These Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes are ready to come to the rescue on busy weeknights. Give your oven the night off, because I’m sharing some of my best healthy chicken recipes that you can make in your slow cooker.
Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
I’m always looking for new crock pot and slow cooker recipes, and chicken is one of my most-loved ingredients. Whether I’m buying chicken breast, chicken thighs, or drumsticks, chicken is lean, it’s cheap, and it always comes out of the crock pot ultra tender and juicy. Below, I’ve rounded up my best crock pot chicken recipes for you to try. Add your ingredients to the pot, set it to cook, and come home to the coziest home-cooked chicken dinner. It’s perfect for weeknights!
Why You’ll Love These Easy Crockpot Recipes
I like to think of slow cooking as the culinary equivalent of the saying “Look, ma, no hands!” And I always turn to my crock pot whenever I’m after the juiciest chicken with the least amount of effort. Here’s why you’ll love these recipes:
- Time-saving. Slow cooker chicken recipes are a great way to gain back hours of your day. Come home to a warm chicken dinner that’s ready to serve, without even having to touch a pot or pan. Using the slow cooker also means there’s hardly any cleanup.
- Great for meal prep. A crock pot is the best appliance to have when it comes to weekly meal planning. You can even prepare and store recipe ingredients ahead of time using airtight containers or bags. Then just dump and cook!
- Freezer-friendly. Did I mention that crock pot recipes are a dream for meal prep? Many of the chicken dinner ideas below are perfect to make in bigger batches, and leftovers are easy to freeze for future meals.
Crock Pot vs. Slow Cooker: What’s the Difference?
So, “crock pot” and “slow cooker”, potato, potato, am I right? Well, not quite. It’s true, both terms are often used interchangeably, and both appliances have very similar MOs: slow cookers and crock pots cook food by simmering over long periods. The main difference is that Crock-Pot® is a brand name for a style of slow cooker. Not all slow cookers are Crock-Pots.
Crock pots have a stoneware crock, whereas a slow cooker is a pot that sits on top of a heating element. Crock pots also have two settings: High and Low, while slow cookers sometimes have multiple. No matter which type of slow cooker your countertop is rocking, it’s more than perfect for the chicken recipes below.
23 Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
You’re sure to find a new family favorite in the chicken recipes below. These crock pot recipes are healthy and full of flavor (I won’t settle for anything less!), and ready for a spot at your dinner table.
1. Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
2. Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe
3. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Creole
5. Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks
7. Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
8. Crock Pot Chicken a la Criolla
9. Slow Cooker Lemon Feta Drumsticks
10. Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
12. Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
13. Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
15. Easy Shredded Harrisa Chicken
17. Crock Pot Salsa Chicken Thighs
18. Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
21. Buffalo Chicken Dip
22. Braised Chicken Drumsticks in Tomatillo Sauce
23. Chicken Ropa Vieja
More Common Questions
Most chicken recipes will take between 6-7 hours to cook on low, and 3-4 hours on high. Low and slow is always the first choice, especially with cuts like boneless chicken breast. Your chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF at the thickest part of the chicken.
No, you should never use frozen chicken when slow cooking. While it’s safe to cook raw (thawed) meat in the slow cooker, the frozen chicken won’t come to temperature quickly enough, risking foodborne illness. Always, always defrost your chicken pieces completely prior to placing them into your crock pot.
Yes, that’s what it’s made for! It’s safe to switch on your crockpot in the morning before you leave the house, or before you head to bed at night, and leave it to cook unattended. That’s the beauty of the slow cooker.
Healthy Side Dishes for Slow Cooker Chicken
Turning these easy crock pot chicken recipes into a satisfying family dinner is easy. Here are some of my best chicken sides: