This easy jalapeño slow cooker pulled chicken is the BEST for tacos, enchiladas, soup or nachos. Seasoned and slow roasted, this whole chicken is then shredded to be used right away or frozen for later!
This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been updated for content.
As a busy mom of four kids, my slow cooker is one of my favorite appliances to use in the kitchen. It makes dinner time easy, and for a busy weekday, it's a must! I always keep a batch of this pulled jalapeño chicken in my freezer to make chicken enchiladas or baked nachos.
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🌶 Ingredient notes
- Whole Chicken - I like using a whole chicken for this recipe, because slow cooking chicken with the skin and bones adds a ton of extra flavor. A broiler, roaster, or fryer chicken will work best. Aim for a bird that is about 6 pounds. You can also break down the chicken into pieces for faster cooking.
- Jalapeños - The jalapeños in this recipe add a nice spice to the chicken without it being overwhelming. If you are sensitive to spice, use just one pepper and make sure to remove the seeds. For an extra spicy dish, leave the seeds in and use 2 or even 3 jalapeño peppers!
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Plain - If you don't want the spice or jalapeño flavor, omit the peppers and slow roast the whole chicken with just the onions, broth and seasonings.
- Chicken Breasts - Chicken breasts can be use instead of a whole chicken. Bone in chicken breasts will take approximately 2-3 hours on low. Boneless chicken breasts will take about 1 - 2 hours on low.
- Chicken Thighs - Chicken thighs can also be used as an alternative. Bone in chicken thighs will take about 4-5 hours on low. Boneless chicken thighs will take about 3-4 hours.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, place the sliced onions and stock in the bottom of the slow cooker and then lay the whole chicken right on top. Sprinkle the jalapenos over the chicken along with all of the seasonings.
Cover and cook the chicken on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours or until the chicken is tender and falls off the bone. Take the chicken out of slow cooker and remove the skin and bones. Using kitchen tongs or a couple of forks, shred the meat into smaller pieces.
Strain the onions and jalapeños from the broth, saving the broth for use later or discarding it. Mix the onions and jalapeños with the shredded chicken and use immediately or store for use later.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Don't wash your chicken before cooking it as it increases the risk of salmonella.
- Use food safe gloves when dicing the jalapeños to prevent the oils from getting on your hands and potentially in your eyes.
- Gloves can also be used when handling raw chicken to help prevent contamination.
- Always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165˚ when checked with a kitchen thermometer. The temperature should be checked both in the thickest part of the breast as well as in the thigh for a whole bird.
- When freezing for later, store the pulled chicken in single use serving containers for easy defrosting and use.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Since chicken is a leaner meat, it's best to cook it on low. A whole chicken, chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless) and bone in chicken breasts are ok to be cooked on high if necessary. I do not recommend cooking boneless chicken breasts on high in the slow cooker as they will most likely overcook and become dry.
⏲️ Make ahead and storage suggestions
Make sure to completely cool the chicken and broth before storing it in the airtight container for later use.
- Fridge - This pulled chicken will keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Freezer - Pulled chicken will keep in the freezer, in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Broth - If you decide to save the broth from cooking the chicken, it will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. It's great for soup!
For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this jalapeno shredded chicken!
🥘 More slow cooker recipes
If you loved this recipe for jalapeno slow cooker pulled chicken, check out these other slow cooker recipes that I know you will love too!
📖 Recipe
Jalapeno Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 6 pound whole chicken neck and gizzards removed
- 1-2 large jalapeño peppers seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, place sliced onions and chicken broth or stock.
- Lay the whole chicken on top of the onions and top with the jalapeños and seasonings.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours or until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Separate the skin and bones from the meat and discard them.
- Using forks or kitchen tongs, pull apart the meat until the chicken is shredded into smaller pieces.
- Strain the onions and jalapeños from the broth, saving the broth for later or discarding it.
- Mix the onions and jalapeños with the pulled chicken and use immediately or cool and store for use later.
Notes
- A 6-pound whole chicken will yield approximately 2 pounds or 6 cups of shredded meat and 4 cups of broth. You can also break down the chicken into pieces for faster cooking.
- Don't wash chicken before cooking it as it increases the risk of salmonella.
- Use food safe gloves when dicing the jalapeños to prevent the oils from getting on your hands and potentially in your eyes.
- Gloves can also be used when handling raw chicken to help prevent contamination.
- Always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165˚ when checked with a kitchen thermometer. The temperature should be checked both in the thickest part of the breast as well as in the thigh for a whole bird.
- When freezing for later, store the pulled chicken in single use serving containers for easy defrosting and use.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken - A whole chicken is great for slow cooking and the skin and bones adds a ton of extra flavor. A broiler, roaster, or fryer chicken will work best. Aim for a bird that is about 6 pounds. Alternatively, chicken breasts or thighs can also be used.
- Chicken Breasts - Bone in chicken breasts will take approximately 2-3 hours on low. Boneless chicken breasts will take about 1 - 2 hours on low.
- Chicken Thighs - Bone in chicken thighs will take about 4-5 hours on low. Boneless chicken thighs will take about 3-4 hours.
- Jalapeños - The jalapeños in this recipe add a nice spice to the chicken without it being overwhelming. For less spice, use just one pepper and make sure to remove the seeds. For an extra spicy dish, leave the seeds in and use 2 or even 3 jalapeño peppers!
- Plain - If you don't want the spice or jalapeño flavor, omit the peppers and slow roast the whole chicken with just the onions, broth and seasonings.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Cool the chicken and broth completely before storing it in the airtight container for later use.- Fridge - This pulled chicken will keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Freezer - Pulled chicken will keep in the freezer, in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Broth - If you decide to save the broth from cooking the chicken, it will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. It's great for soup!
Cindy
This looks like a great easy summer solution for dinner. Thank you !
How much heat does the 1-2 jalapenos add? We typically don't add much spice to our dishes but I'm wondering if it's more of a subtle flavor as it cooks down.
Amanda
If you don't want too much spice, I recommend 1 small or medium jalapeno for this amount of chicken. My kids aren't big spicy food eaters and that's what I typically use when I make it.