12 Crowd-Pleasing Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

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

Yes, you most certainly can cook raw meat in the slow cooker! You put it in “cold”, with whatever liquid your recipe calls for, turn it on either “low” or “high” depending on your recipe (I usually start it on “high” for a couple hours, then turn it to “low”), and in 6–7–8 hours, it's now COOKED meat!

Use multiple cooking pots: If you need to cook a large amount of chicken, you may need multiple pots, like multiple slow cookers or roasting pans. You'll want to avoid overstuffing a single pot so the chicken can cook evenly and thoroughly.

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.

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 and cook. Place the cover on the slow cooker and turn it on to high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. You do not need to add any liquid. Chickens today typically have some solution added, so they rarely need added liquid.

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.

Two whole roasted chickens take the exact same amount of time in the oven as one whole roasted chicken. Now after testing and reflecting, of course, this makes total sense. Duh! The amount of time a whole chicken takes to roast depends on its weight alone.

The FDA recommends that food be cooled from 135°F to 41°F (57°C to 5°C) in six hours or less. This time limit helps prevent dangerous bacteria growth.

If you've got the oven space, just use two pans and roast them on separate racks. The key to good roasting is even distribution of heat. A large convection oven is going to give your chickens better color and cook them more evenly, but don't give up hope if “large” and “convection” don't describe your oven.

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!

Does chicken need to be cooked before slow cooker? ›

Chicken breast fillets can be placed directly into the slow cooker, but to create richer, deeper flavours and better visual appeal, first sear the chicken breast in a hot pan over medium-high heat on each side for 1-2 minutes.

If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease. Instead, you're better served by browning raw meat in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker with your other ingredients.