You’ll end up with a roast that is incredibly rich and tangy with just a hint of spice that everyone will love.
What is Mississippi Pot Roast?
You might have seen Mississippi Pot Roast pop up in your Reddit or Pinterest feed and wondered what it was and where it came from. Mississippi Pot Roast has been credited to Mississippi resident Robin Chapman , who created this recipe one day in the 90s or early 2000s while trying to adapt one of her aunt’s recipes to make it less spicy for her kids.
Her family ended up loving the new recipe, making it often enough that it was discovered by lifelong friend Karen Farese who added it to her church’s cookbook. From there, this recipe began spreading across the internet, from blogger to blogger, until it finally became the sensation it is now.
Ingredient Notes
Mississippi Pot Roast is usually made with 5 main ingredients: chuck roast, butter, pepperoncini, ranch dressing mix, and au jus gravy mix. Does this seem like a slightly odd list of ingredients? Absolutely.
But trust me, make the recipe as written, packet mixes and all, and you won’t regret it.
- Beef Chuck Roast: This recipe calls for a 3-4 pound roast. If you are having trouble finding a roast this size, you might have to ask at the butcher counter. If all else fails, you can use two 2-pound roasts instead.
- Pepperoncini: The pepperoncini add some acidity to the dish without making the roast too spicy. Pepperoncini are usually sold in 16-ounce jars (at least here in SoCal), and you’ll be using about half the juice and the peppers in this recipe. You can usually find them near the olives and pickles at the grocery store.
- Butter: The original recipe calls for a full stick of butter, but I’ve cut that amount in half without missing any richness or flavor.
- Ranch Dressing Mix: This comes in 1-ounce packets that you can find in the dressing aisle.
- Au Jus Gravy Mix: You can usually find gravy mix packets near the canned and boxed broths. If you are having trouble finding au jus mix, you can replace it with the same size packet of French onion soup mix.
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast
Sear the roast. This step is optional. If you’re short on time, you can skip it, but It adds a great depth of flavor, so I almost always recommend searing beef before putting it in the slow cooker.
Add all the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker. No need to stir! Press start, and allow your slow cooker to do its thing until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Using 2 forks, shred your roast and remove any large pieces of fat from the meat.
Serve the meat and gravy spooned over mashed potatoes and enjoy!
What to serve with Mississippi pot roast?
Mississippi Pot Roast is best served over mashed potatoes. Pair it with something simple like a green salad or roasted vegetable to offset the richness of the dish.
How do you make a Mississippi roast less greasy?
Between the butter and the fat released from the chuck roast, some people might find Mississippi Pot Roast a little greasy. If this is bothering you, you can remove the cooked roast from the slow cooker and spoon the excess fat off the top of the cooking liquid before shredding and returning the meat to the gravy.
Alternatively, if making the roast in advance, the fat will solidify in the fridge and you can easily use a spoon to scrape it off before reheating.
Can I cook a roast from frozen?
You probably shouldn’t. I know a lot of us grew up cooking frozen food in the slow cooker, but current USDA best practices for slow cooking recommend against starting with frozen meat because the food will spend too long in the “danger zone” while thawing.
Is Mississippi Pot Roast Spicy?
Not particularly. There is a little heat from the pepperoncini juice, but it’s not very strong. If you are worried about the spice level though, you can omit the juice.
How to Store Mississippi Pot Roast
Pot roast is a great make ahead meal. It reheats well and is just as good on day 2 or 3 as it is fresh out of the slow cooker. Store the roast in the refrigerator tightly covered for up to 3 days.
To freeze, transfer the meat and gravy to an airtight container or freezer zip top bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
More Show-stopping Sunday Dinners
- The Best Beef Stroganoff
- Easy Chicken Francaise
- Hungarian Goulash
- Thick and Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil optional, for browning
- ▢ 3-4 pound chuck roast
- ▢ ¼ cup water optional, for browning
- ▢ 8-10 pepperoncini and ½ cup of the pepperoncini juice approximately ½ the contents of a 16-oz jar
- ▢ ¼ cup butter salted or unsalted is fine
- ▢ 1 ounce packet of ranch dressing mix about 2 heaping tablespoons
- ▢ 1 ounce packet of au jus gravy mix about 2 heaping tablespoons
Instructions
- *Add oil to a large dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the roast and cook until deeply browned, 3-5 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
- Remove from heat and transfer roast to your slow cooker. Return the dutch oven to medium-high heat and add the water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the cooked brown bits from the bottom of the pot before pouring everything over the top of the roast in the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the pepperoncini, pepperoncini juice, butter, ranch dressing mix, and au jus gravy mix. Cover and cook until meat is fall-apart tender, 6-8 hours on low*.
- Transfer roast to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. Pick out any large pieces of fat before returning the shredded meat to the gravy.* Serve over mashed potatoes or alongside your favorite vegetable sides, and enjoy!
Notes
Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning*
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 pounds
- ¾ cup chicken broth or water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.
- Place chicken breasts in an even layer over the bottom of your slower cooker.*
- Pour chicken broth or water over the top of the chicken breasts and then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the top.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker, and cook until the chicken reaches at least 165°F, about 2-3 hours on high or 3 to 6 hours on low.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow it to sit until cool enough to handle. Use two forks to shred the chicken and then return it to the cooking juices (See post for alternative shredding techniques).
Notes
Refrigerator: Store the shredded chicken tightly covered in the cooking juices for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store the chicken in its juices in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
Bone-in Chicken Breasts: Cook to 165°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2-3 hours on high, 3-6 hours on low
Bone-in Chicken Thighs: Cook to 175°F, 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high and 3.5 to 6.5 hours on low
Whole Chicken: Cook until chicken breasts are at 165°F and thighs reach 175°F, 3 to 4 hours on high and 4 to 7 hours on low
