High-Protein Crockpot Chicken
Per serving (about 6 oz shredded (1/4 of the batch))
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
17g of protein per 100 calories, more than 4 of the other 6 lunch recipes here.
This is deliberately plain: a light spice rub, a little broth, and enough time in the slow cooker for the chicken to shred easily with two forks. I keep it simple on purpose, since the whole point is a base protein you can carry into a dozen different meals through the week, tacos one night, a grain bowl the next, tossed into a salad after that, rather than a dish that's only good eaten exactly one way.
Why you'll love this
- 53g of protein per serving from just chicken breast and a spice rub
- Mostly hands-off, a base for a dozen different meals through the week
- Makes 4 generous servings for meal prep
Recipe
High-Protein Crockpot Chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic, paprika, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Place in the slow cooker and pour the broth and lemon juice around the chicken, not over the rub.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken reads 165°F in the thickest part and shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker to soak up the juices before serving.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Notes
- I keep the seasoning simple on purpose. This is meant as a base to carry into other meals through the week, not a dish that only works eaten one specific way.
- I pour the liquid around the chicken, not over the seasoned top, so the spice rub stays where it is instead of washing off into the pot.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 320 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 53g |
| Carbs | 2g |
| Fat | 10g |
| Fiber | 0g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Chicken breast: FDC #171477 (Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted), 31.0g protein / 165 kcal / 3.57g fat per 100g. 2 lb raw (907g) scaled to a 74% cooked yield for whole-muscle poultry = 671g cooked, about 168g (5.9 oz) per serving.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 1 tbsp = 13.5g, 100g fat / 884 kcal per 100g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 3 cloves = 9g, 6.36g protein / 149 kcal / 33.1g carb / 2.1g fiber per 100g.
- Paprika: FDC #171329 (Spices, paprika), 1 tsp = 2.3g.
- Onion powder: FDC #171327 (Spices, onion powder), 1 tsp = 2.4g.
- Oregano: FDC #171328 (Spices, oregano, dried), 1 tsp leaves = 1g.
- Lemon juice: FDC #167747 (Lemon juice, raw), 1/2 lemon = 24g (FDC: 1 lemon yields 48g).
- Chicken broth: FDC #171609 (Soup, chicken broth, low sodium, canned), 1/2 cup = 120g, 2g protein / 16 kcal per 100g.
- Batch totals: 212g protein, 1,282 kcal, 38.6g fat, 9.9g carb, 1.9g fiber; divided by 4 servings. Salt and pepper to taste not counted.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Store it in some of its own cooking liquid to keep it from drying out in the fridge.
FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes. Thighs stay juicy even with a slightly longer cook time and shred just as easily, though they carry a bit more fat than breast.
What do I do with a batch of this?
Tacos, grain bowls, tossed into a salad, or stirred into soup all work well. It’s built to be a base protein for whatever you’re making that day, not a single finished dish.
Can I cook this on high instead?
Yes, about 2 to 2.5 hours on high instead of 4 on low. Low and slow gives slightly more even results, but high works if you’re short on time.
Looking for more slow cooker meal-prep options: the meal prep bowls build this same idea into a complete, portioned meal.
Is Chicken High in Protein? has the cooked-weight numbers for chicken breast, which is what a batch like this gives you.
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