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Slow Cooked Shredded Chicken

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Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein, plus it’s versatile and easy to cook with. You can add it to stir frys, tacos, soups, have it grilled, roasted, poached, slow cooked, and seared in a pan. During shelter in place, this Slow Cooked Shredded Chicken recipe has become a weekly staple in our household. With it, we almost always create brown rice taco bowls with whatever ingredients we have on hand, like beans, sauteed greens, avocado, and salsa. While it takes a little time to make (though it’s very hands-off), the amazing flavor it produces is completely worth the effort!

When buying chicken, look for organic and/or pasture-raised because those chickens are never introduced to hormones or antibiotics and are given space to roam. There’s a lot of confusion about packaging lingo and if you want to know more, check out the first two links in “Sources and Additional Reading” at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, salted and brought to room temperature (an assortment of chicken pieces will also work - including legs, thighs, etc…)

  • 1 yellow onion, diced

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 2 ½ tsp cumin

  • 1 ½ tsp chili powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • 2 tbsp olive oil


Instructions:

served as part of a taco bowl

served as part of a taco bowl

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

  • In a Dutch oven, saute onions with a pinch of salt in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes.

  • Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and remaining salt and stir for a minute.

  • Add the chicken breasts and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Then cover with Dutch oven with a lid and place in the oven for 1.5 hours.

  • Remove from the oven and shred chicken with two forks. 

    * IF you have a slower cooker, throw all the ingredients in there and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.

    *Serving suggestions: Top a brown rice bowl with this shredded chicken or use it as a filler for tacos!

Here are some health benefits of including chicken in your diet:

  • Chicken is an excellent source of protein, which we need to build muscles, to build and repair tissues, and to make enzymes and hormones.

  • Chicken is abundant in selenium, which is essential for hormone health, a healthy metabolism, thyroid function, and immune functioning.

  • Eating chicken (and meat in general) helps boost our Vitamin B6 intake, which we need to keep blood vessels and metabolism functioning well and our energy levels high.

  • Chicken has both tryptophan and Vitamin B5, which create a calming effect in our body and can be helpful in reducing stress.


Sources and Additional Reading: