Crockpot Shredded Hen – WellPlated.com

Look no additional as a result of that is your one-stop useful resource for making straightforward Crockpot Shredded Hen. Whether or not you’re questioning find out how to prepare dinner it, what recipes you need to use it in, or find out how to retailer it, this text has a solution for you!

A Information to Crockpot Shredded Hen

Whereas the premise of creating shredded hen within the sluggish cooker appears straightforward sufficient, discovering clear solutions to know the way lengthy to prepare dinner your uncooked hen breast within the sluggish cooker, what kind of hen to make use of, find out how to maintain it from getting robust, and the easiest way to shred it may be troublesome to trace down in a single useful resource.

That’s why I’ve created this complete information for making shredded hen within the sluggish cooker.

If you’re in search of find out how to prepare dinner good hen within the crockpot to make use of in any of your favourite recipes, learn on!

The way to Make Crockpot Shredded Hen

The Elements

• Hen. Consider it or not, all you want for this straightforward crockpot shredded hen breast recipe is…CHICKEN! You’ll need to belief me after I say you can also make shredded hen in your crock pot with out broth, water, BBQ sauce, or marinade. It’s superb, and it really works!
• Spices & Seasonings. If you wish to make the most of your hen in quite a lot of completely different recipes, salt and pepper will probably be greatest, as they match with any dish. Or, attempt one of many concepts urged beneath to infuse your every crockpot shredded hen breast with taste.

The Instructions

1. Add the Hen to the Crockpot. Place the hen breasts in a single layer in order that they prepare dinner evenly.
2. Season. Don’t skimp right here, particularly the salt. That is your solely likelihood to get taste into the meat!
3. Cook dinner. Sluggish prepare dinner the hen breasts on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. For various cuts of hen, see the instances detailed beneath.

4. End. Shred the hen, then function desired. ENJOY!

The way to Shred Hen (EASY Strategies!)

Should you’re questioning what the BEST approach to shred hen is, listed here are just a few choices:

• Hand Mixer. That is my most popular methodology! Take away your hen to a bowl or place your hand mixer instantly into the sluggish cooker and apply it to low pace to shred the hen. You can also switch the cooked hen breasts or thighs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and shred it on low.
• Two Forks. Seize two forks, utilizing one to regular the massive items of hen. Use the opposite fork to tear the massive piece into shreds. (I’ve additionally heard reviews that these Meat Shredder Claws work splendidly.)
• Fingers. In case your hen is cool sufficient, you’ll be able to shred it together with your fingers.

Seasonings for Crockpot Shredded Hen

• Mexican Shredded Hen. Add the seasonings from my Crock Pot Mexican Hen to make sluggish cooker Mexican shredded hen.
• Italian Shredded Hen. Add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning to your hen.
• Spicy Shredded Hen. Should you love spice, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed crimson pepper flakes to your hen.
• Buffalo Shredded Hen. Observe the crockpot shredded hen recipe from this Wholesome Sluggish Cooker Buffalo Hen Candy Potatoes recipe.
• BBQ Shredded Hen. For sluggish cooker shredded BBQ hen, see my Crockpot BBQ Hen recipe.



How Lengthy Do You Cook dinner Uncooked Hen in a Crockpot?

The beneath cooking instances are a suggestion based mostly on my expertise, however I all the time counsel checking your hen for doneness early with an instant-read thermometer.

When finished, your hen needs to be 165 levels F. I take away mine 5 to 10 levels early, since it would proceed to prepare dinner because it rests.

TIP!

In case your hen just isn’t cooked by after the cooking time has ended, place it again within the sluggish cooker and proceed cooking till finished.

Hen Breast Cooking Instances

Boneless Hen Breasts

• Cook dinner boneless hen breasts in sluggish cooker on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (based mostly on a medium boneless hen breast with a weight of 8 ounces). You should definitely add or subtract time in case your piece of hen is smaller or bigger.
• I don’t suggest cooking boneless hen breast on HIGH, as it would change into very dry and difficult, even if you happen to verify it early. On excessive, the hen seems drier; I constantly have the very best outcomes with low.
• Verify early! All crock pot fashions are completely different, so your hen might take much less or extra time than listed.

Bone-in Hen Breasts

• Cook dinner bone-in hen breasts in sluggish cooker on LOW for 2-3 hours or HIGH for 1-2 hours (based mostly on medium bone-in hen breast with a weight of 11 ounces).
• Bone-in hen is much less more likely to dry out than boneless, so you might have the flexibleness to prepare dinner the hen on excessive.

Hen Thigh Cooking Instances

Boneless Hen Thighs

• Cook dinner boneless hen thighs in sluggish cooker on LOW for 3-4 hours, or HIGH for 2-3 hours (based mostly on medium boneless hen thigh with a weight of 4.5 ounces).
• Hen thighs are much less more likely to dry out than hen breasts, so you might have flexibility to prepare dinner the hen on excessive.

Bone-in Hen Thighs

• Cook dinner bone-in hen thighs in sluggish cooker on LOW for 5-6 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours (based mostly on medium bone-in hen thigh with a weight of 5.5 ounces).



What Sort of Hen is Finest for Shredded Hen?

So many forms of hen, so little time! Listed here are my ideas and ideas for selecting the best hen for sluggish cooker recipes:

Boneless vs. Bone-in Hen.

You need to use each boneless and bone-in items of hen to make shredded hen.

• Boneless is nice as a result of shredding is usually simpler, and it cooks quicker.
• Bone-in hen meat tends to remain very moist and should have extra taste than boneless.

Pores and skin On or Off.

Whilst you can depart the pores and skin in your hen throughout sluggish cooking, it would seemingly change into soggy. For this recipe, it’s best to take away any pores and skin earlier than you start cooking.

• If you wish to prepare dinner your hen with the pores and skin on, lay it within the sluggish cooker pores and skin facet up, and depart the lid barely cracked. This may permit some liquid to flee throughout cooking and assist the pores and skin crisp up. Word that you could be want so as to add to the prepare dinner time to accommodate the lid being ajar.

Ideas for Excellent Sluggish Cooker Shredded Hen

• Don’t Use Frozen Hen. Don’t place frozen hen within the sluggish cooker, as it could spend too lengthy at room temperature in the course of the sluggish cooking course of and change into unsafe to eat. You’ll be able to solely use fully-thawed uncooked hen within the sluggish cooker safely.
• Keep away from Overcooking. If the hen is cooked too lengthy, it would change into dry and difficult. Verify your hen for doneness early, particularly whether it is considered one of your first instances making it. I additionally like to make use of a programmable sluggish cooker to stop overcooking.
• Thaw Hen Rapidly. To rapidly (and safely) thaw frozen hen, place frozen hen in a big plastic bag, and fill a big bowl with chilly water. Submerge the bag into the bowl of chilly water, and let sit till thawed (about 1 to 2 hours). In case your water turns into heat, pour it out and refill the bowl with recent chilly water.
• Let the Hen Relaxation. Let your hen relaxation for at the very least 5 minutes after it comes out of the sluggish cooker earlier than shredding. This may assist maintain the juices contained in the hen, so it stays moist.



Meal Prep Tip

Divide your crockpot pulled hen into smaller parts and refrigerate or freeze as desired so you’ll be able to have cooked hen on demand for an array of fast and simple shredded hen recipes all week lengthy.

What to Do with Shredded Hen

• Tex-Mex Recipes. Fiesta Hen, Shredded Hen Tacos, or do-it-yourself Chipotle Bowls are scrumptious methods to make use of the hen.
• Sandwiches. Use the hen to make a crockpot shredded hen sandwich together with your favourite BBQ sauce.
• Wraps. This Hen Caesar Wrap and this Asian Hen Wrap are tremendous flavorful and make for a simple dinner or lunch. Or attempt a Mediterranean wrap, with hummus, wholesome crockpot pulled hen, olives, cucumber, crimson onion, feta, and some other of your favourite toppings.
• Salads. Add protein to your favourite salad by topping it with this crock pot shredded hen. My favorites embrace Hen Caesar Pasta Salad, BBQ Hen Salad, and this Spinach Strawberry Salad.
• Pastas. Make your favourite pasta dish extra filling by stirring on this shredded hen. Including it to this Mediterranean Pasta can be tasty.
• Pizzas. Use your shredded hen to high a pizza (this Buffalo Hen Pizza is a winner!).
• Soups. Stir a few of this hen into your favourite vegetarian soup recipe like Broccoli Cauliflower Soup to bump the protein content material.
• Casseroles. Add crock pot shredded hen to a veggie casserole like this Hen Broccoli Rice Casserole.

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• 2 medium boneless, skinless hen breasts (about 8 ounces every) or boneless, skinless thighs, bone-in hen breasts, or bone-in hen thighs
• kosher salt, black pepper, and different seasonings as desired see weblog put up above for ideas

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• Place hen within the backside of the sluggish cooker. Place the hen so it is in a single layer and season, if desired (see weblog put up above for ideas).

• Cowl and prepare dinner medium boneless, skinless hen breast on LOW for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours (for different cuts of hen, comparable to boneless issues, or bone-in hen breasts or thighs, and for cooking instances on HIGH, see the weblog put up above).

• Verify the hen for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. (Should you’re utilizing bone-in hen, do not contact the thermometer to the bone.) The hen needs to be 165 levels F (I take away mine 5 to 10 levels early, because the temperature will rise because it rests). Take away the hen to a plate or reducing board and let relaxation 5 to 10 minutes so the juices can reincorporate (if you happen to plan to shred the proper in your sluggish cooker, you’ll be able to let it relaxation there).

• When the hen is cooked by, shred it utilizing a hand mixer, two forks, or your fingers. Function desired.

• For cooking instances based mostly on the kind of hen, please see the directions listed within the weblog put up above. 
• TO STORE: Place shredded hen in an hermetic storage container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
• TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm plain shredded hen within the microwave till scorching, topped with a splash of water or hen broth to maintain it from drying out. Should you’re serving sauce together with your hen, you’ll be able to reheat it the hen within the sauce on the stovetop over medium-low warmth.
• TO FREEZE: Retailer shredded hen in an hermetic freezer-safe storage container within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge.
• TO MAKE SHREDDED CHICKEN IN THE INSTANT POT: See my On the spot Pot Hen put up.
• TO MAKE SHREDDED CHICKEN ON THE STOVE: See my The way to Make Shredded Hen put up.

Serving: 4ounces (about 1/2 cup cooked, shredded hen)Energy: 129kcalProtein: 24gFats: 3gSaturated Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 72mgPotassium: 418mgVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

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