Meal prep just got a lot easier with this everything chicken recipe.
Hey friends — if there’s one recipe that saves my sanity on busy weeks, it’s this slow cooker everything chicken. It’s basically a big batch of shredded chicken that works in every meal: salads, tacos, sandwiches, casseroles, soups… you name it. I love having easy shredded chicken ready to go because it turns a veggie stir fry, a burrito bowl, or a simple weeknight dinner into a high-protein, healthy, actually filling meal. With just chicken, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and broth, the slow cooker does all the work and you end up with juicy, versatile chicken that’s perfect for meal prep.
Chicken is one of the easiest and most affordable proteins, but sometimes it feels like too much work to cook it from scratch every time. That’s why this crockpot shredded chicken recipe is a total game changer. I make one batch at the beginning of the week and suddenly lunches and dinners are effortless. Plus, cooking the chicken low and slow keeps it tender and shreddable — no dry or rubbery chicken here.
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Ingredients for this Chicken Recipe
This simple recipe only requires a few basic ingredients, including:
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
How to Make Everything Chicken (Crockpot Method)
- Place chicken in the slow cooker and drizzle olive oil over the top — coat all sides.
- Add garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the broth around (not on top of) the chicken — this keeps the seasoning where it belongs.
- Cover and cook:
- Low: 6 to 8 hours
- High: 3 to 4 hours
- Chicken is done when it reaches 170°F and is tender enough to shred.
Once it’s cooked, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. If you want to be extra efficient, toss the chicken into a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment — it shreds in less than 30 seconds. Magic.
My Favorite Ways to Use Slow Cooker Everything Chicken
This is why we call it “everything chicken” — it works with ANY seasoning, sauce, or recipe:
- Mexican night: tacos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, quesadillas
- Asian twist: teriyaki or sesame sauce, served over rice
- Classic comfort: chicken casserole, sandwiches, wraps
- Healthy lunches: meal prep chicken for salads, lettuce wraps, or protein bowls
- Soup upgrade: toss into chicken tortilla soup (pictured above) or chili for extra protein
Sometimes I mix it with pesto and crumble it over toasted bruschetta or pasta — ridiculously good.
Quick Q&A
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Absolutely! Thighs turn out even more tender and flavorful.
Do I have to use broth?
Nope — water works fine. The broth just adds extra flavor.
How long will this last in the refrigerator?
When stored in an airtight container, it will last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Yes! Portion it into freezer bags, flatten (for easy stacking), and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, just thaw it overnight in the fridge. Warm gently in a skillet or microwave — adding a splash of broth if needed.
Can I make this slow cooker chicken in the instant pot?
Yep! Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, then allow a natural release for 5 to 10 minutes. Shred as usual and enjoy!
How do I season it differently?
That’s the beauty — the base is neutral on purpose. Add seasonings after shredding:
- Taco seasoning
- BBQ sauce
- Buffalo sauce
- Pesto
- Italian seasoning
One batch = unlimited dinners.
If you try this slow cooker everything chicken, prep two batches and freeze one — future you will hug past you for it. Let me know how you end up using it!
Slow Cooker Everything Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons garlic chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth, low-sodium
Instructions
- Place chicken in slow cooker. Drizzle with olive oil being sure to coat all sides. Add garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Pour broth around the outside of the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees.
- When the chicken is tender and cooked through, remove it from the slow cooker and slice or shred with a fork.
- Serve in tacos, soup or chili, with your favorite gravy & mashed potatoes, cook it into a chicken casserole, or top it with teriyaki sauce and serve it over brown rice for a Asian twist. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
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What type of slow cooker did you use that browns? Link doesn’t work.
Jen, Here you go http://amzn.to/2oFjs8q
What would the measurements be for 1lb of chicken? I have a small family, and they’re not big on left overs
Lisa, Feel free to increase the ingredients, double or even triple them. 🙂
With this, I finally have found the perfect method for cooking chicken to use later in recipes which require diced cooked chicken! I hesitated to use other methods, as I didn’t want something that would be slimy or smell up my kitchen in an awful way. This smelled nice while cooking, and the end result was a flavorful chicken which I used in a recipe and then, two days later, cut up the remaining cooked chicken breast and made chicken salad. Thank you so much!
Great idea, Kathy! Thanks for your feedback!
Can I use this recipe in an InstaPot? If so, how long? Is there anything I need to change? Thanks!
Yes, you can make this in an Instant Pot. Simply change the cook time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
I will try making this in slow cooker and in my instant pot to see which one is better. It’s a trial run for me. This way I learn more about my cooking gadgets times, temps, overall performance & I will have extra chicken lol.
Thank you for this recipe & I look forward to coming back to share my experience with this recipe.
Make sure to come back and let us know which method worked best for you!
Have you ever used bone-in chicken breasts for this?
Hi Kim,
We haven’t but that’s fine if you do. Just watch out for the bones.
If I make this in an Instant Pot, cam I brown it first, then still pressure cook for 25 minutes
Hi Wanda, yes – but I would only cook the chicken for about 15 minutes and let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before removing the lid.
I love the recipe and have used many times. How about cooking in the oven or on the stove? Do you have any instructions?
Hi Amy, since this chicken is shredded it’s best for the slow cooker or Instant Pot!
I am on a no salt diet per my cardiologist. Any substitutions for the sea salt!
You can simply leave the salt out of the recipe.
i made this last night – before i saw your post. 3+ hours on low. I took the chicken out when the thermometer said 170+ – too long i thought. well the chicken wasn’t tender so i felt id left it in too long.
not sure if i should cook it longer – or toss it.
For the chicken to be tender it needs to be cooked longer than 3 hours on low, the recipe suggests about 6 hours. When cooking in a slow cooker there is no need to stop cooking when the chicken reaches a certain temperature. For the chicken to be tender, it needs to have moisture and cook for an extended period of time.
Any ideas why Pinterest won’t let me save this recipe? It says “sorry; we blocked this because it might lead to spam.” I followed a link to get there and it was fine, so what’s up?
Hi Lara,
We’re currently looking into this and hope to have it resolved shortly! Thanks so much.
The flavor is amazing! So simple to make. No more COSTCO chicken for me.
Pat, Great!!! Thank you for the feedback.:)
I have made this recipe several times and LOVE IT!!! I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer this time 🙄
Can I put it the slow cooker frozen? If so, do I need to adjust the cooking time? Thanks! Again, we love this everything chicken!! 😊
Lisa, Frozen chicken should not be used in the slow cooker. Bacteria can build up so please make sure
it is thawed first.
These are the best recipes! I enjoy them a lot!
Brenda, Thank you so much for the feedback. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying this and other recipes on our site. 🙂
I’m wondering if I can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts and/or combine the two different cuts? Chicken thighs have great taste. Thank you for your time.
Jo Ann, Sure, that would fine just fine. 🙂
Looking forward to trying this. Does the olive oil increase the overall fat content? If so, can I substitute something else for it to cut down on fat? It sounds awesome but I tend to look for low fat chicken recipes. If not, I will use the olive oil! Thanks.
Susan, Olive Oil does contain some fat, but it can be reduced to 2 tablespoons and still works well. Canola oil works well too.