• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Bites of Wellness
  • All Recipes
  • Gluten Free Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Work With Me
Home / Recipes / Dinner / Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken | Meal Prep Idea!

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken | Meal Prep Idea!

By: Samantha RowlandUpdated: November 19, 2019

Gluten FreeWhole30PaleoKetoLow Carb
Large white plate filled with slow cooker shredded chicken with a lemon wedge on the plate. Pinterest text below the photo

This slow cooker shredded chicken is going to change your mind about meal prep and getting dinner on the table in no time! This recipe is so easy to follow, paleo, gluten free and full of flavor!

Slow cooker shredded chicken recipe on a plate with garnish
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe

Why you’ll love this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

If you are anything like us, we are always rushing around, especially at dinnertime. And sometimes after a long day of recipe testing, the last thing I want to do is cook a full meal! That is why Dave and I both try to have a few staples prepped for the week so we can get dinner on the table quickly! For Dave, we always make this slow cooker shredded chicken and I always make hard boiled eggs, a frittata and some roasted veggies for me so I’m never staring into the fridge wondering what to make when I’m starving after a long day.

Don’t let this recipe fool you, it’s incredibly simple and I have found that if you have to leave the chicken in the slow cooker for even longer, it just gets more tender and moist, so you can cook it overnight or while you are out and about during the day! It makes putting a healthy meal on the table almost effortless.

I know you are already thinking, there is no way my family is going to eat plain shredded chicken every night for dinner. I am not suggesting that at all! Think of this shredded chicken as a blank canvas for any of your favorite seasonings or sauces!

What do you need to make Crockpot Shredded Chicken:

  • Chicken breast
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Lemon
  • Thyme
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Slow cooker or crockpot

How to use shredded chicken for meals:

  • Stuffed in a baked sweet potato
  • Served with rice and Whole30 sriracha brussels sprouts with extra sriracha over the chicken
  • Covered in easy paleo cherry barbecue sauce over pizza, wraps or salads!
  • Make chicken salad
  • Use the slow cooker shredded chicken over a salad like this cruciferous crunch salad with lemon tahini dressing or fall buddha bowl with maple tahini dressing! 
  • Mixed with fajita seasoning and used in a burrito bowl with Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Slow cooker shredded chicken recipe on a plate with garnish

Substitutions and recommendations:

The recipe below is just a template. There are many substitutions that can be made that result in an equally delicious end product!

get my 10 easy slow cooker recipes ebook by signing up for my newsletterHAVE DINNER ON THE TABLE WHEN YOU GET HOME WITH THESE 10 SLOW COOKER RECIPES!

  • If you don’t have a lemon, you could substitute a splash of apple cider vinegar for the lemon.
  • Fresh thyme can be substituted with dried thyme (1 tsp) or whatever fresh or dried herbs you have on hand. Italian seasoning works well as does a sprinkle of dried parsley.
  • I often make this recipe with just plain water. The vegetable stock adds to the flavor, but you could even play around with only adding 1 cup at a time instead of 2 cups if you are trying to save money. You could freeze the rest of the stock in 1/4 or 1/2 cup servings to use later in the week/month. 
  • You can use turkey breast instead of chicken breast or even boneless skinless chicken thighs. 

Slow cooker shredded chicken is absolutely perfect for meal prep! If you love slow cooker recipes be sure to check out this Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball Recipe.

Slow cooker shredded chicken recipe on a plate with garnish

If you want more ideas on how to use Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken throughout the week:

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Slow cooker shredded chicken recipe on a plate with garnish

Slow cooker shredded chicken

This slow cooker shredded chicken recipe will help you get dinner on the table quickly! Whole30, paleo, gluten free and so simple!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, gluten free, meal prep, paleo, slow cooker, whole30
Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 36 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 38 mins
Servings: 6 people
Author: Samantha Rowland

Guided Recipe Video

Ingredients

  • 2 lb chicken breast
  • 2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2-3 cup water - enough to fully cover the chicken

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
  • After cooking, remove with 2 forks and shred (or cube). Refrigerate leftovers for use in lunch and dinner recipes! 

You’ll Also Love These Amazing Recipes

  • Two bowls of slow cooker curried butternut squash soup with sprouts and pumpkin seeds
    Curried Butternut Squash Soup | Slow Cooker
  • Overhead shot of large bowl of crockpot low carb vegetable soup
    Crockpot Low Carb Vegetable Soup
  • Fork holding shredded balsamic chicken over a crock pot.
    Balsamic Chicken Crock Pot Recipe
  • Whole30 slow cooker cajun chicken recipe shredded in a large white bowl with a fork filled with shredded jerk chicken above the bowl.
    Whole30 Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Recipe

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
179
Fat
 
3
g
Carbohydrates
 
1
g
Protein
 
32
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!
Large white plate filled with slow cooker shredded chicken with a lemon wedge on the plate. Pinterest text below the photo

What about you?

  • What would you use this shredded chicken to make?
  • Do you use your slow cooker for meal prep?
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

SHARE THIS POST!

If you liked this post, share it with your friends and family!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
Previous Post: « Orange Ginger Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Paleo)
Next Post: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lori

    August 5, 2020 at 2:53 am

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this post.
    So easy to follow and produces really delicious!

    Reply
  2. Laura

    March 23, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s so easy to prepare and produces really flavourful chicken which is a breeze to shred. I have made this 3 times now, and as you suggested I keep some in the freezer for later in the week. It freezes perfectly.

    Reply
  3. Erika

    March 3, 2020 at 8:42 pm

    5 stars
    Quick and easy recipe. I used an entire packet of taco seasoning and added a jar of salsa for some extra flavor.

    Reply
  4. Nicole

    February 2, 2020 at 9:00 am

    I accidentally put vegetable broth instead of vegetable stock. Will it still turn out okay?

    Reply
    • Samantha Rowland

      February 2, 2020 at 5:22 pm

      Yes that will be totally fine!!

      Reply
  5. Debra

    May 6, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    Can freeze cooked shredded portions for the week?

    Reply
    • Sam

      May 6, 2018 at 3:25 pm

      That should be fine! That’s usually a great tip for meal prep! Just make sure you refrigerate it first to get it nice and cold before you freeze it.

      Reply
  6. Miz Helen

    November 27, 2017 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    I just pinned your Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken, this recipe will be delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at our Thanksgiving Edition of Full Plate Thursday! Hope you have a great week and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
    • Samantha

      November 28, 2017 at 8:44 am

      Thanks Helen, See you next week!

      Reply
  7. Donna Reidland

    November 24, 2017 at 10:29 am

    We love shredded chicken. It’s so versatile for tacos or on salads or a dozen other ways!

    Reply
    • Samantha

      November 28, 2017 at 8:46 am

      Yes, Donna! We use it for some many different dishes throughout the week!

      Reply
  8. Natalie A

    November 21, 2017 at 5:21 pm

    This looks so yummy and moist. I love anything from the slow cooker. I know I would love this. This would be good on tacos or to eat it with rice. My husband loves to eat his meat with rice. Thanks for sharing this slow cooker recipe!

    Reply
    • Samantha

      November 28, 2017 at 8:48 am

      Thanks Natalie! This would be perfect on tacos!

      Reply
  9. Natalie

    November 21, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    This sounds simple and delicious! Perfect to pair with a great vegetable!

    Reply
    • Samantha

      November 28, 2017 at 8:49 am

      It takes 2 minutes to toss everything into the slow cooker. It’s so quick and gives us chicken for the week!

      Reply
    • Samantha

      November 28, 2017 at 8:51 am

      Yes Natalie! We love ours with Brussels Sprouts! > https://bitesofwellness.com/shaved-brussels-sprouts-salad

      Reply
  10. Jamie

    November 20, 2017 at 11:18 am

    I’ve been looking for more slow cooker ideas. This looks amazing. Thank you for linking up to More The Merrier Monday.

    Jamie
    http://diyhsh.com/

    Reply
  11. Karly

    November 14, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    YUM! This looks so good, so simple, and so versatile. Definitely trying this out!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Recipes By Course

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Dessert Sides Snacks Soup Salad All Recipes

Recipes By Diet

    Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganWhole30PaleoKetoHigh ProteinLow CarbVegetarianQuickLow Fat

Sam at Bites of Wellness

Hi, I’m Samantha. A personal trainer and nutrition coach. I’m here to help you get a healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes.
Learn More About Me →

Whole30 Recipe Favorites

Bowl filled with cauliflower rice and bang bang shrimp, chopsticks on side.
$10.94 Recipe/$2.73 Serving

Bang Bang Shrimp (Whole30, Keto)

Air fryer carrots in the basket of the air fryer.
$1.40 Recipe/$0.35 Serving

Air Fryer Carrot Fries

Spoon in a jar of cilantro chimichurri sauce.
$4.07 Recipe/$0.51 Serving

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce (Whole30, Vegan)

Cast iron skillet filled with sun dried tomato shrimp.
$11.48 Recipe/$2.87 Serving

Sun Dried Tomato Shrimp (Whole30 + Keto)

Wooden scoop in a bowl of whole30 taco seasoning
$1.45 Recipe/$0.36 Serving

Whole30 Taco Seasoning (low FODMAP)

Air fryer basket full of delicata squash fries.
$1.16 Recipe/$0.58 Serving

Air Fryer Delicata Squash

Most Popular Recipes

Overhead shot of bowl of best ever mushroom soup with a wooden handled spoon in the bowl on the left side of the bowl. Fresh mushrooms and thyme leaves surround the bowl and there is a grey striped napkin to the left of the bowl

Best Ever Mushroom Soup

Spoon full of broccoli cheese soup over a bowl.

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

White Bean Mushroom Soup in a green and orange bowl with creamy mushrooms on the top, a red and orange napkin and a golden spoon next to the bowl

Best Ever White Bean Mushroom Soup

Bowl of protein puppy chow with a silver spoon scooping some out of the bowl.

Protein Puppy Chow (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Bowl of baked balsamic tofu with a spoon of Italian seasoning below.

Balsamic Tofu

Protein hot chocolate topped with whipped cream in a white mug.

Simple Healthy Protein Hot Chocolate (Dairy-Free)

Footer

Featured On

Bites of Wellness has been featured on countryliving.Bites of Wellness has been featured on buzzfeed.Bites of Wellness has been featured on women's health.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Boston Magazine.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Well and Good.Bites of Wellness has been featured on SHAPE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PureWow.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PARADE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Huffington Post.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Greatist.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Eat This Not That.

Recipes by Diet

  • Gluten Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Whole30
  • Low Carb
  • High Protein
  • Low Fat
  • Keto

Recipes by Course

  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dish
  • Dessert
  • Snacks
  • Salad
  • Quick

Free Resources

  • Free Recipe Resources
  • Kitchen Essentials

Contact & Privacy

  • Work With Me
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Me On Social!

© Copyright 2021 Bites of Wellness