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These fuss-free crockpot chicken recipes offer endless flavor variations – a busy mom’s dinnertime secret weapon!

Collage of crockpot chicken recipes.

Slow Cooker to the Rescue!

Weeknights just got easier! This countertop hero transforms chicken into a variety of delicious and effortless main dishes. Whether you crave comforting soups, hearty pastas, or flavorful tacos, this collection of crockpot chicken recipes offers something for everyone. So come home to a delicious and stress-free dinner, all thanks to the power of your slow cooker!

  • For crockpot chicken tips & tricks, scroll to the bottom of this post!

Best Chicken Crockpot Recipes

Whenever I decide a crockpot chicken breast recipe is on the docket for the night, these recipes tend to be some of my top picks! There’s plenty of variety from pasta, to sandwiches, and even Asian dishes!

1 Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

Recipe Video

With just 5 minutes of prep, our hot and cheesy crock pot chicken enchiladas make dinner a breeze! Just let the crock pot do the work.
4.98 from 42 votes
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2 Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Recipe Video

Enjoy the flavors of a taco in this easy chicken tortilla soup – preps in minutes and simmers all day for a comforting and easy dinner!
5 from 391 votes
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3 Cafe Rio Chicken Recipe

Cafe Rio Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken – a simple and delicious chicken recipe that is perfect for salads, burritos, quesadillas and tacos!
5 from 112 votes
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4 Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

Make this super easy Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken in your slow cooker, and serve over warm white rice for a delicious teriyaki bowl!
4.87 from 45 votes
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5 Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Creamy and delicious crock pot chicken alfredo is an easy make ahead meal. It is filling and flavorful, perfect for busy weeknights!
5 from 16 votes
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6 Crockpot Ranch Chicken

Crockpot Ranch Chicken
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Made entirely in the crockpot, this simple creamy ranch chicken is perfect on its own or served over rice.
4.75 from 8 votes
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7 Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Slow cooker roast chicken takes 5 minutes to prep then the crock pot does all of the work – the result is effortlessly flavorful!
5 from 25 votes
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8 Crock Pot Lo Mein

Crock Pot Lo Mein
Total Time: 3 hours
Deliciously saucy crock pot lo mein with tender chicken is made with minimal effort for a satisfying takeout-style meal at home!
5 from 14 votes
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9 Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken
Total Time: 3 hours 6 minutes
Sweet, savory, and loaded with crunchy nuts, this crock pot cashew chicken preps in under 10 minutes for a favorite Asian dish made easy!
4.88 from 16 votes
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10 Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe

Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Recipe Video

This Crockpot Orange Chicken is simple, and tastes even better than takeout. With breaded chicken pieces covered in a phenomenal orange sauce and cooked to perfection in a slow cooker, it’s a recipe the whole family loves!
4.25 from 12 votes
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Easy Chicken Crockpot Recipes

As though crockpot recipes couldn’t get any easier! These recipes are some of the simplest “dump and go” chicken crockpot recipes.

11 Crack Chicken Recipe

Crack Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Crack chicken in a crock pot is simple and tasty. Everyone is sure to love this creamy, cheesy chicken dish.
4.80 from 10 votes
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12 Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Recipe

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Video

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken is juicy, flavorful. and preps in minutes! This simple dish is great for holidays, parties and potlucks!
5 from 44 votes
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13 Shredded Chicken Recipe

Shredded Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
Tips and tricks on how to make shredded chicken, cook it, shred it, freeze it to use in all your favorite recipes!
5 from 30 votes
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14 Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe
Total Time: 7 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are flavored with salsa and prepped in minutes. You'll never find an easier way to enjoy tacos!
5 from 13 votes
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15 Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken Recipe

Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken is such a simple, flavorful crock pot recipe! It is a tasty crock pot meal made with pantry staples!
5 from 4 votes
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crockpot chicken soup Recipes

Most of these soups are made strictly in the crock pot, while a few are stovetop soups with crockpot instructions in the post!

16 Green Chili Chicken Soup Recipe

Green Chili Chicken Soup Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

Perfectly spiced Green Chili Chicken Soup is like an enchilada in soup form! It's hearty, delicious, and is always a crowd pleaser.
5 from 59 votes
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17 Chicken Florentine Soup Recipe

Chicken Florentine Soup Recipe
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
With a combination of chicken, potato, white beans, carrots, spinach and more, this chicken Florentine soup is hearty and absolutely delicious. It tastes similar to Olive Garden's recipe, but it's made in the slow cooker!
5 from 9 votes
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18 Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Recipe Video

Perfectly spiced, creamy chicken enchilada soup is an easy slow cooker favorite. It's perfect for busy days!
4.99 from 160 votes
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19 CrockPot Chicken Stew Recipe

CrockPot Chicken Stew Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Stew is simple, convenient, and TASTY! This hearty slow cooker meal is perfect for busy nights.
4.98 from 38 votes
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20 Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Taco Soup
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Video

Our favorite chicken taco soup is a dump-and-go slow cooker favorite, it's perfectly spiced and easily doubled!
4.98 from 42 votes
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21 Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
Nothing like a warm bowl of tortilla soup on a chilly winter day! This lighter version of chicken tortilla soup is healthy, flavorful, and packed with delicious ingredients.
4.99 from 54 votes
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FAQS

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs are my favorites to use.
  • Thighs do particularly well because the added fat melts off and makes the chicken very moist and tender.
  • You can use bone-in chicken as the meat cooks so tenderly that it falls right off the bone. However, I would recommend removing the skin as it will not crisp up as it does in the oven. 
  • You can use precooked chicken in the slow cooker as well as raw chicken. However, do not use frozen chicken. It’s best to place frozen chicken in the fridge to thaw overnight.
  • If you forgot, quickly thaw the chicken in a bowl of water:
    • Place the chicken pieces in a plastic bag and then put them in a bowl of cold water.
    • Change the water every 30 minutes until the chicken is thawed.
  • Preheat your slow cooker. Though this isn’t necessary it does allow the pot to immediately start heating the food as opposed to letting the food sit in a cold pot waiting for it to heat up. Turn to the setting you want to use, add the lid, and let it heat for about 20 minutes before adding the food. 
  • Cook times. I’ve noticed that, in general, cooking on LOW heat takes about twice as long as HIGH heat. The LOW setting is about 200°F and the HIGH setting is about 300°F.
  • If you remove the lid to peek, taste, or stir, you will lose heat and need to add about 20 minutes to the cooking time.
  • Cook times for chicken in a crock pot on LOW can vary depending on the size and cut, but here’s a general guideline:
    • boneless, skinless chicken breasts (½ – 1 pound total): 4 – 6 hours
    • bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (individual pieces): 6 – 8 hours
    • chicken thighs (boneless skinless chicken thighs, or bone-in, skin-on): 4 – 6 hours
    • whole chicken (small, around 3-4 pounds): 6 – 8 hours
  • End of cook-time ingredients. Take note if any ingredients should be saved to add at the end. This often includes dairy-based ingredients such as cream cheese, tender vegetables, precooked pasta or rice, and fresh herbs.
  • Fresh herbs add a lot of bright flavor to a soup. 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. Also, don’t add the fresh herbs until the last 30 minutes of the crock pot cooking time. 
  • Don’t overfill. Most crockpot meals are designed to be cooked in a 5-6 qt pot. For the best cook, it should be about ½ to ¾ full.
  • Liquid. Most recipes will call for some liquid (usually water or chicken broth) to be added to help create steam during the cooking process. This will also ensure that your chicken turns out moist, juicy, and delicious.
  • Adding veggies. Normally you want to keep raw chicken and vegetables separate. However, it is completely ok to add raw chicken and vegetables to the same crock pot to cook. Cut all the larger vegetables, such as beets, potatoes, broccoli, onions, turnips, and carrots, about the same size. Don’t add tender vegetables like baby spinach, peas, mushrooms, or corn until the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
  • Activate the aromatics. Onion, bell peppers, celery, garlic, and ginger are commonly used aromatics and should be activated before use. They are typically sautéed in a pan to get their flavor going, then added to the crock pot. Once the dish is done you can season it with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Prep ingredients the night before and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Place canned goods and spices together on the counter. All you have to do the next day is pour them into the cooker and go. 
  • Freezer dinners are great for crockpots. You can freeze many of these recipes ahead of time. Place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. Otherwise, it may take too long to thaw properly and heat up in the pot within a safe amount of time.

For Crockpot Chicken Favorites:

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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5 Comments

  1. Sue says:

    This list has just proved I don’t utalize my crockpot nearly enough. Can’t wait to try these recipes this winter.

  2. Olivia says:

    My crockpot is truly my best friend in the kitchen. I use it for just about everything. I’m excited to try some different recipes from this great variety.

  3. Joy says:

    The crockpot is my favorite kitchen tool!! I am always using it to cook up chicken & make your delicious recipes!! I recently made your Hawaiin Haystacks! My family loved it!

  4. Lisa Welsh says:

    love your recipes

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thank you so much!!