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!
Are you overcooking your chicken?
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 crockpot?
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!
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.
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.
FAQs
We’ve tackled this question, too, through extensive testing. Check out this article: How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
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!
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Thanks
I cooked 2 chicken breasts in a small crockpot (4 quart) with some chicken stock for 3 hrs on low- temp was 180 but chicken wasn’t really shreddable. Any idea why? When I do it for longer, it’s much easier to shred.
Every crockpot is different. Some run hotter than others. The ideal is to remove the chicken at 165°F. For me, that’s usually at 2.5 hours in my slow cooker. When you cook much longer than that, the chicken may shred but it will be dried out. Also, chicken thighs have more fat and shred more easily than chicken breasts.
Thank you so much! I’m 43 and you’ve really changed my chicken life!!
Yesss! Love hearing that. I’m 44 and it changed my life about 5 years ago when we discovered this while writing our second cookbook. Ha, ha!
I would like to know how long do I cook a whole chicken on high slow cooker?
Last week I cooked it for 5 1/2 hours it was too over cooked and dry?
Is a Whole chicken fully cooked in 4 hours? Or 41/2 hours or 5 hours?
Today I’m trying it for five hours.. is that too long?
Hi Pauline. Our Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Veggies recipe suggests 4-6 hours on LOW for a 3-5 pound chicken. So, yes, I would think 5 hours on high would be too long.
Hi again. We also have a slow cooker cooking times chart and other free resources that might be helpful to you. Find them HERE!
I can’t get the slow cooker cook times sheet to download . Please email .
Hi Cyn. Can you shoot me an email to thrivinghome (at) gmail (dot) com? I’ll get it sent to you.
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/
I’m looking forward to trying some of these recipes I haven’t used my slow cooker yet so I am it shoud be great fun
We hope you enjoy them!
Hi Polly & Rachel, I hate to crush your slow cooker dreams again, but if you’re cooking chicken breast to 165°F you are still way over doing it. Breast meat will be fully pasteurized, safe to eat, and done when held at 145° for only 10 minutes. I typically cook breasts Sous-Vide for 1 hour @145, then finish with a ‘very’ quick sear or deep fry. If I want to make an all day chicken stew I fill up my crockpot with everything but the chicken and set it to low. Next, cut the breast meat into bite size chunks and marinate in the fridge until: about 6-8 hours later. Turn the crockpot to warm: ~150° or off (depending on how much cold chicken you’re throwing in there). In 30-60 minutes the meat will be completely done. Trust me – you haven’t had the best chicken breast of your life until you eat some that hasn’t crossed the 150° mark.
Hi David. Thanks for your thoughts. Do you have any sources that site that it’s safe to eat chicken cooked at this lower temperature? USDA recommends cooking to 165°F.
Thank you!!!! Finally someone gets it. Chicken cannot cook for 7 to 8 hours.
Ha, ha, thanks! We had to learn the hard way. 🙂
I have always cooked my chicken on high in my slow cooker and I have never had a problem with it being dry or tough no matter what I use it for. I have actually gotten compliments from people because my chicken hasn’t turned out dry it’s tender and juicy.