By: Denise Bustard71 Comments
Posted: 2/18/22Updated: 2/18/22
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SEVEN simple slow cooker chicken recipes that have a lot of flavor for very little effort! Easy to prepare and made with wholesome ingredients, these crockpot chicken recipes are meal prep friendly and can be frozen as crockpot freezer meals!
When it comes to easy dinners, you really can't beat the convenience of a slow cooker, especially 'dump and go' dinners which do not require a sautee step. Today's 7 slow cooker chicken recipes are such lifesavers because not only do they skip the sauteeing step, but they are easy to assemble and can even be frozen!
Featured Review
"These are LIFESAVING! We love them all but the teriyaki is my fave!"
- Maris
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Like our very popular 7 chicken marinade recipes you can freeze, these slow cooker chicken recipes are also going to make your dinners exciting and delicious, with very little effort.
The next time boneless skinless chicken breast (or boneless skinless chicken thighs) go on sale, stock up and assemble a few of these crockpot chicken recipes. Freeze for later and you are going to be so happy to have easy dinners waiting for you!
Reasons You'll Love These Recipes
- the flavors are amazing, and you can use them for dinner and enjoy leftovers for lunches
- no sautéing required - just dump ingredients into the slow cooker, cook, and enjoy!
- they can be enjoyed right away, or stashed away in your freezer to enjoy later
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how we prepped these slow cooker chicken recipes. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Tools You'll Need
- 6 quart slow cooker (for a full batch)
- 3.5 quart slow cooker (for a half batch)
- ½ gallon Stasher bags
- 1.5 L silicone bags - this set of 6 is more cost effective than Stasher and works great
- gallon sized freezer bags
- Jokari bag holders (optional but makes filling the bags so easy!)
Step by step directions
Combine
In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, stir together all liquid ingredients. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat.
NOTE- for directions to assemble ahead and freeze, skip to the Freezer Meal Prep section below!
Cook
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on the lowest setting for 4-5 hours.
Note- we use Crock Pot brand slow cookers, and they can tend to cook hotter. If your slow cooker cooks lower, adjust the cook time using your best judgement.
Tip - Need to start dinner earlier? Swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can cook them for 4-6 hours!
Add Veggies (optional)
If you'd like to add veggies (say to the chicken fajitas), do so 1-2 hours before the cook time is completed. Try to get them into the slow cooker as quickly as possible and get the lid back on.
TIP- We recommend adding the veggies during the last 1-2 hours of cooking so they don't end up mushy.
Freezer Meal Prep
- Label bags with recipe name, date, and instructions, then add all ingredients listed as 'before cooking'.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thaw completely before cooking.
- When ready to cook, dump everything into the slow cooker and select the appropriate cook time. Enjoy!
Meal Prep Tip - Use these handybaggie holders to hold open yourfreezer bags while you portion out the ingredients.
FAQ
Can I cook these recipes from frozen?
No. If you read your slow cooker manual, they cannot guarantee that the internal temperature will get high enough to prevent food-borne illnesses when cooking frozen meat. Make sure you thaw these freezer packs before cooking.
Can I halve these recipes?
Yes! These recipes have been tested halved but cooked in a small (2.5 quart slow cooker). If you are cutting these recipes in half, you will need a smaller slow cooker, as the liquid will be spread too thin on larger (5 or 6 quart slow cookers).
How long do I cook them for?
We always cook boneless skinless chicken breasts for 4-5 hours on low. If you know your slow cooker and it cooks faster or slower than this, use your best judgment and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Can I use chicken thighs for slow cooker chicken?
Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs would be great in all of these recipes! Adjust the cooking time to 4-6 hours on low.
What if my chicken is already frozen?
If you are making freezer packs, do not thaw your chicken if you are going to freeze again. Add the sauce ingredients to already frozen chicken and freeze. If you are cooking right away, you must thaw your chicken first.
Can I use these recipes without freezing them?
Yes, absolutely! You can put them straight in the slow cooker, or assemble ahead and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking.
7 slow cooker chicken recipes
See recipe card below for full recipes, or click to each individual recipe post:
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Cilantro Lime Crockpot Chicken (not pictured)
Instant pot
Some of these recipes have been converted to Instant Pot recipes! Find them here:
- Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
7 Instant Pot Freezer Meals
Looking for chicken breast freezer packs that cook up in the Instant Pot? We have 7 tried & true recipes for you!
Find them here
Storage
- Refrigerate cooked chicken - cool completely before portioning out in an air tight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat - Reheat in the microwave or (best) in a frying pan over medium heat. Heat until steaming hot. Do not reheat more than once
Favorite Freezer Containers
Our top picks for the best freezer containers to help your food stay fresh and free from freezer burn!From bags to soup storage to meal prep containers and more.
The Best Freezer Containers
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
5 from 16 votesPrep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 hours hrs
Total Time: 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
SEVEN simple slow cooker chicken recipes that have a lot of flavor for very little effort! Easy to prepare and made with wholesome ingredients, these crockpot chicken recipes are meal prep friendly and can be frozen as crockpot freezer meals!
8
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Chicken
- 2 lb boneless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons chicken bouillon (optional)
- 3 tablespoons butter (cut into cubes)
- 3 tablespoons white wine
After cooking
- ½ lemon (juiced)
Cilantro Lime Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 lime (zested)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
BBQ Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger chopped (or ½ teaspoon powdered)
After cooking
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch in cold water
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Honey Garlic Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
After cooking
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Salsa Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
After cooking
- salt to taste
Fajita Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (I recommend fire roasted)
1 hour before serving
- 1 lime juiced
- 4 bell peppers sliced
- 1 red onion sliced
Instructions
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Place all ingredients not marked 'after cooking' in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Stir in the lemon juice and enjoy.
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Combine all ingredients except for chicken breasts in a blender or the jar that comes with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Shred chicken between two forks and toss in the cooking liquid.
BBQ Chicken
Combine all ingredients in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken with two forks and toss in the cooking liquid.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Place all ingredients not marked 'after cooking' in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Stir together the cornstarch and water, then add to the slow cooker.
Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 30 or so more minutes, until cooking liquid is thickened.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Place all ingredients not marked 'after cooking' in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Stir together the cornstarch and water, then add to the slow cooker.
Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 30 or so more minutes, until cooking liquid is thickened.
Salsa Chicken
Combine all ingredients in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken with two forks and toss in the cooking liquid.
Fajita Chicken
Place all ingredients not marked 'after cooking' in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Add lime juice and vegetables to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for another 1-2 hours.
Shred chicken between two forks and toss in the cooking liquid before serving.
Tips:
Nutritional information is for ½ cup of cilantro lime chicken
Half batch:
If you wish to reduce the serving size of these recipes, you'll need a smaller slow cooker (2.5 quart), otherwise the sauce may be too thin for a standard-sized slow cooker (5-6 quart)
To assemble ahead and freeze:
- Label bags with recipe name, date, and instructions, then add all ingredients listed as 'before cooking'.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thaw completely before cooking.
- When ready to cook, dump everything into the slow cooker and select the appropriate cook time. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition Information
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 175kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 467mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 100IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 0.6mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Meet Denise Bustard
Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.
Read more...
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Reader Interactions
Leave a Comment
Theresa Reed says
See AlsoGlazed Lamb Ribs RecipeI found my chicken was so dry from the crockpot. Probably my old crockpot. So, I switched and started using these recipes in my instant pot. I just dump the thawed freezer bag chicken with juices in the instant pot for 15 minutes on high pressure and natural release for about 15-20 minutes. The marinades have enough liquid and my chicken comes out cooked and very juicy.
Reply
Denise Bustard says
Hi Theresa, that's great to hear they worked for you in the Instant Pot! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
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Nancy says
For the chicken recipes that do not say to shred after cooking like the Lemon Garlic Chicken, what do I do with the chicken? Is it supposed to be served whole or sliced?
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Denise Bustard says
Hi Nancy! You can serve it whole or shred it, whichever you'd prefer.
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Megan says
I have a 7 quart crockpot. I attempted to make this tonight. Had to put way more chicken stock and some water in order to cover the chicken. Is there a way I can use these recipes in my crockpot without altering them? I think it took some flavor out/messed with the texture of chicken. Should I slice the chicken up thinner or use tenderloin? Change cooking time? Does the chicken really need to be completely covered with liquid in a crockpot? Could I have maybe gotten away with leaving it as is? (I’m a little new to cooking haha.)sorry! thank you!!
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Denise Bustard says
Hi Megan, I hear your pain! What I have done is purchased a 2.5 quart slow cooker...they're only $20, and you can fit 1 lb of chicken in the crockpot and have it completely covered by the sauce. I know it's annoying for sure. The other alternative is the Instant Pot- if there is 1 cup liquid you should be OK to cook in a 6 quart IP.
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Denise Bustard says
And just to answer one more of your questions- it doesn't need to be 100% covered, but it should be mostly covered. I've had issues with really dry chicken breasts when they were not immersed in a sauce. This is just my experience though 🙂
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Megan says
Thanks so much! I have a little 2 qt one I might try using, if that doesn’t work I’ll buy the 2.5 one. Thanks again!
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Brooke says
I find it takes so long to thaw my meals- 24 hours doesn’t seem enough - do you typically take a freezer meal out 2 days in advance??
When It’s still frozen I’ve tried to pop in instant pot instead but when I cook from frozen, I waited like 25 minutes and never got to the Pressure point where it “starts” and then gave me a burn message. Do you add more liquid when putting in a frozen meal into the instant pot??
Reply
Denise Bustard says
Hi Brooke! I find it really depends on the size of the meal. Some of the larger soups/stews can take two full nights to thaw, whereas smaller meals (like these), are faster. If you find they are not fully defrosted in the morning, immersing the bag into room temperature water can help a lot.
These recipes are not designed to cook in the Instant Pot, but I do have IP freezer chicken recipes linked in the blog post above. They are not designed to be cooked from frozen though. In general when I'm cooking something frozen in the Instant Pot, I'll do frozen ground beef or chicken thighs and I add the liquid fresh.
Hope this helps!
Reply
Lara says
Hi! For the Lemon garlic sauce - I'm a bit confused. It lists the butter as going in during the cooking stage, but instructions say to add it at the end. Instructions also say to add cornstarch, but ingredients don't say how much. Thanks for clarifying! Looks like a great set of recipes.
Reply
Denise Bustard says
Hi Lara, apologies for the confusion. I've updated the recipe card now!
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Lee says
Hi Denise are all your 7 slow cooker chicken recipes 175 calories each because I am going to start making these my self for my meal prepping ideas thanks
Reply
Denise says
Hi Lee! No, they are not each 175, you can click through to the individual recipes and the nutritional info for the individual recipe will be listed on the recipe cards. I hope this makes sense, let me know if you need me to clarify 🙂
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Cynthia Parish says
I am cooking for myself and a senior, I just got your tips and tricks for meal prep over this last week, but have been following you on youtube for several weeks. I love the fact that you are not only ordinary and have the same ordinary needs as your followership , but also you are extraordinary! Your dishes are terrific and accomidating for those with different tastes. I too love my instant pot and these chicken dishes work great for both of us. I just dump my frozen in for 25 min. or dump my fresh for 20 min. either way these are delicious, thanks for your hard work in putting these great recipes together and sharing your time with us.
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Denise says
Aw Cynthia, you've totally just made my day with your kind comment. I am so happy that the recipes are helpful to you. Just a note- I typically do 8 minutes max for chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. I worry that 20 minutes might overcook them? But sounds like you've enjoyed. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review.
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Ashley says
I was thinking of doing this in the instant and just planning on hitting the chicken button. Thoughts?
Reply
Bekah says
My question is about timing. i would probably set this to cook before i leave for work in the morning. My CrockPot has a timer so that when time is up it switches to warming and then it will eventually turn itself off (i'll be home by then). My question is... should i reduce the cooking time so as not to overcook the chicken? if so... by how much?
Reply
Denise says
Hi Bekah! Unfortunately this is one of the limitations of the slow cooker; you don't want to cook the chicken longer than 5 hours or it will dry out and not be good, even if it just switches to 'warm'. The Instant Pot is a great alternative for those working outside of the home as it can cook a chicken breast in 8 minutes + pressurizing time. If you would like tried and true Instant Pot recipes, you can find them at: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/instant-pot-chicken-breast-recipes/ I also have some freezable chicken marinades which can bake in the oven in 25 minutes at: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/
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Bekah says
agreed... unless it's thighs, i don't cook chicken in the slow cooker for this exact reason. i have a pressure cooker... i'll use that instead. thanks!!!Reply
Sophie says
Hi there;
I've been following your You Tube channel and just realized you have a blog as well. YAY!!!! I was just wondering if I can substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken. I do know that freezing tofu gives it more of a meaty texture but I'm not sure on its ability to be used in a slow cooker. Same time????
Thanks for all you doReply
Denise says
Hi Sophie! Thanks for following along! I am not sure if you can use tofu in these recipes, however some readers have had success in using tofu with my chicken marinades. Here's the link: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/
Reply
SHARI says
I love your site. I've been wanting to badly to try the 7 slow cooker chicken recipes. But all your measurements are so obscure. I tried checking them on Google to get some help . .25 cup chicken stock (is the 3/4 cup)? .06 teaspoons. How much is that? I've got everything out and ready to go...and bam...i can't figure out the measurements. The ONLY one that made any sense was for 8 people. I'll just use that and then figure it out based upon two people.
Do love your site though. I made the IP asian hamburger mixture and wow that is amazing. Making some more today.
Thanks so much! I'll keep watching and making!
Reply
Denise says
Hi Shari, these recipes are designed to use 2 lbs (8 servings) of chicken. If you change the serving size, the measurements of the recipes will all be weird. I don't advise cutting the recipes in half unless you have a small (2.5 quart) slow cooker as it is possible that the sauce will over-reduce and burn if you try in a larger (6 quart) slow cooker.
If you are looking for recipes that serve 2, you should check out the chicken marinades! https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/
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laura says
I know this is a silly question but could these recipes be cooked in my instapot on the slow cook setting?
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Denise says
Hi Laura! It would probably work, however I am not an expert on this and have heard that the Instant Pot 'slow cooker' setting is not the same as crockpot brand. Here's an article a friend of mine wrote on it: https://mealplanaddict.com/2019/05/how-to-use-your-instant-pot-as-a-slow-cooker/ I hope this helps and if you try, I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
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Heather says
Hello! I found you on Instagram and I’m so excited to give these a whirl. This weekend I am teaching my son how to use a slow cooker now that has moved into his first apartment. These are great recipes to start with! One question - Are the veggies you add during the last hour fresh or frozen? Is there much of a time difference for frozen?
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Denise says
Hi Heather! I hope your teaching session went well! You can add either fresh or frozen, I think they would both take about the same amount of time since the frozen veg have to thaw completely and then keep cooking. Of course it really depends on the type of veggie so if you have a specific one in mind I can give a better answer.
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Amanda says
For each recipe how many chicken breast are there in a bag?
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Denise says
Hi Amanda, it's going to depend on the size of your chicken breasts. For me, 2 lbs of chicken breasts is roughly 4-5 large chicken breasts. Hope this helps!
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Elena says
Hi there, would halving the recipe affect the cooking time?
Reply
Denise says
Hi Elena, if you half the recipe, you will need to cook in a smaller crock pot (2.5 quart). That being said the cook time will stay the same.
Reply
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