Our Best Slow-Cooker Chicken Recipes

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Photo: Caitlin Bensel

The convenience of the slow-cooker paired with budget-friendly chicken makes every one of these recipes surefire winners in our book. We've found plenty of ways to cook chicken in the slow-cooker with appetizers like Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dips and even company-ready meals like Salsa Chicken. These slow-cooker chicken recipes are great any time of the year. Our Lemon Chicken Soup is the perfect comfort food, while our King Ranch Chicken is a kid-friendly classic that they'll be asking for time and time again.

If you're looking for a recipe that you can fix, forget, and serve when you get home from a full day, we have what you're looking for. If you're willing do a little extra work whether braising the chicken before it hits the slow cooker or rounding off the meal with a fresh side, we have slow-cooker chicken recipes that will fit that category as well. Take a look through our easy and convenient slow-cooker chicken recipes and never again worry about a busy week getting the best of you.

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White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili
Hector Manuel Sanchez

This recipe might just be one of the most well-loved Southern Living dishes of all time, and for good reason. This chili is simple to put together, yet so delicious. We use chicken thighs in this recipe to add extra flavor during the slow cook.

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Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken
Caitlin Bensel

Taco-bout potential! From tacos to burrito bowls to salads, there are so many easy ways to enjoy this tender slow-cooker chicken. All you have to do is throw it in the slow cooker for a few hours and then you have endless meal options for the rest of the week.

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Lemon Chicken Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Every ingredient in this comforting soup is cooked in the slow cooker, including the orzo. Just make sure to add it during the last 20 minutes of cooking and reserve the peas, parsley, zest, and juice to be added just before serving.

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Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms
Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Your slow cooker will help the chicken develop plenty of flavor and make sure to reserve the stock to make a creamy sauce for your pie. This is one of those recipes that has a few extra steps, but the pay-off is well worth it.

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Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Yes, this elevated restaurant dinner can be made in your cozy slow cooker. Lemons give chicken piccata a tangy twist while the capers add plenty of salty flavor.

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Creamy Slow-Cooker Tarragon Chicken

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tarragon Chicken
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Searing the chicken thighs before adding them to the slow cooker gives them a great color, and adds a depth of flavor that everyone will love. Serve this dish over some rice or egg noodles and you truly have a satisfying supper.

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Chicken Biscuit Sandwiches

Chicken Biscuit Sandwiches
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Let your slow cooker do the work of cooking tender chicken to be served up on a biscuit and topped with a homemade white barbecue sauce. Go for canned biscuits for an even easier dish!

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Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Game day can be made easy and delicious with this slow-cooker version of the classic party dip. Enjoy with chips, celery, carrots and anything else your heart desires.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken

Slow-Cooker Roasted Chicken
Southern Living

This chicken isn't your mama's slow cooker chicken. With paprika, fresh thyme, some cayenne and other fresh flavors, this chicken really packs a punch that makes it perfect to plate with a side of rice and veggies or your favorite salad.

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Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Cooking low and slow is how this barbecue chicken gets its flavor, and adding a bit of your favorite cola to the mix doesn't hurt either. To make ahead, cool shredded chicken completely. Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months.

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Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken
Iain Bagwell

You're going to love the sweet and savory flavor combination in our delicious Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken. Add a base of basmati rice to complement the honey glaze.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Spend 20 minutes in the kitchen prepping this gorgeous, hearty sauce. Once the sauce simmers in the cooker, all that's left to do is cook a pound of pasta, and serve.

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Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings
Iain Bagwell

Make a classic chicken and dumplings recipe even more Southern by topping the vegetable-and-chicken-packed stew with cornbread dumplings.

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Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew

Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew
Jennifer Davick

On a cold evening, come home to a simmering slow cooker filled with comforting Chicken Sausage and White Bean Stew. Sear the sausage in a skillet to add a richer flavor.

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Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken

Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken
Becky Luigart-Stayner

To make the best barbecue chicken at home, use your slow cooker. Start with a whole chicken, cut up, and simmer in a homemade barbecue sauce of ketchup, cola, cider vinegar, and a splash of bourbon for a Southern barbecue flavor.

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Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters

Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters
Photo: Hector Sanchez

The key to this dinner-party-worthy dish is to brown the chicken before it goes into the slow cooker. Also, with the potatoes in this dish, all you need is a refreshing side salad for this to become a delicious dinner.

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Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

Jennifer Davick

All you need is 20 minutes to get this dish in the slow cooker, then you'll have a hearty chicken and veggie supper waiting for you when you get home. Make sure you use bone-in chicken thighs for the best results.

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Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna

Chicken-and-Spinach Lasagna
Oxmoor House

This hearty Italian classic features chicken slow-cooked with spinach and carrots. With Alfredo sauce and cream of mushroom soup, this dish is perfect for a cozy night in.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups
Alison Miksch

These cups pair the freshness of a salad with the heartiness of a taco. Serve as an appetizer or light dinner.

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Soulful Chicken Soup

Soulful Chicken Soup
Iain Bagwell

Simply toss in the ingredients, switch on, and then walk away. We love old-fashioned, wide egg noodles for this recipe. To make sure they aren't mushy and overcooked, don't leave them in the slow cooker any longer than 10 minutes.

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Slow-Cooker Green Chile Posole

Slow-Cooker Green Chile Posole
Alison Miksch

Who doesn't love taco night in soup form? This posole has all of the fresh, inviting flavors you love with just a little lazy night-in twist.

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Easy Enchilada Bake

Easy Enchilada Bake
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Move over taco night, there's a new simple dinner in town. For this dish, everything, even the cornbread topping, comes together in the slow cooker.

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Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Corn Slow-Cooker Chowder

chicken-sweet-potato-and-corn-slow-cooker-chowder
Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

If you a serving soup for your next movie night, you will want to make this. Sweet potatoes, red and yellow bell pepper, and corn add great flavor and texture to this easy slow-cooker chowder.

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King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken
Southern Living

King Ranch Chicken is always a fan-favorite. Yes, we know you love it in casserole form, but this dish is just as good served from your slow-cooker.

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Chicken Enchilada Dip

Chicken Enchilada Dip
Jennifer Davick

The corn tortillas cook into this dish and thicken it. You won't see them after they're cooked, but they'll make a huge difference in the flavor.

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Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip

Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip
Jennifer Davick

We love Buffalo Chicken everything, so when we realized that we could make this dip even cheesier, we knew what we had to do. Serve this dip on game day or any day you just want a little extra cheesy goodness.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Caitlin Bensel

Once you see how easy it is to make chicken tacos in your slow cooker, you'll want to celebrate taco Tuesday every week. Top your chicken with jalapeños or radishes for a nice, bright bite.

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