Meal prep chicken breasts by cooking chicken breasts in the crock pot. It is a great hands-off method for juicy chicken breasts. Flavoring them with only salt and pepper makes the chicken a blank slate for any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
The beauty of this meal-prep trick is that it takes five minutes to prepare in the crock pot. When it is done cooking, either shred the warm, cooked chicken with an electric hand mixer or allow it to cool in the refrigerator and dice once chilled. Use it in chicken spaghetti with queso, buffalo chicken tater tot casserole, or dipped in homemade BBQ sauce.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easier than buying a rotisserie chicken
- All white meat
- Gluten Free and Low FODMAP
Featured Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - Chicken breast is perfect to use in recipes that called for cooked chicken.
- Chicken Broth or Water - Water will work fine if you don't have chicken broth.
- Salt - Kosher salt is my favorite salt for chicken.
- Ground Black Pepper - Freshly ground pepper or ground black pepper will work.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place the chicken breasts in a single layer on the bottom of a six-quart crock pot. Add the chicken broth. Next, sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the chicken.
Cook on the low setting for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Step 2: Once the chicken has rested, shred it with either two forks or an electric hand mixer. Or let it cool in the refrigerator and dice once chilled.
Tips and Tricks
Watch the internal temperature as it nears the end of the cooking time. The chicken can go from done to overdone rather quickly. Once the chicken hits 165 degrees F, remove it from the crock pot.
Ingredient Swaps
- Boneless Chicken Thighs - Cook on low for 3-4 hours
- Bone-In Split Chicken Breasts - Cook on low for 2-3 hours
- Whole Chicken - Cook on low for 4-5 hours
Variations
Salsa Crock Pot Chicken: Swap out the chicken broth and use homemade salsa instead. Shred it and use it in a rice bowl with cilantro lime rice.
Reader Love
"Great method! Sad to say but I have never gotten chicken in the crock pot quite right until now. Thanks for helping this gal out in the kitchen!"
- Rachel
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freeze: Chilled, cooked chicken freezes well. Place it in a freezer-friendly container and in the freezer for up to four months for best results. Defrost before using.
Reheating: Defrost the frozen chicken and reheat the chicken in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm. Defrosted chicken can be used in a recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Such as chicken quesadillas, king ranch chicken casserole, chicken enchiladas, or chicken salad sandwiches. All delicious options!
FAQs
I know we all really want this to be an option, but it just isn’t a good one. Chicken cooked on high heat will be tough and cook unevenly, and the end result is just not that pleasant.
Store the cooked diced chicken breasts in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to four months. After four months, the quality of the chicken will start to fade.
How To Use Meal Prepped Chicken
There are so many great ways to use cooked chicken! Some of my favorite recipes include chicken flautas, chicken tortilla soup, and chicken pot pie. Or add diced chicken to Banza rice Greek salad. Another option is to sub out the ground beef in a classic Dorito taco salad for a lighter taco salad.
Additional Meal Prep Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Cooking Chicken Breasts in the Crock Pot
Equipment
- 6 Quart Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a six-quart crockpot, place the chicken breasts in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Pour in the chicken broth or water.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken.
- Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Each slow cooker will vary on cooking times. Monitor and take the chicken's internal temperature every hour to every thirty minutes after two hours. Nobody wants raw chicken or overcooked chicken.
- If shredding, place chicken into a medium size bowl and use a hand mixer or two forks to shred the warm chicken.
- If you want diced or sliced chicken, allow the cooked chicken breasts to cool slightly. If you dice the chicken while it is still hot, the chicken will lose its juices.
- Store the diced chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Once the chicken is completely cool, you can portion it into two freezer quart bags and freeze it for future meals or use it within four days.
Rachel says
Great method! Sad to say but I have never gotten chicken in the crockpot quite right until now. Thanks for helping this gal out in the kitchen!
Venessa says
Happy to help! Meal prepping chicken for the win!