The convenience of a slow cooker is appealing, especially for tenderizing sources of protein such as chicken. Slow cookers don’t require constant hovering attention.
Just put the food in, press a button, and leave. How many hours of freedom does this buy?
It is recommended to slow cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the juice runs clear instead of pink. Cooking raw chicken breast in a slow cooker takes approximately 3-4 hours on high heat and 6-8 hours on low heat. Slow cooking bone-in chicken to produce broth in a slow cooker can withstand a maximum of 48 hours of cooking.
The time it takes to cook chicken in a slow cooker varies, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, the quantity of chicken, the size of the slow cooker, the temperature setting of the slow cooker, and the amount of liquid in the slow cooker.
Some apply non-stick spray to the bottom of their slow cooker and add oil to the recipe. Others skip the non-stick spray and add a liquid such as water, wine, stock, broth, or sauce.
Can You Overcook Chicken In a Slow Cooker?
Chicken can be overcooked in a slow cooker if there is not enough liquid in the recipe and the temperature setting is too high for an extended period of time.
For example, cooking 3 lb of whole chicken breast on low with 1 cup of liquid for 6 hours presents little risk since the low heat would not cause the liquid to evaporate.
However, cooking the same amount of chicken breast on high for 6 hours with only 1/4 cup of liquid could cause the chicken to overcook, dry out, and possibly burn. The more liquid added, the less chance of overcooking over a longer period of time.
The amount of fat in the cut of chicken may also contribute to the amount of liquid needed in the recipe. Chicken breasts do not have as much fat content as drumsticks or a whole chicken.
It’s possible to cook drumsticks or a whole chicken with virtually no liquid in a slow cooker because the chicken fat provides the liquid as it cooks.
When cooking chicken for more than 12 hours in a slow cooker, add enough liquid to completely submerge the chicken so that it does not overcook.
Be wary of cooking chicken for more than 48 hours as the chicken pieces could start to dissolve in the liquid. If you are trying to decide whether or not to slow cook your chicken on low or high, you can read more here.
Is It Safe to Leave Chicken In a Slow Cooker Overnight?
Generally, it is safe to leave chicken in a slow cooker overnight. With that said, all appliances that reach high temperatures and contain electronic and plastic parts can be a hazard if something goes wrong.
Therefore, I do not recommend slow cooking overnight if you do not have the ability to monitor the appliance.
Leaving a slow cooker on high heat overnight could potentially be dangerous if something happens and no one is awake to handle it. So, if you decide to do it, do not slow cook on high heat.
Follow the recommendations for cooking time and temperature on the manufacturer’s instruction booklet that comes with the slow cooker. You should be able to find the manufacturer’s take on cooking in their appliance overnight.
Tips When Slow Cooking Overnight
When slow cooking chicken overnight, follow the recipe and set a timer or alarm to wake you up when the chicken needs to be removed. The slow cooker should not be touching any other equipment or food on the countertop.
Sometimes the smell of chicken cooking overnight in an enclosed space can be overwhelming to people with heightened senses or sensory issues first thing in the morning.
Be mindful of this and consider opening a window for air circulation or placing the slow cooker in the garage to keep the smell out of the house.
How Long Can Chicken Be Kept In a Slow Cooker On Warm?
When hot holding, the chicken must maintain an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. It is recommended to check the chicken’s temperature every 2 hours with a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.
If the chicken falls below 135 degrees Fahrenheit during hot holding for 2 hours, it can be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds and still be safe to eat. If the chicken falls below 135 degrees for 4 or more hours, it’s best to throw it out.
In a temperature-controlled environment such as a slow cooker, it is not necessary to wake up every two hours to measure the temperature of the chicken while cooking it overnight.
However, it is important to check the temperature of the chicken during the hot holding phase and right before the serving phase.
How Long Does It Take to Cook Chicken In a Slow Cooker?
Most recipes call for 6-8 hours of cooking for 3 lb of chicken breast on low heat and 3-4 hours of cooking for 3 lb of chicken breast on high heat.
Note that other recipes may call for cooking the chicken on high first for a couple of hours and then turning the heat down low to finish cooking for several hours.
Below are some examples of different cooking recommendations for chicken in a slow cooker depending on variables such as quantity, size, condition, cut, liquid, and temperature setting.
| Amount of Chicken | Cut of Chicken | Type of Slow Cooker | Liquid | Temperature Setting | Cooking Time to Doneness |
| 1 lb | Raw whole breast, skinless, boneless | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, or broth | High | 3-4 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw whole breast, skinless, boneless | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, or broth | Low | 6-8 hours |
| 2.25 lb | Seared whole boneless, skinless breast | 4-6 qt slow cooker | 1 cup broth, ¼ cup sauce, 2 TBSP vinegar | Low | 5-6 hours |
| 2.25 lb | Seared whole boneless, skinless breast | 4-6 qt slow cooker | 1 cup broth, ¼ cup sauce, 2 TBSP vinegar | High | 2-3 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw whole breast, bone-in | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, or broth | High | 3.5 – 5 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw whole Breast, bone-in | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, or broth | Low | 6.5 – 9 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw thigh, bone-in | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, broth, or sauce | Low | 4 – 6 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw thigh, bone-in | 1 qt slow cooker | 1 cup water, stock, broth, or sauce | High | 2-4 hours |
| 1 lb | Raw drumstick, bone-in | 6 qt slow cooker | Non-stick spray, 2 TBSP oil | Low | 3.5 – 4 hours |
| 2 – 2.5 lb | Seared drumstick, bone-in | 4-6 qt slow cooker | 1 TBSP oil, ¼ cup water, 2 TBSP sauce | High | 4 hours |
| 4 lb | Frozen wing, bone-in | 6 qt slow cooker | 1 ½ cup sauce | High | 2.5 – 3 hours |
| 4 lb | Raw wing, bone-in | 6 qt slow cooker | 1 ½ cup sauce | Low | 3 hours |
| 4 lb | Whole raw chicken | 8 qt slow cooker | No liquid | High | 4-5 hours |
| 4 lb | Whole raw chicken | 8 qt slow cooker | No liquid | Low | 7 hours |
Can You Put Raw Chicken In a Slow Cooker?
Raw chicken can be put in a slow cooker, such as a Crock-Pot, for overnight cooking. It is important to add liquid to the slow cooker to protect the chicken from burning. If you’re wondering if you should put hot or cold liquid in your slow cooker, read more here.
Liquids to add include water, stock, or broth. The chicken will release natural juices during the cooking process and those juices will increase the volume of the initial liquid added.
Raw chicken will take longer to cook than chicken that has already been seared on its surface using high heat and oil. Some cooks prefer to sear the meat to a golden brown color before putting it in a slow cooker in order to add more flavor to the finished product and keep more juice trapped inside the meat.
Regulatory food agencies such as the USDA recommend thawing frozen chicken breast in the fridge before placing it in the slow cooker.
This avoids putting the chicken in the temperature danger zone for too long during the thawing process. The temperature danger zone is approximately 41 degrees to 135 degrees Fahrenheit according to ServSafe guidelines.
If you must start cooking chicken from a frozen state, add 2 hours to the cooking time. For example, if you had planned on cooking the chicken on low for 6 hours, plan on cooking it for 8 hours. The frozen particulates will melt and add more liquid to the slow cooker.