Slow cooker pulled chicken is the lowest-effort way to have cooked protein ready for a whole week: put 1.35 kilograms of chicken breasts and thighs in the pot with a jar of salsa, onion and spices, cook on low for about four and a half hours, and shred it with two forks. You get eight portions of roughly 235 calories and 37 grams of protein each. Ten minutes of work in the morning, and the house smells good when you get home.
Ingredients
Makes 8 portions of about 150 g (5 oz) cooked chicken with sauce.
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless, skinless chicken breasts | 900 g | 2 lb |
| Boneless, skinless chicken thighs | 450 g | 1 lb |
| Mild or medium salsa | 1 jar (430 ml) | 1 jar (about 15 oz) |
| Tomato paste | 30 g | 2 tbsp |
| Onion, sliced | 150 g | 1 medium |
| Garlic, minced | 3 cloves | 3 cloves |
| Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika | 1 tsp each | 1 tsp each |
| Dried oregano, salt | ½ tsp each | ½ tsp each |
| Lime | 1 | 1 |
Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 4 to 5 hours on low, or 2½ to 3 hours on high.
Method
- Scatter the onion and garlic over the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Mix the spices and salt and rub them over the chicken. Lay the breasts and thighs on the onions, thighs on the bottom where it’s hottest.
- Stir the tomato paste into the salsa and pour it over the chicken. Don’t add water; the chicken releases plenty of liquid.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. The chicken is done when the thickest piece reaches 74°C (165°F), the Health Canada temperature for chicken pieces, and pulls apart easily.
- Shred the meat in the pot with two forks. Squeeze in the lime and stir so the chicken soaks up the sauce. Taste for salt.
Approximate macros per portion
Calculated from standard values in USDA FoodData Central for raw chicken breast and thigh, salsa, tomato paste and onion, divided into eight portions. Your salsa’s label may differ slightly.
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| about 235 | about 37 g | about 6 g | about 5 g |
That’s a very lean portion, which is what makes it useful: you add the carbs and fats to suit the meal and the day.
Five meals from one pot
| Meal | What to add | Rough total |
|---|---|---|
| Burrito bowl | 150 g (¾ cup) cooked rice, 80 g black beans, lettuce, salsa | about 540 calories, 49 g protein |
| Soft tacos | 2 small corn tortillas, cabbage, a spoon of Greek yogurt | about 375 calories, 44 g protein |
| Stuffed sweet potato | 1 medium baked sweet potato, green onion | about 360 calories, 40 g protein |
| Big salad | Romaine, corn, tomato, 30 g (¼ cup) feta, lime and 2 tsp oil | about 480 calories, 46 g protein |
| Quesadilla | 1 large whole-wheat tortilla, 30 g (¼ cup) cheddar | about 565 calories, 51 g protein |
If you’d rather eat the chicken with Middle Eastern flavours, the shawarma bowl uses thighs, a yogurt marinade and garlic sauce instead.
Storing a full batch
Cool the chicken in shallow containers rather than leaving it in the warm ceramic insert, which holds heat for a long time. Health Canada’s leftover guidance is to throw out cooked food that sits at room temperature for more than two hours and to eat refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days. So keep three portions in the fridge and freeze the other five in flat freezer bags; flat bags thaw overnight in the fridge and stack neatly.
Variations
- BBQ: swap the salsa for 250 ml (1 cup) of barbecue sauce and 125 ml (½ cup) of water. Barbecue sauce is much higher in sugar, so each portion gains roughly 40 to 50 calories.
- Salsa verde: use a jar of green salsa and add a can of drained green chilies.
- All breast: leaner, but cook only 3½ to 4 hours on low.
For a different batch dinner that uses the oven, try sheet pan chicken and vegetables. For planning a full week of prepared food, our meal prep guide for busy men explains how to fit two cooking sessions into a working week.
The real benefit: protein that’s already done
The hard part of eating enough protein after 40 isn’t knowledge. It’s that at 8 p.m. there’s nothing cooked. A pot of pulled chicken fixes that for most of a week. If you want help setting your daily protein and building the week around it, monthly 1:1 coaching includes that planning and the follow-up.
Questions people also ask
How long does pulled chicken take in a slow cooker?
About 4 to 5 hours on low or 2½ to 3 hours on high for this amount. Thighs tolerate a little extra time; breasts dry out if left for 8 hours, which is why this recipe mixes the two.
Can I put frozen chicken in the slow cooker?
It's better not to. Frozen chicken takes a long time to come up to temperature in a slow cooker and cooks unevenly. Thaw it in the fridge overnight first.
How do I keep pulled chicken from drying out when reheated?
Store it with some of the cooking liquid. A spoonful of liquid in each container keeps the meat moist in the microwave.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot?
Yes. Pressure cook on high for 12 to 15 minutes with 125 ml (½ cup) of water or broth added, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before shredding.