# Shredded chicken in slow cooker



## Lovex4 (Oct 1, 2012)

I made this today for hubby to take for lunch tomorrow, and for the kids to have a fun dinner tomorrow, there's something about sandwiches for dinner that makes them not give me a hard time eating

I had only 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
So I threw them in the crock pot, added 2 cans of root beer
Cooked them on high about 3 hrs...took the chicken out shredded it...(easily) added one bottle of BBQ sauce and another can of root beer whisked it together and added the   Chicken back in just to get the flavor of the sauce...that's it!!! Try it, it was delicious


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## Lovex4 (Oct 1, 2012)

I forget to mention when I took the chicken out to shred it, I discarded the root beer the chicken was cooked in and put in one bottle of BBQ sauce and a new one can of root beer


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## Dawgluver (Oct 1, 2012)

Sounds good!  Something about root beer and slow cookers, they really go together.  Regular Coke is nice to cook with too.


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## jennyema (Oct 2, 2012)

Boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked in a crock pot like that will be totally dried out.  After its cooked through, the continued cooking time does nothing more than draw all the juices out of the meat which then disintegrates.

 And all the chicken flavor from the juices was in the cooking liquid you discarded.


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

jennyema said:
			
		

> Boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked in a crock pot like that will be totally dried out.  After its cooked through, the continued cooking time does nothing more than draw all the juices out of the meat which then disintegrates.
> 
> And all the chicken flavor from the juices was in the cooking liquid you discarded.



Actually it wasn't dried out at all, I usually don't use boneless for that reason, and I know that putting it back in with the sauce would normally dry it out more, and I know that I discarded the juice from the chicken...my point was that while boneless, and with discarding the juices it was cooked in, it was actually really delicious and sometimes if all you have in boneless, skinless...and not really in the mood for just fired or baked breaded chicken cutlets...this is a really great recipe...by all means cook it however you want lol that is the beauty of cooking after all...
All I had was chicken cutlet....and I was also looking for something different I could give to my husband for lunch instead of just the plain old breaded chicken....he loved it!!!


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## iCasey (Oct 2, 2012)

I've done lots of boneless chicken breasts in the crockpot, I've never had dried out chicken. It's one of my favorite ways to cook chicken!

I'm gonna try this next week, I love easy meals to stick in the crock. And I loooove root beer. Yum!


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## Siegal (Oct 2, 2012)

is cooking with root beer a popular thing? Or your little secret. Never heard of or tried it before


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## bakechef (Oct 2, 2012)

As long as you aren't leaving the boneless/skinless chicken in too long, they won't dry out.  I do a shredded chicken with BBQ sauce.  I leave it on low for about 4-5 hours (my slow cooker is nice and slow, doesn't boil, just simmers around the edge).  It is very tender and juicy.  Now any longer than that and it could be quite dry.  

Last time I made it this way was really good, I could have eaten the chicken as is, without shredding it and putting it back into the sauce.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 2, 2012)

Siegal said:
			
		

> is cooking with root beer a popular thing? Or your little secret. Never heard of or tried it before



One of my CP cookbooks has several recipes for meat/poultry with root beer.

I like chicken breasts done in the CP as well.  As Bakechef advised, don't overcook, they'll be fine.


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## jennyema (Oct 2, 2012)

With all due respect, cooking is science.

Cooking chicken breasts in a crockpot for 3 hours on high will dramatically overcook them.  Once past the point of being fully cooked all continuing to cook them does is drive the chicken's juices out into the cooking liquid.

So the chicken will dry out.  You probably don't notice it since you use a lot of sauce.  If you like it then keep on keepin on!

But in general, chicken breasts aren't a good protein for a slow cooker.


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## Andy M. (Oct 2, 2012)

I agree with Jen.  Lean cuts like chicken breast and pork tenderloins are not good candidates for slow cooking.  Better candidates for crockpots/slow cookers are fattier meats with more connective tissue.  After all stewing and braising are processes that were developed to deal with lower quality cuts of meat.


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

iCasey said:
			
		

> I've done lots of boneless chicken breasts in the crockpot, I've never had dried out chicken. It's one of my favorite ways to cook chicken!
> 
> I'm gonna try this next week, I love easy meals to stick in the crock. And I loooove root beer. Yum!



It really was great...lol..not dried out at all and it had nothing to do with the amount of sauce I used anyway...maybe three hrs was a little excessive...and I will definitely try a different cooking time next time I do this...however again...it wasn't dried out lol, since you said you've slow cooked boneless how long and low or high do you do??


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

Siegal said:
			
		

> is cooking with root beer a popular thing? Or your little secret. Never heard of or tried it before



Actually my sister told me to use root beer... I have used coke before and it always comes out amazing!!!!


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

bakechef said:
			
		

> As long as you aren't leaving the boneless/skinless chicken in too long, they won't dry out.  I do a shredded chicken with BBQ sauce.  I leave it on low for about 4-5 hours (my slow cooker is nice and slow, doesn't boil, just simmers around the edge).  It is very tender and juicy.  Now any longer than that and it could be quite dry.
> 
> Last time I made it this way was really good, I could have eaten the chicken as is, without shredding it and putting it back into the sauce.



Thank you!! It really came out awesome....always love slow cooker recipes


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## chopper (Oct 2, 2012)

I'm not going to criticize!  I am going to try it. It sounds great!  Thanks so much for posting.


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

chopper said:
			
		

> I'm not going to criticize!  I am going to try it. It sounds great!  Thanks so much for posting.



Definitely try it, legmen ow how you like it


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

chopper said:
			
		

> I'm not going to criticize!  I am going to try it. It sounds great!  Thanks so much for posting.



And I can definitely take criticism very well so please feel free to give your opinion. All comments are always welcome whether I agree or not lol, it's the beauty of living in this country after all isn't it??


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

Lovex4 said:
			
		

> Definitely try it, legmen ow how you like it



What I meant to write!! Lol, was let me know how you like it


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## vitauta (Oct 2, 2012)

i'd like to try this one myself, lovex4, after reading your post.  only thing is, i really have never cared for the taste of root beer.  does the chicken taste like root beer?  maybe i should do mine with coke instead, huh?


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## jennyema (Oct 2, 2012)

Like I said before, cooking is science .

Once past being fully cooked all you do is expel the chicken's moisture out.  This will dry the meat.

It's just a fact.  It's food science 101.

You dont notice or don't care, which is fine.  My mom prefers dry poultry.

Braising is not a good technique with very lean protein.  Pork tenderloin and filet of beef don't do well in a crockpot either.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 2, 2012)

Lovex4 said:
			
		

> Actually my sister told me to use root beer... I have used coke before and it always comes out amazing!!!!



What brand of root beer did you use?  I'm planning to do this soon too!


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

vitauta said:
			
		

> i'd like to try this one myself, lovex4, after reading your post.  only thing is, i really have never cared for the taste of root beer.  does the chicken taste like root beer?  maybe i should do mine with coke instead, huh?



I don't really care for root beer myself...it actually gives it a bit of a smokey flavor.... Coke is great too, but the root beer was just a different flavor, which I have been wanting because I am tired of the same old things


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> What brand of root beer did you use?  I'm planning to do this soon too!



I used a &w root beer...


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> Sounds good!  Something about root beer and slow cookers, they really go together.  Regular Coke is nice to cook with too.



I have great recipe for beef brisket

2-3-4 lb beef brisket...depending on how many people your feeding...my husband eat for 4 so I tend to cook larger quantities
One can of coke
One package Lipton onion soup mix
One jar chili sauce
Mix together pour over brisket
Cook high 4 hrs....
Low 8 hrs

Amazing!!!!!
Serve with egg noodles mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## Dawgluver (Oct 2, 2012)

Lovex4 said:
			
		

> I used a &w root beer...



Aw, the good stuff!

Root beer has some great herbs and spices.  Some of the regional ones would be very nice too.  Hmm.  Sarsparilla.  I would imagine Dr. Pepper would give a nice flavor to meat/poultry as well.  Something my books warn is to not use diet soda.


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## powerplantop (Oct 2, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> Aw, the good stuff!
> 
> Root beer has some great herbs and spices.  Some of the regional ones would be very nice too.  Hmm.  Sarsparilla.  I would imagine Dr. Pepper would give a nice flavor to meat/poultry as well.  Something my books warn is to not use diet soda.



I have braised wings in Dr. Pepper until it made a nice thick sauce. They were really good.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 2, 2012)

Lovex4 said:
			
		

> I have great recipe for beef brisket
> 
> 2-3-4 lb beef brisket...depending on how many people your feeding...my husband eat for 4 so I tend to cook larger quantities
> One can of coke
> ...



That sounds great!

I'll have to dig out my cola pulled pork recipe.  It's cooked in the coke, then drained and shredded.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 2, 2012)

powerplantop said:
			
		

> I have braised wings in Dr. Pepper until it made a nice thick sauce. They were really good.



Have you posted the recipe, PPO?  This sounds interesting.


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## Lovex4 (Oct 2, 2012)

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> That sounds great!
> 
> I'll have to dig out my cola pulled pork recipe.  It's cooked in the coke, then drained and shredded.



Absolutely, please share... Always looking for new recipes


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## jennyema (Oct 2, 2012)

Cola/root beer/dr pepper pulled pork recipes totally work.


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## iCasey (Oct 3, 2012)

jennyema said:


> Like I said before, cooking is science .
> 
> Once past being fully cooked all you do is expel the chicken's moisture out.  This will dry the meat.
> 
> ...



Tis true.
But, I would guess that most people (including myself) who do chicken breasts in the crock are using some type of sauce. I wouldn't just cook chicken in there to eat plain and dry. I usually do forms of "pulled chicken" in there, which means there's a sauce.. so it never ever tastes dry.


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## Lovex4 (Oct 3, 2012)

Dawgluver said:
			
		

> Aw, the good stuff!
> 
> Root beer has some great herbs and spices.  Some of the regional ones would be very nice too.  Hmm.  Sarsparilla.  I would imagine Dr. Pepper would give a nice flavor to meat/poultry as well.  Something my books warn is to not use diet soda.



Totally trying dr. Pepper next time!!! Maybe on some ribs....mmmmmmmmm


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## Kylie1969 (Oct 12, 2012)

I have never cooked chicken in the slow cooker...sounds good though


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