Learn how to make frozen, boneless and skinless chicken breasts in the Crock Pot for using in any recipe calling for cooked chicken.
I’m a fan of using rotisserie chicken in recipes calling for chicken. However, I don’t have a Costco anywhere close to my house, so I don’t have access to really cheap rotisserie chicken on a regular basis. Also, I tend to get a bit squeamish when cleaning a rotisserie chicken from the bones and skin. It seems I throw away a lot of waste from each rotisserie chicken I buy, which I don’t love. This is why I am showing you how to make frozen chicken breasts in your Crock-Pot. With so little effort, you can have chicken breast ready to go for adding to any recipe calling for chicken.
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Ingredients for making chicken in the Crock-Pot
- Frozen chicken breasts
- Butter – this is optional, but fat adds flavor. A tablespoon of butter per four chicken breasts makes your chicken extra tasty and tender.
- Poultry seasoning
- Salt and pepper
How to make frozen chicken breasts in the Crock-Pot
Simply add the frozen chicken breasts, butter, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to the insert of your Crock-Pot. Cook the chicken on LOW heat for about 6 hours or HIGH heat for about 4 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. The chicken also needs to be cooked to at least 165 degrees F. If the chicken is shredding easily, it will likely register a much higher temperature than 165. But I always check to be safe. There is no need to add extra cooking liquid. The chicken breasts release a lot of liquid as they thaw and cook in the Crock-Pot.
Can you freeze the chicken for a later use once it’s been cooked?
This may seem counterintuitive, but it makes a lot of sense. Purchase frozen chicken breasts when they are on-sale and cook a big batch of them. Almost all of your time is hands-off. Shred the cooked chicken and then freeze it to add later to your favorite recipes. A little meal prep can go a long way to make dinner time less of a chore.
Recipes using cooked chicken
- Creamy Crack Chicken Soup
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Southwestern Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Crock-Pot Chicken Taco Soup
- King Ranch Chicken
- Chicken Divan
- Chicken Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
- Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas
Kitchen Tips
- I use a 6-quart Crock-Pot to test all of my recipes. Use an 8-quart slow cooker if you’d like to make a bigger batch of chicken.
- Digital meat thermometer for checking the temperature of the cooked chicken.
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How to make frozen chicken in the Crock-Pot
Equipment
- Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 6 frozen, boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place the frozen chicken breasts with the butter and seasoning in the Crock-Pot insert.
- Cover and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours, or HIGH heat for 4-6 hours.
- Check the temperature of the chicken to make sure, at minimum, it is cooked to 165 degrees F.
- Shred the chicken. Use in your favorite recipe.
- To freeze: Allow the chicken to cool. Place the chicken into a freezer-safe, zippered bag. Freeze for up to one month.
Andrea says
Super easy to make and the chicken is so versatile. Will definitely be using this recipe.
Tavo says
Thanks for the recipe! Super simple and delicious! My kind of recipe!
foodtasticmom says
You’re welcome! So glad you found it useful!
Gail Montero says
Such a helpful recipe and so handy when I need shredded chicken fast! Thank you!
foodtasticmom says
You’re welcome! Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment.
Mariana says
It was the perfect recipe to cook and storage the chicken and havet ready for my easy luch for a week.
foodtasticmom says
Meal prepping like this is so helpful. I’m always glad I have thought ahead for extra-busy weeks!
Anjali says
I’m always worried about overcooking frozen chicken, but thanks to your recipe I end up with perfectly cooked chicken every time!
foodtasticmom says
So glad I could be of help!
Sara Welch says
Made this for some chicken sandwiches, and it did not disappoint! Tender, juicy and perfect for busy weeknights!
foodtasticmom says
Sounds delicious. I wish ALL of my weeknights weren’t busy. But they seem to be these days, so I am thankful for recipes like this as well!
Rachel says
So easy! This is my new favorite way to cook chicken!
foodtasticmom says
Happy to hear it! Thanks Rachel!
Mariana says
Too easy to make for those days when I´m too busy to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
foodtasticmom says
Yes, definitely!
Casey says
Never even thought of doing my frozen chicken in the crockpot! Genius! Worked like a charm! I am going to make a giant batch and freeze it like you suggested!
foodtasticmom says
Happy to hear this Casey. Enjoy!
Andrea says
Great way to cook frozen chicken! When I cook this frozen chicken recipe in the crock pot I use it for meal prep and it’s so perfect!
foodtasticmom says
I’m always glad when I think ahead and prep some of this chicken to have ready in the freezer. Thank you for the positive review!
sara says
This turned out great! So much easier than waiting for frozen chicken to thaw and now I don’t need to plan ahead so much… love it!
foodtasticmom says
So happy to hear this. Thanks Sara!
katia says
OMG The chicken was so simple, juicy and tender. Loved it!
foodtasticmom says
Awesome! Thanks for the positive feedback!
Cara says
I accidentally bought a GIGANTIC bag of frozen chicken on Instacart and needed interesting ways to use it. This is exactly what I was looking for! Now I can throw it last minute in all kinds of things. I just might buy that big bag on purpose next time!
foodtasticmom says
This is great for fixing a big bag of chicken! So happy to hear that you enjoyed this method for cooking frozen chicken. Thank you for taking the time to rate and review!
Liz says
This was such an easy set it and forget it meal for busy moms like me! I love that I can put frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and come back to perfectly cooked chicken for nachos, enchiladas, or casseroles!
foodtasticmom says
Love to hear this Liz. Thank you!
rebecca says
such a great idea! I just got and took apart a rotisserie chicken, this is much easier and less messy for sure.
foodtasticmom says
I’m glad you agree! Thanks for the great review!
Chris David says
I loved this recipe so much!!
foodtasticmom says
I’m so glad, thank you!
Miranda says
I only have frozen chicken thighs. Should I still follow the recipe exactly? I’m new to cooking 😂
foodtasticmom says
Yes you can cook chicken thighs the same way. Just be sure and check that the temperature is a minimum of 165 degrees F before eating.
Pia says
I’m just wondering if you would cook the same amount of time if you were only cooking 2 or 3 breasts or a combo of breast and thigh?
foodtasticmom says
It probably will take less time. The important thing is the final cooking temperature. Once the chicken is above 165 degrees F and shreds easily it is finished.
Kylie says
Wow from my heart, thank you for sharing this!!! I had some chicken breasts I’d previously marinated in a few tbspns of olive oil & spices & then had drained & stored in the freezer, & your method helped me use them on a day I didn’t feel like cooking! I skipped the butter since they already had the olive oil in them, & WOW! They came out so perfectly I just couldn’t believe it was this easy! I came back to use this recipe again & to say thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! Game changing for life! Honestly! With the slow cooker bag I used, delicious food couldn’t be easier! I cook in batches, so after they were done in the crockpot, I portioned them into individual servings, wrapped in foil & froze the cooled chicken for daily use in salads, pasta, whatever. Yummy!
foodtasticmom says
I really appreciate this detailed review Kylie, thank you so much. So glad that I can help to make your food prep easier. 🙂
Rose says
Do you prefer cooking the chicken on high or low? I’ve tried cooking frozen chicken breasts in the instant pot and they come out chewy. I’m asking in order to hopefully avoid the same problem in the slow cooker.
foodtasticmom says
I prefer to cook them on low heat. It’s a good question. I’ve not tried them in the instant pot. I hope you like the texture of the chicken cooked this way instead. Let me know what you think!
Heather Fernie says
Really great idea for chicken soups. Put the chicken with a little chicken broth and seasonings in slow cooker before bed, woke up next morning and had tasty chicken already with some broth to start my Greek chicken soup base!
foodtasticmom says
This is a great tip! Thank you so much for sharing it. I’d love to have your recipe for Greek chicken soup.
celeste johnson says
I thought it was a No-No to refreeze chicken after being cooked. Just asking. TY!
foodtasticmom says
You can freeze this cooked chicken. Most advice I found said it’s best to remove bones before freezing.
dennis bajec says
In this article the nutrition info is for how much chicken? 1 pound?
foodtasticmom says
It depends on the size and weight of each chicken breast, which can vary. 6 chicken breasts will likely be between 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.
bonnie roberts says
So easy and so good. Tender and taste like rotisserie chicken. I’ve never made chicken that would shred like this. I had more chicken so made it with butter and spicen from the first batch. I did add a teaspoon of garlic powder.
foodtasticmom says
I love hearing that you had a good experience. Thanks so much for taking the time to rate and comment. And garlic powder is a great addition!