12 Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes You and Your Family Will Love (2024)
The slow cooker is a great tool for cooking chicken—but not for the same reasons you'd list when it comes to cooking, say, pork shoulder or beef short ribs. Poultry is generally a quick-cooking protein, so there are more efficient ways to get a chicken dinner on the table when time is of the essence. So, why make quick chicken in the slow cooker? Easy answer: It does almost all the work for you, especially if you set it up in the morning and come back to eat later in the day.
Even better? It's reliably delicious. Dark meat lends itself particularly well to the the low, gentle heat of the slow cooker, staying moist and flavorful; it turns so tender, you don't even need to cut it with a knife. Though cooking chicken in this appliance is a no-brainer, following a recipe will only elevate the result. The options we've gathered here take inspiration from Indian, Mexican, French, and other cuisines, but one thing they all have in common is their ease, simplicity, and approachability. We think—no, we know—you'll love them.
Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
01of 12
Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic
This classic French fricassee typically calls for 40 cloves of garlic, but the slow cooker intensifies flavors so much that 20 is all you need for a rich, garlicky taste. Serve with the braised garlic, the cooking liquid, and bread. Pro tip: Spread the softened garlic on the bread and dip it in the juices.
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02of 12
Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken
Here's a slow cooker recipe that's a snap to make. You combine cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken and toss to coat—then cook the chicken in a skillet for a few minutes until it's golden. Into the slow cooker it goes, along with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and raisins. The result? A comforting meal that hits so many notes.
This simple chicken dinner is tasty and extremely gratifying. It has a gentle, comforting taste thanks to garlic, thyme, and white wine. With some couscous and a salad, it makes for a satisfying dinner any time of year.
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04of 12
Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Here's a great party dish to have in your repertoire. You brown chicken pieces to build flavor, then sauté peppers, onions, and garlic; a tomato-y, peppery sauce pulls everything together. Four hours later, you shred the chicken and layer it into buns along with pickled vegetables for a cool crunch.
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05of 12
Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms
A hearty dish for a cold winter's day, this hassle-free one-pot meal can be prepped quickly. Simply stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, a sprig of rosemary, and some salt and pepper. Let the slow cooker work its magic, and you'll have tender chicken and a delicious sauce that's great for mopping up with crusty bread.
The Mexican chile sauce, mole, has a taste that's spicy and bittersweet, with earthy undertones. Thanks to dark chocolate and spices, it lends a rich taste to chicken thighs in this warming weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside a pot of white or yellow rice.
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07of 12
Chicken Curry
Put in 10 minutes of work for this recipe, and you'll be rewarded with a hearty dinner rich with spices. It's especially good when served with toasted cashews and cilantro leaves.
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08of 12
Slow Cooker Soy-Ginger Chicken
A tasty soy-ginger sauce—and about six hours in the slow cooker—transforms chicken and carrots into a sweet, spicy, and just salty enough dish that's delicious over white rice. Garnish the finished meal with cilantro sprigs and thin slices of scallion for a little zip.
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09of 12
Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos
It doesn't get easier than this streamlined taco night option. Combine chicken thighs, sliced garlic, a half-cup of salsa, chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and chili powder—then cook and shred with forks. You can moisten the meat with some of the cooking juices, and then pile it into taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.
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10of 12
Slow-Cooker Cilantro-Chutney Chicken
To make this delicious chicken dish, it's helpful to sauté the onions first—it adds sweetness and an extra layer of richness. Then, towards the end of cooking, stirring in a chutney made from cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, and lime juice keeps the flavors bright and fresh. Rice, yogurt, jalapeno, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges make perfect accompaniments.
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11of 12
Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans
Here's another Mexican-influenced chicken dish that calls on salsa for flavor. The other ingredients—dried pinto beans, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, flour, red onion, chopped red bell pepper—are equally unassuming. When the stew is finished, top it with sour cream, chopped jalapeño, hot sauce, and tortilla strips or chips.
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12of 12
Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots
Sweet spices (like cinnamon and cumin) and golden raisins complement the carrots in this tagine-inspired chicken stew. With such aromatic flavors, the dish needs just a simple accompaniment: think plain couscous and sliced, toasted almonds.
Aside from accidentally overcooking the meals, the most common reason we see for tough, rubbery, or overdone chicken is customers using a Crockpot that is far too big.
For a whole chicken – Place it in your slow cooker breast side down. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. For bone-in pieces - Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 3-4 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.
I've learned that slower roasting produces amazing results in chicken and fish. Bone-in chicken parts are amazingly moist when roasted at 325degF for an hour. Add some chicken stock to the pan with the chicken. Some sliced leeks and a bit of butter would enhance the flavor of the chicken and the sauce.
Yes, if you use them correctly. The slow cooker cooks foods slowly at a low temperature, generally between 170 and 280 degrees F, over several hours. The combination of direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam, destroys bacteria making the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.
Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.
Cook boneless chicken breasts in slow cooker on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Always cook your boneless skinless chicken breasts on LOW for the best results. I do not recommend cooking boneless chicken breast on HIGH, as it will become very dry and tough, even if you check it early.
Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!
Slow cookers are a great way to cook chicken if you're short on time. You can set them up in the morning and let them cook all day, or even overnight. However, there is a limit to how long you can cook chicken in a slow cooker. After 10 hours, the chicken will start to dry out and become tough.
You're going to compromise the texture of chicken a bit when you cook it for 8 hours in the slowcooker. It's going to be super tender, but not “sliceable”, so use this to your advantage and shred the meat using two forks and toss it with the cooking liquid.
Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes.
As a general rule, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs will take around 20-30 minutes to cook thoroughly on low heat, while bone-in chicken pieces (such as legs or thighs) will take around 30-45 minutes.
Using a nice, long, low-and-slow cook time helps chicken breasts retain plenty of moisture - but you can certainly opt to add a splash of water or chicken stock to the crockpot if you like! If you're worried about dry chicken, you can also swap boneless skinless chicken thighs in for a bit of extra moisture.
This is likely the most common mistake cooks make when it comes to chicken breasts. Of course, nobody wants a medium-rare chicken breast, but sometimes in an effort to fully cook our chicken breasts, we unintentionally overcook them. The result? An unpleasantly dry, chalky texture.
Using a nice, long, low-and-slow cook time helps chicken breasts retain plenty of moisture - but you can certainly opt to add a splash of water or chicken stock to the crockpot if you like!
Overcooking or cooking at too high a temperature can result in tough, dry chicken. Undercooking can leave chicken undercooked and chewy. Proper cooking techniques, such as roasting, grilling, or braising, can help maintain moisture and tenderness.
Crockpots are designed to make this very easy. Roasting in the oven is hot and dry. The meat cooks faster, not very much gelatin is converted and the meat holds together better (or is tough depending on the meat). The solution is simple: Don't cook your chicken as long.
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