Slow-cooker shredded chicken is a versatile and easy-to-make dish that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. You can use it to make chicken nachos, tacos, burritos, barbecued chicken sandwiches, and soups that your whole family will love!
My slow cooker shredded chicken recipe is easy to adapt to your personal tastes. I cooked the chicken in sofrito stock, along with smoked paprika and cumin for a more southwestern flavor.
But you can add your favorite seasonings and use chicken broth or vegetable broth to make this dish.
Using a slow cooker is a great way to make delicious dishes without spending all night in the kitchen. My easy recipe for slow cooker shredded chicken will make your next taco night or game day an event to remember.
If you like my slow-cooker chicken recipes, make sure to try my Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken and Slow-Cooker Chicken Thighs recipes.
Ingredients to make Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my easy slow cooker shredded chicken recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to use chicken breasts?
No, you don’t. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can easily use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or a combination of both to make this simple recipe.
You can use bone-in chicken for this recipe; you’ll just have to debon it after finishing the first part of the cooking process.
Can I change up the seasonings?
And if you’re not a fan of cumin or smoked paprika, you can easily swap them out for spices you enjoy eating. Taco seasoning and chili powder are nice additions if you want to perk up the flavor, and for a touch of heat, try adding a little cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
For a more basic recipe, cook the breasts in chicken broth, along with black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. The pulled chicken will be tender, moist, and delicious with a more neutral flavor, perfect for chicken salad or chicken sandwiches.
How to make Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Turn on the slow cooker, set it on low, and set the timer to 2 ½ hours.
- Add the boneless chicken breasts (or boneless chicken thighs) to the slow cooker.
- Pour the sofrito stock over the chicken.
*I used Better Than Bouillon sofrito base for this recipe; alternatively, you could use chicken broth or vegetable broth. - Add the peppers and onions to the cooker.
- Add the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika (or sweet paprika), and cumin to the slow cooker and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for two and a half hours.
- When the timer goes off and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F., remove it from the slow cooker and place it in a bowl.
- Using two forks, pull and shred the chicken apart.
- Place the chicken back in the slow cooker with the stock.
Let the crockpot shredded chicken continue to cook for another hour and a half.
When finished cooking, use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the shredded chicken from the slow cooker, draining any extra stock or moisture from the chicken.
Use the shredded chicken to make soups, tacos, burritos, chicken quesadillas, or a pulled chicken sandwich.
Store any leftover chicken refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days. Freeze in a ziplock bag or freezer-safe container for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ’s
There is no difference between shredded chicken and pulled chicken. Both terms can be used interchangeably. They both refer to the method of pulling the cooked chicken apart against the grain and shredding the chicken.
Absolutley, If the chicken is cooked too long, it will become dry and tough. Make sure to have enough liquid in the slow cooker, to help keep it moist and tender.
The best way to cook chicken in a slow cooker is on the low setting and for the shortest time needed to finish the recipe. High heat and longer cook times will make the end result tough, chewy, and dried out.
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Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless or chicken thighs
- 1 cup sofrito stock or chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup bell peppers finely diced
- 1 cup sweet onion finely diced – can substitute red onion or white onion
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin – optional
Instructions
- Turn on the slow cooker; set it on the low setting, and set the timer to 2 ½ hours.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker
- Pour the sofrito stock over top of the chicken (I used better than bouillon sofrito base for this recipe alternatively, you could use chicken broth or vegetable broth)
- Add the peppers and onions to the cooker, on top of the chicken.
- Add the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika (or sweet paprika), and cumin to the slow cooker and stir to make sure all ingredients are fully combined
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for two and a half hours.
- When the timer goes off, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.. remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it in a bowl.
- Using two forks pull and shred the chicken apart.
- Place the chicken back in the slow cooker with the stock and continue to cook for another hour and a half.
- When finished cooking, use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the shredded chicken from the slow cooker draining any extra stock or moisture from the chicken.
- Use the shredded chicken to make soups, tacos, burritos, chicken quesadillas or a pulled chicken sandwich.
Don Greenberg says
What is Sofrito stock?
Chef Dennis Littley says
It’s a cooking stock, kind of like chicken stock. It’s made up of tomato paste, garlic, bell peppers, cilantro, parsley, and various spices. Better than Bullion makes an excellent variety and Goya also makes one.