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I make this Crockpot Chicken Breast every week so I can add lean and healthy protein to salads and other meals. It’s so easy and no liquid is necessary!

After I posted the Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole last week, I got a ton of emails and comments from you asking exactly how I make chicken breast in the slow cooker. Here’s how! It’s something that I do every week, so I always have the option of adding protein to whatever meal I’m making at the time.

You can dice the chicken and make chicken salad or toss it in pasta, shred it and put it in a burrito or soup, or slice it and layer it in a grilled cheese. It’s extremely versatile and a quick way to make meals healthier and heartier.

Why make chicken breast in the crockpot?

Because I find it makes for the most juicy and tender chicken of any other cooking method I’ve tried.

Sure it takes a few hours, but it’s worth it for the chicken to cook slowly and gently, and it’s completely hands off and simple to get going. I find that with other methods like baking, poaching, and Instant Pot chicken, it’s way too easy to overcook the chicken and end up with a rubbery piece of meat. And I hate dry chicken!

How to Make Crockpot Chicken:

First, you’re going to take a 2-3 lb package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, and snuggle them as evenly as you can into the bottom of your slow cooker:

Now, sprinkle the chicken breasts generously with salt:

Grind some black pepper on top of the chicken too:

Then, you can add whatever seasonings you like. Sometimes I do fresh herbs, like thyme:

And other times if I know I’m using the chicken for something Mexican themed like tacos or burritos, I’ll sprinkle the chicken with taco seasoning instead. You can really add anything you want, and estimate the amounts by eye.

Once you’ve sprinkled on the seasonings, put the lid on, and set the crock into the cooking unit.

How long do you cook chicken breast in the crockpot?

I find about 3 hours on low is just right, with one single layer, for the chicken to fully cook through to 165 degrees F. This time may vary slightly with different brands of slow cookers.

The particular slow cooker I own is this 4-Quart Slow Cooker and costs $15! Maybe one day I’ll get a more expensive one, but this one does a great job and works for our small family.

If you have a different slow cooker, you can use a thermometer to test out how long your particular slow cooker needs to reach the proper temperature, but three hours on low should be close.

Do you have to add liquid to the crockpot?

As long as the chicken is in a single layer, no, it’s not necessary. Each piece of chicken is touching the slow cooker and that’s all you need. If you’re doing multiple layers of chicken, you will need to add liquid to cover all of it, but I don’t recommend this. Because then you will have to add liquid to cover, and the seasonings won’t stick to the chicken breast.

If you really want to do multiple layers of chicken breast, add broth to cover so the chicken cooks evenly. Otherwise, it cooks unevenly because the top layers won’t have contact with the bottom of the slow cooker.

Another tip: No matter what slow cooker you use, try not to take off the lid at all during cooking, as this dramatically lengthens cooking time.

I hope this answers many of your questions, and if you have more, please post them below and I will reply. Happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Chicken Breast

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hrs 5 mins

This Slow Cooker Chicken Breast is a simple way to add lean and healthy protein to salads and other recipes. It’s so easy!

4.4090909090909 22

22 reviews

Ingredients

For the Crockpot Chicken

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• herbs
• spices

Ideas for Using the Chicken (optional)

• Tex Mex Chicken Casserole
• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Cranberry Chicken Salad
• Bruschetta Chicken

Instructions

1. Place a single, even layer of chicken breasts into the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with anything you desire, like salt, pepper, seasonings, herbs, etc.
3. Cook on low for approximately 3 hours* until the chicken reaches 165F on a digital thermometer. It is now ready to eat and be used in recipes.

by Joanne Ozug

Recipe Notes

*You will have to learn the time your slow cooker needs to fully cook through. Mine takes 3 hours.

Nutrition Information Serves 3     adjust servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 336kcal Calories from fat 66
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7g	11%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Transfat 0g
Cholesterol 199mg	66%
Sodium 641mg	27%
Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Sugars 0g
Protein 62g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g

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