12 Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes You and Your Family Will Love (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to put raw chicken in slow cooker? ›

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!

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

The official guideline is no more than 2 hours, total, between 40°F and 140°F. So, if your room is fairly cool, and all the ingredients were cold, at two hours in the off crock pot, you're just inside these guideline. I might suggest turning up the temperature to 160 just to be safe.

When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and directions for best results.

Chicken is a very versatile and lean meat with little fat or sinew, so it doesn't need long cooking for it to become tender. Both quick high heat methods such as frying, and low, slow cooking are suitable. Can I overcook chicken in a slow cooker? Yes, but the solution is extremely simple.

Yes, chicken breast will become softer and more tender the longer it is cooked, provided it is cooked at a low enough temperature. If it is cooked at too high of a temperature, the chicken breast will become dry and tough.

Put simply, if you wash raw chicken, you are cross-contaminating your kitchen. Yes, fresh fruit and vegetables should be washed with cold water before preparation, but raw poultry should not. Don't worry: Properly cooking chicken will destroy any pathogens. In fact, it is the only way to destroy those pathogens.

We found that the only way to cook chicken (and turkey) in a slow cooker is on the low setting and for a relatively short amount of time.

Mushy, mealy, stringy chicken, which is sometimes the result of cooking low and slow for an extended period of time. I've learned this the hard way, after many attempts at cooking chicken in the crockpot on a workday, for 8 plus hours at a time.

Why does chicken get watery in crockpot? ›

This moist environment allows you to leave food to cook for hours without risking it drying out. But because there is no evaporation, the liquid isn't able to reduce and thicken naturally in a slow cooker, often resulting in watery sauces and loose gravies.

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.

Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

Don't leave it on 'warm' all day

Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.

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. Perfect for shredding!

If the chicken is cooked too long, it will become dry (even if you use broth or water) and tough. That means the best way to keep chicken from drying out in a crockpot is to stop cooking it as soon as it reaches the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

The longer cooking time and the low heat complement each other perfectly. As a result, even though the meat is cooked for far longer, it doesn't dry out because the temperature is low. As a result, this is the best way to retain all the natural juices of the meat. It also makes the meat far more flavorful.

We found that the only way to cook chicken (and turkey) in a slow cooker is on the low setting and for a relatively short amount of time.