Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like chicken, with a savory aroma.
Texture: Amazingly juicy and tender.
Ease: This recipes takes less than 5 minutes to prep and the slow cooker and stand mixer do all the hard work.
Appearance: Shredded chicken isn’t exactly awe-inspiring but I think you can see how tender it is.
Pros: Super easy staple recipe that can be frozen and used for future meals. This recipe is also easily doubled.
Cons: None whatsoever!
Would I make this again? I’ve made this recipe quite a few times already.
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Polar vortex, arctic cold, wind chill factors, these are all things I know almost nothing about. Here I am, enjoying myself in mild Phoenix weather where the lows have been around 37°F and the highs around 70°F. I have no idea what one-digit temperatures feel like, let alone negative temperatures. I seriously can’t even imagine that.
In my life I’ve lived in California, Australia, and Arizona. No where that I would need to shovel snow. Cold is foreign to me and right now I feel pretty lucky. I wish I could teleport all of my friends trapped by blizzards and record-breaking cold into my warm and cozy city. I’ll be changing my tune once it reaches 117°F this summer, though. Then I’ll be dreaming about arctic weather.
Regardless of what the weather is like where you live, you need to make this slow cooker shredded chicken. Why? Because it will become a staple recipe in your house. Not only is the recipe itself super simple, the shredded chicken can be frozen and used for recipes in the future. Having portioned baggies of shredded chicken in the freezer can be a godsend for those crazy weekday nights when just the thought of getting dinner is a source of stress.
Note that every slow cooker cooks differently, mine tends to cook quickly. I love my slow cooker because I almost always use the temperature probe setting when cooking chicken to ensure it stops heating exactly when the chicken is cooked through. I like to set the temperature a little below the USDA recommended internal temperature for chicken because I know that even when the slow cooker shuts off when it’s programmed to, the heat won’t immediately disappear. The residual heat will continue to cook the chicken until I remove it from the slow cooker and I find that if I set the slow cooker to stop heating once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155°, it ends up perfectly cooked once I’m ready to use it. If you know you will remove your chicken immediately, go ahead and set it to 165°F.
Quick Ideas for Shredded Chicken:
-Enchiladas
-Tacos
-Soup
-Salad
-Pizza
-Pita Sandwiches
-Sandwiches
-Tostadas
-Pasta
-BBQ Sandwiches
-Nachos
-Wraps
-Taquitos
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Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Pour the stock over the chicken then sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155°F, about 2 1/2 to 4 hours.
- Place the whole cooked breasts in a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed shred the chicken. Alternatively, shred the chicken with two forks or let cool and shred with your fingers. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker to absorb any remaining juices. Use in a a recipe or portion and freeze the remaining chicken in airtight containers for up to 6 months. Defrost before using.
Awesome, awesome recipe! I’ve made it at least once every other month for about a year now, with a slight change because I didn’t read the recipe through to the end the first time, but it turned out better than I could have hoped. I just have a cheap crock pot without temperature control, and I cook it on low for 8-9 hours while I’m at work. When I get back it falls apart by itself, and it’s juicy and delicious! Sometimes I mix up the herbs- it’s also great with Italian seasoning, rosemary, or basil in place of the thyme. I fully endorse this recipe!
Thank you kindly. I appreciate your feedback. I did not know that about the keep warm setting–that is very very helpful. I will eat it upon your encouragement. That is 6lbs of chicken from The Fresh Market-don’t want to lose it!
Isn’t the recommended internal temperature for poultry 165 degrees? Another question for you Tessa. I doubled the recipe and cooked on low for 4 hours, after which my slow cooker went to the “keep warm” setting. I was unable to get to it for a few hours, and when I checked the internal temp, it only went to 133. The insides were not pink, a couple of sample bites tasted good, and it shredded easily, but do you think it is safe to eat? I am a little concerned.
Hi Emily, please read the post! “I like to set the temperature a little below the USDA recommended internal temperature for chicken because I know that even when the slow cooker shuts off when it’s programmed to, the heat won’t immediately disappear. The residual heat will continue to cook the chicken until I remove it from the slow cooker and I find that if I set the slow cooker to stop heating once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155°, it ends up perfectly cooked once I’m ready to use it. If you know you will remove your chicken immediately, go ahead and set it to 165°F.”
The keep warm setting in most slow cookers is anywhere between 145°F – 165°F and most manufacturers will recommend not to ‘keep warm’ for longer than a few hours. Your machine might run a little cold at the keep warm setting. I personally would probably still eat the chicken, but it’s definitely a personal choice.
This is so simple and delicious! I used this recipe last week and it’s perfect to come home to, warm up and put on a tortilla for tacos or right on top of a salad.
Thank you so much!