When it comes to fuss-free dinners, chicken is the ultimate crowd-pleasing ingredient. The versatile, lean meat—whether you're working with boneless breasts, bone-in thighs, or even a straight-from-the-store rotisserie bird—takes to a variety of cuisines, flavors, and cooking techniques. Kids love it, too.
One of our favorite ways to cook chicken is in the slow cooker. This method's a lifesaver for busy weeknights: simply toss your bird in, set it, and forget it until dinnertime. Slow-cooked chicken is incredibly tender, too. For dishes you know you'll want to eat again soon, we recommend doubling up on ingredients and tossing leftovers in the freezer.
Here, we've rounded up some of Real Simple's best, easy-to-make slow cooker chicken recipes your whole family will love. We cover the classics—from Slow-Cooker Chicken with Biscuits to Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie—plus plenty of fresh takes on delicious dinner ideas, like Chicken Mole Chili and Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Soup.
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Chicken Taco Soup
This fall-friendly soup tastes delicious with toppings like radishes, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and fresh corn. For added crunch, throw on some tortilla chips, too.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Garam masala—a mix of spices that includes cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and cayenne—gives this dish its classic Indian flair.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole Chili Recipe
The flavors of irresistible mole snuck their way into this mouthwatering slow-cooker chicken chili recipe. Mole, a rich Mexican sauce usually containing raisins and chocolate, makes everything better. Leftovers love to play with tacos and enchiladas, so this is basically the chili that keeps on giving.
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Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken With Biscuits
Serve this comforting slow-cooked stew with warm biscuits to sop up the luscious sauce.
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Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken
This simple slow cooker recipe calls for just two ingredients—chicken, obviously, and a jar of salsa verde. The result is a mildly spicy shredded chicken dish that is both versatile and delicious. Once the chicken is done cooking, go ahead and use it as a taco base, serve it with a hearty helping of beans and rice, or add it to a bowl of pasta or soup. Whatever your craving, this shredded chicken will come in handy.
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Slow cooker Chicken Congee
Making this congee recipe in the slow-cooker not only allows for hands-off cooking, it infuses the coconut milk-base with even more flavor. Suggested toppings include cilantro and Sriracha, but almost any savory element tastes great on top—roasted mushrooms, a fried egg, even avocado would all be equally at home here.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup
You can cook the pasta directly in the broth in your slow cooker instead of using a separate pot in this standout from our crock pot chicken recipes.
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Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Potpie
Top each bowl with a round of flaky puff pastry to stand in for the crisp, tender crust.
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Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt
Simmer the chicken in a mixture of tomato paste, garlic, curry powder, and fresh ginger to add vibrant Indian flavors.
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Slow-Cooker Coq au Vin
If you ever find yourself craving coq au vin on a weeknight, this recipe is for you. Though not traditionally made with help from a slow cooker, using the appliance in this case significantly cuts down on the work you need to do, which is always a plus. After prepping the bacon and chicken, all you need to do is toss those ingredients in with the other components of the meal—think fresh mushrooms, carrots, and a little wine—and let your slow cooker do its thing.
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Slow-Cooker Soy-Braised Chicken
A take on a classic Filipino dish, the chicken gets a big boost from apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Tostadas
Tossing boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the slow cooker makes them ridiculously tender, which in turn transforms them into the perfect tostada filling. In this case, the chicken is cooked with onions, tomatillo salsa, and poblano chiles, which gives it a tangy taste. While the slow cooker is handling the chicken, all you need to do is make a quick pico de gallo and sprinkle some crumbled queso fresco on the finished product. Easy enough!
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