Easy Shredded Chicken
Looking for an easy shredded chicken recipe to make your meal prep easy? This crockpot shredded chicken is the BEST and easiest way to make it. It cooks completely hands off and you end up with perfect pieces of juicy chicken to add to recipes throughout the week.
Table of contents
Why You Will Love Crockpot Shredded Chicken
- No hands-on cooking is required! Dump everything in the crockpot and let it do all the work.
- A flavorful shredded chicken to use in salads, casseroles, soups and so much more!
- Only three ingredients are required. It’s that simple!
- A great intro recipe for meal prep! If you aren’t sure how to meal prep, this easy chicken shreds recipe will be your new best friend!
Ingredients
Crockpot shredded chicken is made with three ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you need:
- Chicken breasts: Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts to keep things simple.
- Ranch seasoning packet: All you need for perfectly seasoned shredded chicken.
- Butter: Be sure to use unsalted butter to prevent the chicken from ending up overly salty.
How To Make Shredded Chicken
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your crockpot.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the pieces of chicken and top with slices of butter.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- Use two forks to pull the chicken apart into small pieces.
Tips & Variations
- Use chicken thighs. If you prefer dark meat or simply looking for a budget-friendly alternative to chicken breasts you can definitely use boneless chicken thighs.
- Make sure to use skinless chicken. This will result in much less grease and fat when the chicken is cooked.
- Plain. If you prefer a slightly less seasoned shredded chicken you can skip the ranch seasoning and simply add a little salt and pepper over the top.
- Shred warm or hot chicken. You want to shred the chicken while it is at least still warm. It is way easier than after it’s been fully cooled. If the chicken is hot you may want to wear some protective gloves so you don’t burn yourself.
Serving Suggestions
Use your crockpot shredded chicken in all kinds of recipes to prepare quick and easy meals throughout the week.
It works great to add to soups or chilis such as this white chicken chili! You can also use it to make casseroles such as this chicken pot pie casserole or chicken alfredo bake.
Throw it on your favorite chicken salad or green salad for a bit of protein. Use it to make quick and easy meals such as nachos or chicken enchiladas. The possibilities are truly endless!
Recipe FAQ
Yes! You can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer. Place the chicken in a bowl and use either mixer on low speed to break up and shred the chicken into smaller pieces. This works great if you want to make a large batch to save for later.
Yes! It requires very little effort to make a double batch. Just make sure your crockpot is large enough. You don’t want to stack too much chicken on top of each other. For best results, no more than a double layer of chicken. If it’s stacked too high the chicken on top will not cook safely since it is so far away from the heat. You will also need to move the chicken around at least once during cooking to adjust the pieces from top to bottom.
Storing
- Store. Shredded chicken in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure to use an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. Thaw out frozen shredded chicken in the fridge overnight, not on the counter.
- Reheat. You can add it to recipes straight from the fridge or if you want to heat it place the desired amount in a skillet with a bit of oil, butter, or water and cook over medium heat until heated through.
Recipes That Use Shredded Chicken
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Easy Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 packets dry ranch seasoning
- 1 cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on bottom of crockpot.
- Sprinkle ranch seasoning over chicken. Slice butter and place evenly over chicken.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs. If you prefer dark meat or simply looking for a budget-friendly alternative to chicken breasts you can definitely use boneless chicken thighs.
- Make sure to use skinless chicken. This will result in much less grease and fat when the chicken is cooked.
- Plain. If you prefer a slightly less seasoned shredded chicken you can skip the ranch seasoning and simply add a little salt and pepper over the top.
- Shred warm or hot chicken. You want to shred the chicken while it is at least still warm. It is way easier than after it’s been fully cooled. If the chicken is hot you may want to wear some protective gloves so you don’t burn yourself.
- Store. Shredded chicken in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure to use an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. Thaw out frozen shredded chicken in the fridge overnight, not on the counter.
- Reheat. You can add it to recipes straight from the fridge or if you want to heat it place the desired amount in a skillet with a bit of oil, butter, or water and cook over medium heat until heated through.
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