Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

The Set-It-and-Forget-It Protein Hero

If I could give one piece of meal prep advice to anyone, it would be this: always have a batch of slow cooker shredded chicken in your fridge. It is the ultimate blank canvas -- tacos on Monday, salads on Tuesday, sandwiches on Wednesday, soup on Thursday. Ten minutes of hands-on time gives you enough tender, flavorful chicken to last the entire week. That is the kind of efficiency I can get behind.

This is not fancy cooking. This is smart cooking, and it tastes incredible.

Seasoning and Loading the Slow Cooker

Pat three pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season them generously on both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Place the seasoned chicken in a single layer in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Pour one cup of chicken broth around the sides -- around, not over, so you do not wash off all that beautiful seasoning. Scatter four cloves of minced garlic on top and squeeze two tablespoons of fresh lime juice over everything.

The Long, Slow Cook

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and practically falls apart when you touch it with a fork. Low and slow is always my preference -- it produces juicier, more tender results.

Shredding Like a Pro

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds. If you want to save time, use a hand mixer on low speed -- it shreds chicken in seconds and it is honestly life-changing. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss it in the cooking liquid. This step is crucial. The liquid is packed with flavor, and the chicken absorbs it like a sponge.

Store It, Use It All Week

This shredded chicken keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for three months. Use it for taco night, pile it onto nachos, stir it into soups, load it onto slider buns, toss it with barbecue sauce, or throw it on top of a salad.

Tina's Tips

• Do not skip the lime juice. It adds brightness that cuts through the richness and keeps the chicken from tasting one-dimensional.
• Use thighs for extra flavor. Chicken thighs are more forgiving than breasts in the slow cooker. They stay juicier and have a deeper flavor.
• Save the cooking liquid. Strain and refrigerate it separately. Use it as a base for soups, to cook rice, or to reheat leftover chicken without drying it out.
• Freeze in flat bags. Portion the shredded chicken into freezer bags and lay them flat. They stack neatly and thaw much faster than a big container.
• Double the batch. If you are already running the slow cooker, you might as well fill it up. Future you will be grateful.