How Long to Cook Chicken in the Crockpot
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How long should you be cooking chicken in the Crockpot, specifically chicken breasts? You’ll be surprised at the answer!
Hi. My name is Polly. All my life I have had a problem with drying out my chicken in the slow cooker. I followed the recipes I found and was SO frustrated because the chicken was ALWAYS dry. ALWAYS!
What I’m learning now is that this is probably because 90% of the recipes online have us cooking chicken in the slow cooker WAY too long. With years and years of creating a recipe index full of easy meal ideas and freezer meals, we have narrowed down the perfect cooking time for chicken in the slow cooker.
How long to cook chicken breasts in the crock pot?
Prepare yourself. What I am about to tell you is either going to crush your slow cooker dreams OR bring much enlightenment to your soul.
With the exception of larger recipes (like 8+ servings), It only takes 2.5-3.5 hours on LOW for boneless, skinless chicken breast to be fully cooked in the slow cooker.
I kid you not. While writing our cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, we have been methodically testing chicken breast recipes by taking the internal temperature with our trusted meat thermometer (pic below) at different points during the cooking time.
Over and over AND OVER again, we have found that chicken breast registers at 165° F (the FDA recommended safe temp) right around 3 hours on LOW. Sometimes less, sometimes more depending on the size of the breast or other ingredients in the slow cooker.
If you are cooking a larger recipe with chicken in it, we have found that it can take 4-6 hours. But that’s it!
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Should I cook chicken on high in the crockpot?
Here’s another surprising thing. Don’t shoot the messenger.
But, do not cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts on HIGH unless you like overcooked, dried out, tough meat. Always cook on LOW.
I know. It’s sad. It’s hard. But it’s true.
Like you, I love the idea of putting a meal in the slow cooker in the morning and coming home to a dinner ready to eat. While cooking on high DOES work for certain cuts of beef and pork in recipes like our Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork, Crispy Carnitas, or French Dip Sandwiches it simply does not work with chicken. If you cook chicken all day (or on HIGH), it will be dry-dry-dry.
I know, I’m broken-hearted, too. But I love you too much to not share the truth and the thermometer doesn’t lie.
Free Cooking Times Chart
In an effort to save you from overcooking or undercooking future slow cooker meals, we wanted to equip you with this free Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart. Download it, print it, snuggle it, and thank us later.
Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart
Snag our 1 page cheat sheet and never overcook (or undercook) and Crock Pot meal again!
Do chicken thighs or bone-in chicken breasts/thighs cook longer?
If you do want a longer cooking time for chicken, use chicken thighs or bone-in split chicken breasts. These work great in recipes like our Bourbon Chicken or with our Southwest Chicken Marinade.
These cuts can handle longer cooking times and retain their moisture a bit better. Our tests show they reach their internal safe temperature anywhere from 3-4 on LOW. However, America’s Test Kitchen (a source we really trust!), says they can withstand cooking times of up to 4-6 hours on LOW. It’s still not that all day recipe but might be a great meal to throw in the slow cooker around lunch time.
How long do I cook chicken in the Instant Pot?
We’ve tackled this question, too, through extensive testing. Check out this article:
Where do you get your chicken from?
We are HUGE fans of ButcherBox and have been getting our chicken (and beef, seafood, and pork) from them for years now. In fact, Rachel wrote a comprehensive honest review about this meat subscription service. We love that their chicken is 100% organic and all their meat is healthy and sourced responsibly. It’s so convenient to have it delivered to our doorsteps whenever we choose!
You should definitely check it out and see if ButcherBox would be a good fit for your family. Our readers and we just love it!
Need some GREAT slow cooker chicken recipes?
We’ve got you covered! Here are some of the most popular ones on our site:
You can also check out our roundup of 25 Slow Cooker Recipes for a Crowd for more delicious ideas!
Want to Stock Your Freezer with 6 Meals in 1 Hour?
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Hi. Thank you for this post. I’ve had the same problem for years and finally gave up cooking chicken breast in the slow cooker. Now I have new hope. 🙂
Quick question, I just want to cook chicken to shred. Do I put liquid in with my chicken? I’m guessing yes. I was thinking chicken broth but I’m not sure. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
Glad this was helpful. You don’t have to have liquid in with it, but a little chicken broth can help it stay more moist. It can’t hurt!
I have never liked chicken, especially boneless, skinless breasts, cooked in a slow cooker. I see why now as most recipes say to cook for 4-6 hours. Not any more! Thank you for your guide!
You’re welcome! I hope this is a game-changer for you.
I think I’m extra brainwashed…I fully buy-into your article, but was cooking about 5lbs of boneless/skinless breasts; they were huge, so I cut them into thirds (which is also a good serving size for my young children). Left them in for about 4 hours considering the volume, and they were just borderline overcooked. I assume it’s because they were smaller pieces.
Anyway, lesson learned! You made a believer out of me. Great article, and great blog. You have a new follower 🙂
Yes, a 3 hour slow cooker chicken convert! Ha! I’m sorry you had to learn the hard way like we did. Now you can evangelize your new found knowledge, though. 😉
I can’t believe it. A cooking site with prose in the article that I actually like. I don’t like all the ads, but a person’s got to make a living. I’m wary of trying to cook chicken breasts in the slow cooker after my previous and disastrous attempt, and yet I feel compelled to follow your instructions and try again. I just really want to eat some delicious chicken, and even the threat of failure will not stand in my way. Thank you for inspiring wafts of fragile confidence in a subpar chef.
This is one of my favorite comments of all time. Yep, ads are a way we can offer free content. Thanks for understanding. I do hope you’ll try chicken in the slow cooker again with our timing. It makes all the difference. – Rachel
Wow! Lol I’m so glad to hear you say that. Why is it that peoples recipes say to cook ot for 6 or more hours. I check it in 3 hours and its always done or just about done. I thought I was crazy! Great tips! Thank you!
I’m glad your tests confirm this, too. 🙂
Thanks so much for the cooking education. My husband and I living in retirement prefer to cook small meals or larger meals only if we are freezing one half. We use rice cooker that is also crockpot. He cooks all his beans in it and I cook a few main dinner recipes in it. We also use it for perfect rice cooking. It does not allow low setting for slow cooker this I thank you for the great tips today!
You’re welcome. Glad you found our article helpful!
I made a delicious chicken veg soup and I had it cooking from lunch time to lunch the next day. Chicken was over cooked but the dish tasted amazing. I still enjoyed the chicken tbh. Any ideas how I can cook for the same amount of time and not have the chicken so dried out??
Just keep in mind that chicken breasts, especially, only need to cook on low for 2-3 hours. A whole chicken can go longer, about 5-6 hours, so you could try that next time. I hope that helps!
Is frozen boneless skinless chicken breast and thighs from aldis ok to put in the slow cooker. What is the best way to cook them in a slow cooker
The USDA says it’s not safe to put frozen chicken in the slow cooker. You will need to thaw it first using one of these safe thawing methods: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/three-safe-ways-to-thaw-freezer-meals/