Who’s ready for the best ever Shredded Chicken? With only a few minutes prep time, you can have this Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken for dinner tonight! Pull out your crockpot, fix it and forget it!
Two of the most popular dinner recipes on my blog are Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef and Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Tenderloin. And they are popular for good reason!
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe
Shredded chicken is the starting point of so many delicious dinners, from Southwest Chicken Salad to Buffalo Chicken Sliders.
But the point of shredded chicken—and this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken—is that it has a mild flavor that allows you to use it in any dish.
This Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken recipe is different because it’s infused with flavor, making it meal-worthy on its own!
Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Sweet, tangy, and savory, balsamic chicken has all the flavor. This chicken is anything but bland and boring!
- You can use this balsamic chicken as a main dish and serve it alongside rice, polenta, or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, or toss it with pasta and shredded Parmesan cheese. There are so many possibilities with this recipe!
- Slow cooker balsamic chicken is also great for meal prep. Make it on the weekend and add it to dinners and lunches all week long!
Important Ingredient Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – I like using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts because they stay tender and moist in the slow cooker.
- Beef broth – Using beef broth instead of chicken broth adds a richer flavor.
- Light brown sugar – Sweetness to balance the tangy balsamic vinegar.
- Balsamic vinegar – Balsamic vinegar has much more depth than other varieties, making this shredded chicken extra flavorful.
- Soy sauce – For some umami flavor. You can use low-sodium soy sauce for a lower salt option, or tamari sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Red pepper flakes – For a little bit of heat.
- Garlic – Garlic is the perfect complement to the other flavors in this slow cooker balsamic chicken.
- Bell peppers – I use green, red, and orange or yellow. These add a pop of color and a little more sweetness.
- Onion – Use a yellow onion or a sweet onion. Shallots can be substituted if you’d like.
How to Make Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
Mix the Sauce: In the bottom of a large crockpot, whisk together the broth, sugar, vinegar, soy, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic.
Cook: Add the chicken thighs and sliced vegetables to the crockpot, then cover and cook on low for at least 6 hours.
Finish: When ready to serve, shred the chicken with a fork and enjoy over potatoes or rice!
Tips and Tricks
- Use chicken thighs. While you can make this recipe with boneless chicken breasts, thighs have better flavor and are easier to shred. They also retain more moisture so you’re not left with dry chicken.
- The light brown sugar here gives just a teensy bit of molasses flavor that brings out the balsamic beautifully. Dark brown sugar will work, but the molasses flavor may be overpowering. Regular white sugar also won’t deliver the richness of flavor and moisture that the brown sugar provides.
- It’s easy to adjust the heat level in this recipe. If you’re cooking for kids who are sensitive to heat, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or leave them out entirely. And if you love a little more kick to your chicken? Feel free to add more red pepper to taste.
- Transfer any leftover chicken from the crock pot to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Balsamic chicken tastes good reheated or served cold on a salad or sandwich.
Recipe FAQs
This shredded chicken isn’t as likely to dry out as other recipes, since it’s slow cooked in liquid and it starts with chicken thighs, not breasts. When storing this shredded chicken, don’t drain off the cooking liquid—it will keep the chicken moist during storage.
Yes, you can freeze this slow cooker balsamic shredded chicken. Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months, then thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
The best way to reheat shredded chicken is in a skillet over medium heat with either the cooking liquid from the crockpot or broth. This will keep it moist!
MORE Easy Dinner Recipes
- Bourbon Chicken
- Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
- Italian Chicken
- Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
- French Dip Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Meatloaf Recipe
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Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 green pepper sliced and seeded
- 1 red pepper sliced and seeded
- 1 orange or yellow pepper, sliced and seeded
- 1 small onion sliced
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large crockpot, combine the broth, sugar, vinegar, soy, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Whisk together.
- Add the chicken thighs and sliced vegetables. Cover and cook on low for at least 6 hours.
- When ready to serve, shred chicken with a fork and enjoy over potatoes or rice!
Notes
- Light brown sugar. The light brown sugar here gives just a teensy bit of molasses flavor that brings out the balsamic beautifully. Dark brown sugar will work but the molasses flavor may be overpowering. Regular white sugar also won’t deliver the richness of flavor and moisture that the brown sugar provides.
- Turn up the heat (or turn it down). This recipe doesn’t call for much in the way of spice but the red pepper flakes go a long way. If you’re cooking for kids who are sensitive to heat, feel free to reduce the red pepper flakes or leave them out entirely. And if you love a little more kick to your chicken? Feel free to add more red pepper to taste. This shredded chicken will also pair well with a side of your favorite hot sauce.
- Leftovers keep well for several days. Transfer any leftover chicken from the crock pot to an airtight container. Balsamic Chicken tastes good reheated or served cold on a salad or sandwich. Make a big batch of this chicken over the weekend and you’ll have your lunches covered for the next few days.
Nutrition
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken will make everyone in the family happy at dinnertime! It’s earned its spot in our regular meal rotation and I hope it’ll be part of yours too.
Could I use Chicken Stock instead of Beef?
Has any1 actually cooked this recipe? I would like to know if they liked it and would cook it again and again….
I find more and more that slow cooking is the way to go.
I need to add this to our menu soon! I know it’ll be a hit at our house!
Oh this looks like I’ve hit the jack pot…so hearty and full of comfort! I just bought a new crock pot today as my other one has been on the fritz and now I have a new slow cooked chicken recipe to try it out 🙂
Simple, inexpensive and packed with flavor. What more could you want from a slow cooker recipe? Thanks for this one…it’ll be on deck when I get home!
Oooh this looks so juicy and delicious! I was scared of chicken thighs for a while, but now I really enjoy them!