Crockpot Chicken Breast
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
Ingredients
For the Crockpot Chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt
- pepper
- herbs
- spices
Ideas for Using the Chicken (optional)
Instructions
- Place a single, even layer of chicken breasts into the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Sprinkle with anything you desire, like salt, pepper, seasonings, herbs, etc.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link.
I can’t tell you many chicken breasts I’ve turned into rubber… finally got them right with this recipe, only took two hours in my crock pot. I was afraid they would stick to the bottom of the pot but there were no issues. Going to be using this on a regular basis to have chicken on hand for salads, tacos, etc. thanks!
My crockpot does not have heat on the bottom, only the sides, so I am wary of cooking without water to distribute the heat fast enough.
Cooking chicken breasts this way in a slow cooker is a great idea. I used to poach them on the stove top, but the breasts were never this tender and moist. Besides salt and pepper, I like to top the chicken with chunks of celery, onion and whole parsley stems if I have them on hand for extra flavorful juice which accumulates during cooking. I always cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper to keep the moisture close to the meat if there is a lot of space between the meat and the slow cooker lid. My 7 qt. Rival crockpot gets the job done in about 2 hours on low, but I always check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer. 165F – 170F is perfect. I use the meat for chicken salad, enchiladas, tacos and our favorite, King Ranch casserole. We’re Texans!
Is it ok to use the slow cooker cooking bags for this recipe to save on the cleanup later on? Thanks!