An easy recipe for making frozen, boneless and skinless chicken breasts in the Crock Pot to use in any recipe calling for cooked chicken.

If you like this recipe, check out my Crock Pot Frozen Turkey Breast next!

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I often use rotisserie chicken in recipes calling for chicken. It saves both time and money. But I can be a bit squeamish when removing the cooked 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 giving you a recipe for cooking frozen chicken breasts in your Crock-Pot. With very little effort, you can have cooked chicken ready to go for your recipes.

Favorite recipes using cooked chicken

Ingredients for frozen chicken in the Crock-Pot

Frozen chicken breasts – I tested this recipe with frozen chicken breasts. But it will also work for frozen chicken thighs.
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 – Feel free to also add some garlic powder to your chicken.
Salt and pepper

Instructions for frozen crock-pot chicken

Simply add the frozen chicken breasts, butter, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to the insert of your Crock-Pot and cover with the lid. Cooking time for the chicken is LOW heat for 6 hours or HIGH heat for 4 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.

The chicken needs to be cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees F for food safety (USDA best practice guideline). If the chicken is shredding easily, it will likely register a much higher temperature than 165 degrees. 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 slow cooker.

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 delicious meal prep can go a long way to make dinner time less of a chore.

Storage directions

Allow the cooked chicken to cool completely. Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use, allow the cooked chicken to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If necessary you can reheat it in the microwave.

Kitchen tools

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.

crock pot cooked frozen chicken ready to eat and served in a bowl

Print Pin

5 from 18 votes

Easy Recipe for Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Crock-Pot

An easy recipe for making frozen, boneless and skinless chicken breasts in the Crock Pot to use in any recipe calling for cooked chicken.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword frozen chicken in the crock pot

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 6

Servings

Calories 284kcal

Author Jill McOwen

Equipment

1 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

Start Cooking

Instructions

Place the frozen chicken breasts with the butter and seasoning into 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 three months.

Nutrition

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