ComScore

6 Easy Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes

From soup to enchiladas

chicken email

Fact: Making dinner in your Crock-Pot rocks. So the next time you go to plug it in, pile in the ingredients for one of these six slow-cooker chicken dinner recipes. Whether you’re craving Mexican, Asian, Italian or good old American home cooking, we’ve got you covered.

chicken5
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Chicken Teriyaki

1. Place 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into your slow cooker.
2. Top with 1 sliced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger.
3. Add ½ cup soy sauce,  cup honey, ⅓ cup rice vinegar; season with salt and pepper. 
4. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks.
5. Garnish with ¼ cup sliced scallions and 3 tablespoons sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice.


chicken3
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Chicken Tikka Masala

1. In your slow cooker, combine 1 diced onion, 5 minced garlic cloves and 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been cut into cubes. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together a 28-ounce can of tomato puree, 1 cup plain yogurt, 3 tablespoons garam masala, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Pour the mixture over the chicken. 
4. Cook on low for 6 hours. 
5. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and cook for 10 minutes more. 
6. Garnish with ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with steamed rice.

chicken1
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Chicken Piccata

1. Place 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 sliced shallots and 3 minced garlic cloves into your slow cooker.
2. Top with 3 cups chicken broth, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup capers and 1 sliced lemon. 
3. Dot the surface with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; season with salt and pepper. 
4. Cook on low for 5 hours. 
5.
 Place 1 chicken breast on top of a portion of cooked linguine. Ladle ½ cup of the broth over the chicken and pasta, and garnish with 2 tablespoons fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

chicken4
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1. Cut 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin strips. 
2. 
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with a can 14-ounce of black beans (drained), a can of 14-ounce corn (drained), a 4-ounce can of green chiles, 1 diced red onion and 3 tablespoons taco seasoning. 
3. Set out a 28-ounce can of enchilada sauce, 20 corn tortillas and 3 cups shredded jack cheese. 
4. Pour a quarter of the enchilada sauce into the base of the slow cooker. Arrange 5 tortillasover the sauce and then top with a third of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with ½ cup cheese.Repeat this layering pattern two more times.  
5. Top the third layer with the remaining tortillas, enchilada sauce and cheese.
6. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. 
7. Serve portions garnished with sour cream, thinly sliced scallions and chopped fresh cilantro.

slowcookerchicken
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Pulled Chicken

1. Place 1 sweet onion (halved and thinly sliced) and 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the base of a slow cooker. 
2. Add a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons yellow mustard, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground chile powder and 1 teaspoon ground coriander to the slow cooker; toss gently to combine. 
3. Cook on low for 7 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through but tender and easy to shred. 
4. Use two forks to shred the meat. 
5. Serve the chicken on brioche buns with shredded lettuce and sliced tomato.

chicken2
PHOTO: LIZ ANDREW/STYLING: ERIN MCDOWELL

Chicken Noodle Soup

1. In your slow cooker, combine 1 chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, 3 chopped celery stalks, 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been cut into ½-inch cubes. 
2. Add 5½ cups chicken broth and 1 bay leaf; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Cook on low for 6 hours. 
4. Add 2½ cups egg noodles and 1 cup frozen peas. 
5. Cook until the noodles are tender, 6 to 7 minutes. 
6. Stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.


erin jeanne mcdowell

Freelance Food Editor

Erin Jeanne McDowell is a recipe developer, food stylist and author of multiple cookbooks, including The Fearless Baker, which was named one of the Best Baking Books of 2017 by...