How to Make Easy Crock-Pot Shredded Chicken Using a Whole Chicken
One of my favorite foods to prep in advance is shredded chicken. Cooking a whole chicken and then shredding the meat in advance helps me save money and quickly prepare meals throughout the week.
In the base of a crock-pot, place the whole chicken. Place the butter cubes inside the chicken and between the chicken skin and meat near the breasts. The butter will keep the chicken moist and tender.
Stuff the chicken cavity (the inside) with the onion and celery stalks. Note: Place the onion and celery stalks around the outside of the chicken if they don't fit inside the cavity.
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook the chicken on high for 4-5 hours in the crock-pot, until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.
Notes
To Shred: Allow the chicken to cool so you can easily handle the meat. Once the chicken is cool, pull the meat away from the bones and place it a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand-mixer). The meat should easily pull away from the bones. Use two forks to shred the chicken into the desired size pieces. My favorite method for shredding chicken is to use the paddle attachment on my Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer. Turn the mixer on low for about 30 seconds until you reach the desired size pieces.a