Slow cookers can be a great kitchen tool for busy days. After all, who doesn’t want to come home to the smell of a tasty dinner ready and waiting? And while it’s often thought that crockpots are only good for making stews and soups, they can actually do so much more – like cooking frozen chicken in slow cooker!
Using your slow cooker to cook frozen chicken is the best way to get a tasty dinner on the table without all the fuss. The result is always tender, juicy chicken with the most delicious flavor the whole family will love.
Plus, slow-cooked chicken doesn’t require any pre-searing or browning – all you have to do is season the chicken and let the slow cooker do its magic!
Once you’ve cooked your frozen chicken in slow cooker, you can use it to make any of your favorite recipes. From chicken pasta casserole to chicken risotto, chicken tacos, and homemade chicken and dumplings, you can make just about any dish with slow-cooked chicken.
Why You’ll Love Slow Cooking a Frozen Chicken
- Simple recipe. Is there anything easier than just throwing a frozen chicken in the slow cooker and letting it do its thing? Cooking frozen chicken in slow cooker really couldn’t be any simpler!
- Tender and juicy. Slow cooking ensures your chicken is always tender and juicy. The meat will shred beautifully and have the most incredible flavor.
- Versatile! Once you’ve cooked your frozen chicken in slow cooker, you can use it to make just about any recipe you’d like. From all-in-one casseroles to classic comfort food dishes, the possibilities are endless!
How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in Slow Cooker
You can cook any type of frozen chicken in a slow cooker, though the cooking process will depend on the size of the frozen chicken pieces and cut.
The important thing is that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F as per food safety guidelines. You can check this by using a meat thermometer when you’ want to remove the chicken from the crockpot.
- Chicken Breast: Boneless skinless chicken breasts will cook in the slow cooker for either 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
- Whole Chicken: Slow cooking a frozen chicken will have a longer cook time than the other options on this list due to the size. However, it’s still an easy dinner and a fuss-free option! Slow cooking a frozen chicken will take 4 hours on high and 8 hours on low.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless chicken thighs take a similar amount of time to boneless chicken breasts. The cooking time should take 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
- Chicken Tenders: Chicken tenderloin is a tender piece of meat that runs along the back of the chicken breast. Chicken tenders turn out brilliantly in the slow cooker! You’ll also want to cook them for 3 hours on high and 6 hours on low heat.
Ingredients For Frozen Chicken in Slow Cooker
- Frozen chicken
- Water
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Italian seasoning
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Instructions For Frozen Chicken Breast Recipe
- Place frozen chicken breasts (or any cut you want) in the slow cooker. Be sure to remove all packaging.
- Pour water in.
- Evenly sprinkle spices over the top of the chicken.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
What Seasonings To Use For Crock Pot Frozen Chicken
As with any slow cooker recipe, you can use any seasoning blend that you like. I love using Italian herb seasoning, which is versatile and pairs well with the chicken. You can also use the following:
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Garlic and herb seasoning
- Chili powder
- Homemade taco seasoning
- Easy steak seasoning (not just for steak!)
The seasoning you choose is what sets the tone for the entire meal. Here, you can be creative and find flavors that you and your family will love!
What to Serve With Frozen Chicken in Slow Cooker
You really can serve this slow cooker chicken recipe with just about anything! Here are a few ideas:
- Roasted potatoes
- Vegetables, such as frozen carrots or green beans with bacon and onion
- Garlic and herb rice
- Roast garlic (smother a little bit on the chicken at the end of cooking – amazing!)
- Steakhouse mashed potatoes
- Oven-roasted brown sugar carrots
- Caesar salad
However you serve your slow-cooked chicken, I’m sure it’ll be one of your new favorite crockpot recipes.
If it’s your first time cooking frozen chicken in slow cooker, it is important to ensure the chicken’s internal minimum temperature is 165°F. You can check this using a meat thermometer when the chicken has been cooking for the abovementioned times. Once your chicken has reached this temperature, it is safe to consume and out of the ‘danger zone.’
Avoid taking the lid off your slow cooker while cooking, as this will release heat and cause the chicken to take longer to cook.
You can cook this chicken recipe using your slow cooker’s high or low setting. Whichever you choose is down to how quickly you would like to cook the chicken. The high temperature setting will reach the minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F faster than the low setting.
If you want perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken, only use the amount of water shown on the recipe card. Frozen chicken releases liquid as the chicken cooks, so the additional liquid is unnecessary.
To infuse a little more flavor into your chicken, feel free to use vegetable or chicken broth in place of water.
Slow Cooker Frozen Chicken
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds frozen chicken tenders, breasts, etc.
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Place frozen chicken in the slow cooker. Be sure to remove all packaging.
- Pour water in.
- Evenly sprinkle spices over the top of the chicken.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
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