11 Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipes Your Family Will Love

Tired of the 5 PM scramble? That sinking feeling when you realize you have no idea what’s for dinner, and you’re staring into the fridge hoping for a miracle? You want a delicious, home-cooked meal for your family, but the thought of spending an hour chopping, sautéing, and cleaning up after a long day is completely draining.

The cycle of takeout, frozen pizzas, and last-minute pasta dishes can leave you feeling uninspired and a little guilty. You’re searching for a better way—a solution that brings wholesome, flavorful food back to your table without demanding all your precious evening hours. You need simple, reliable, and family-friendly meals that don’t add to your stress.

The perfect solution for busy families is using a slow cooker to prepare tender, flavorful chicken dinners with minimal hands-on time. Crockpot chicken recipes are the ultimate kitchen hero, leveraging a “low and slow” cooking method that transforms simple ingredients into a mouth-watering meal that’s ready and waiting for you by dinnertime. Just a few minutes of prep in the morning can lead to a stress-free, delicious evening.

Tired of Dinner Dilemmas? Discover Your New Go-To Weeknight Solution

The daily challenge of planning and cooking dinner can be overwhelming, especially on busy weeknights filled with work, school, and activities. That constant question of “what’s for dinner?” can feel like a heavy burden. This is where the magic of the slow cooker comes in. Your reliable crockpot is more than just an appliance; it’s your secret weapon for conquering mealtime chaos. It specializes in creating incredibly tender and flavorful chicken dishes—from juicy chicken breasts to succulent chicken thighs—with almost no effort. We’ve gathered a list of our family’s favorite tried-and-true crockpot recipes slow cooker meals that solve the dinner dilemma for good.

11 Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipes Your Family Will Love

Get ready to transform your weeknight dinners with this curated collection of the best, most popular crockpot chicken recipes. We’ve selected a diverse range of flavors and styles to suit any craving, from creamy, comforting one-pot meals to healthy, takeout-inspired dishes. Each recipe is designed for simplicity and guaranteed delicious results, making them perfect for cooks of any skill level. These simple crockpot chicken recipes are the answer to your busy-day prayers.

1. Crockpot Shredded Chicken
2. Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
3. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
4. Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
5. Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
6. Crockpot Chicken & Gravy
7. Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
8. Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken & Veggies
9. Melt-in-Your-Mouth Slow Cooker Chicken
10. Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
11. Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

1. Foundational Crockpot Shredded Chicken

This recipe provides a basic, incredibly versatile shredded chicken that is the perfect starting point for countless meals throughout the week, making it a meal prep champion.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, low-sodium chicken broth, olive oil, kosher salt, onion powder, dried thyme, ground paprika, ground black pepper, garlic powder.
• Instructions:
  1. In a small bowl, combine all seasonings.
  2. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, then coat evenly with the seasoning blend.
  3. Place seasoned chicken in the slow cooker and pour chicken broth around it.
  4. Cook on LOW for 4-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-4 hours, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  5. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the juices to absorb moisture.

Pro-Tip: Stirring the shredded chicken back into the cooking liquid is the key to preventing dry chicken. Let it sit for 10 minutes to soak up maximum flavor and moisture.

Pin this meal prep staple for easy weekly lunches!

2. Creamy Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

This is a decadent and impressive yet surprisingly easy chicken dinner featuring a rich, creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that’s perfect for a special family meal or date night.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, butter, olive oil, chicken broth, cornstarch, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil.
• Instructions:
  1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Sear in a skillet with butter and olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
  2. In the slow cooker, whisk together chicken broth, cornstarch, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and paprika.
  3. Place the seared chicken in the slow cooker and top with sun-dried tomatoes.
  4. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.
  5. Remove chicken, whisk in Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth, then return the chicken to the pot. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

Pro-Tip: Searing the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker is an optional step, but it’s highly recommended. It creates a deeper, richer flavor (thanks to the Maillard reaction) and a better texture.

Save this recipe for your next date night in!

3. Sweet & Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

This recipe is a healthier and easier alternative to takeout, made with just a few common pantry staples to create a delicious sweet and sticky sauce.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste (or red pepper flakes), minced garlic, rice vinegar, cornstarch.
• Instructions:
  1. Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  3. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken. Create a slurry with the cornstarch and a little of the sauce, then whisk it into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce.
  5. Shred or slice the chicken, return it to the pot, and toss to coat in the thickened sauce.

Pro-Tip: Chicken thighs are excellent for this recipe as their higher fat content keeps them incredibly moist and tender during the long cooking time.

Skip the takeout and pin this easy recipe instead!

4. Effortless Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

This is the ultimate “dump-and-go” recipe, requiring just a handful of ingredients to deliver a zesty, flavorful chicken that’s unbelievably tender.

• Ingredients: Chicken breasts, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, a bottle of Italian dressing.
• Instructions:
  1. Lightly spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.
  2. Season the chicken on all sides with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  3. Place the chicken in a single layer in the slow cooker.
  4. Pour the entire bottle of Italian dressing over the chicken.
  5. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until tender.

Lesson Learned: Don’t add any extra liquid! The chicken will release its own juices, and the Italian dressing provides all the moisture and flavor needed for this simple dish.

Need a super easy dinner? Pin this 3-ingredient wonder!

5. Gourmet Crockpot Tuscan Chicken

You can create a restaurant-quality, creamy, and gourmet chicken dish right at home with the incredible ease of your slow cooker.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, fresh spinach.
• Instructions:
  1. Season chicken and place in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together chicken broth, heavy cream, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
  3. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 5 hours.
  4. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts into the sauce.
  5. Serve warm over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread.

Pro-Tip: For the best flavor, use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Drain them, but the residual oil adds a lovely richness to the sauce.

Bring a taste of Tuscany to your kitchen—save this recipe!

6. Comforting Crockpot Chicken & Gravy

This recipe is the definition of classic comfort food, made with very few, inexpensive ingredients for a kid-friendly meal that tastes like a hug in a bowl.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, a packet of chicken gravy mix, chicken broth (optional), salt, pepper.
• Instructions:
  1. In the slow cooker, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, gravy mix, optional chicken broth, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  2. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat them in the sauce.
  3. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  4. Once cooked, remove the chicken and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the gravy.
  5. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.

Pro-Tip: If the gravy is too thick for your liking at the end, stir in a splash of milk or chicken broth until it reaches your desired consistency.

Pin this ultimate comfort food recipe for a cozy night in!

7. Hearty Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe creates a hearty, cheesy, all-in-one pasta casserole that is a fun and satisfying twist on traditional spaghetti, perfect for feeding a hungry family.

• Ingredients: Chicken breasts, salt, pepper, onion powder, parsley, paprika, cream of chicken soup, one can of Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilis), minced garlic, shredded Colby Jack cheese, sour cream, spaghetti noodles.
• Instructions:
  1. Place chicken in the slow cooker. Season with spices and garlic. Add the cream of chicken soup and the entire can of undrained Rotel.
  2. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  3. While the chicken cooks, prepare spaghetti according to package directions.
  4. Once chicken is cooked, shred it inside the pot. Stir in the sour cream and most of the shredded cheese until melted.
  5. Add the cooked spaghetti to the slow cooker and mix everything together. Top with remaining cheese before serving.

Pro-Tip: Cook the spaghetti to al dente (still firm to the bite). It will continue to soften slightly when mixed into the hot sauce, preventing it from becoming mushy.

Save this cheesy, crowd-pleasing dinner idea!

8. One-Pot Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken & Veggies

This is a complete, balanced “meal-in-a-pot” that includes tender chicken, sweet carrots, and creamy potatoes, all cooked together in a rich garlic butter sauce for minimal cleanup.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (or breasts), baby carrots, Yukon gold potatoes (wedged), salted butter, minced garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, pepper.
• Instructions:
  1. Place the chicken, potatoes, and carrots in the slow cooker.
  2. In a small bowl, melt the butter and mix in the minced garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
  3. Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
  4. Toss everything gently to coat.
  5. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours, until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.

Lesson Learned: Cut the potatoes into uniform, 1-inch wedges to ensure they cook evenly and become perfectly tender in the same amount of time as the chicken and carrots.

One pot, no stress! Pin this easy all-in-one meal.

9. Melt-in-Your-Mouth Slow Cooker Chicken

This recipe delivers an unbelievably tender chicken in a uniquely flavored creamy sauce that is famously delicious when served over delicate angel hair pasta.

• Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken breast halves, spice blend (sea salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder), cream of mushroom soup, Italian salad dressing, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, all-purpose flour.
• Instructions:
  1. Season chicken with the spice blend and place in the slow cooker.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, Italian dressing, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and flour until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken.
  4. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
  5. Shred the chicken with two forks directly in the pot and stir into the sauce. Serve over freshly cooked angel hair pasta.

Pro-Tip: Whisking the flour into the sauce ingredients before cooking is a simple trick that helps thicken the sauce without any extra steps at the end.

Get ready for compliments! Save this family-favorite recipe.

10. Flavorful Slow Cooker Asian-Inspired Chicken Thighs

This recipe is specifically designed for chicken thighs, resulting in incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and a bold, sweet, and savory sauce with an Asian-inspired flavor profile.

• Ingredients: Chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless), extra-virgin olive oil, low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, honey, minced garlic, freshly minced ginger, Sriracha, lime juice.
• Instructions:
  1. Optional but recommended: Sear chicken thighs in a skillet with olive oil until golden.
  2. Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, and lime juice.
  4. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  5. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours. Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds.

Pro-Tip: Using fresh ginger and garlic instead of powdered versions makes a huge difference in the vibrancy and aroma of the final sauce. It’s a small step with a big flavor payoff.

Pin this flavor-packed chicken thigh recipe now!

11. Hearty & Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

This is a flexible, healthy, and comforting chili recipe that can simmer all day, making it perfect for meal prep, game day, or feeding a crowd.

• Ingredients: Chicken breasts or thighs, diced onion, diced bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, canned diced tomatoes, canned beans (black, pinto, or kidney), canned corn, a splash of vinegar or lime juice.
• Instructions:
  1. Combine the chicken, onion, bell peppers, spices, and diced tomatoes in the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-4 hours.
  3. Remove the chicken and shred it, then return it to the pot.
  4. Drain and rinse the beans and corn, then add them to the chili for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  5. Stir in a splash of vinegar or lime juice just before serving to brighten the flavors.

Lesson Learned: Wait to add the canned beans and corn until the end of the cooking time. Adding them too early can cause them to become overly soft and mushy.

Perfect for game day! Save this easy chili recipe.

Key Takeaways: Your Quick Guide to Perfect Crockpot Chicken

To ensure success with any crockpot chicken recipe, keep these critical tips in mind. This quick guide reinforces the most important lessons for achieving delicious results every time.

• Always Thaw First: For food safety and even cooking, never put frozen chicken directly into a slow cooker.
• Low & Slow is Best: While high heat works in a pinch, cooking chicken on low for a longer period almost always yields more tender, juicy results.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Arrange chicken in a single layer if possible to ensure it cooks evenly.
• Thighs for Moisture: If you’re worried about dry chicken, use chicken thighs. Their higher fat content makes them more forgiving and flavorful.
• Use a Thermometer: The only way to know for sure if chicken is done (and not overcooked) is to check that its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

People Also Ask About crockpot chicken recipes

Is it better to cook chicken on low or high in a crockpot?

For the most tender and juicy results, it’s almost always better to cook chicken on LOW. The “low and slow” method gently breaks down connective tissues without boiling away moisture. Cooking on HIGH is faster, but it can result in tougher, drier meat, especially with lean chicken breasts. Both methods are safe as long as the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

How do I make my slow cooker chicken juicy and not dry?

To prevent dry chicken, ensure there’s enough liquid (like broth or a sauce) in the pot. Using chicken thighs instead of breasts helps, as they have more fat. Most importantly, avoid overcooking. Use a meat thermometer and stop cooking as soon as the chicken hits 165°F. Letting shredded chicken rest in the cooking juices for 10-15 minutes will also help it reabsorb moisture.

Is it okay to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to put fresh, raw (thawed) chicken in a slow cooker. The appliance is designed to slowly heat the raw meat past the “danger zone” and cook it thoroughly. However, you should NEVER put frozen chicken in a slow cooker. It spends too much time at unsafe temperatures as it thaws, which can allow harmful bacteria to grow. Always thaw chicken completely before slow cooking.

Final Thoughts

With these 11 simple and delicious recipes in your arsenal, stressful weeknight dinners can officially become a thing of the past. It’s time to dust off that slow cooker and let it do the heavy lifting. Embrace the convenience and empower yourself to create memorable, comforting, and mouth-watering meals for your family without the last-minute panic. You’ve got this.

Which of these crockpot chicken recipes are you most excited to try first? Let us know in the comments below