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can you put frozen chicken in the crockpot

You can put frozen chicken in a crockpot, but major food safety authorities say you shouldn’t , and it’s safer to thaw it first or use a faster- cooking method like an Instant Pot or oven instead.

Quick Scoop: Is It Safe?

  • Official guidance (like USDA-aligned sources) recommends thawing chicken before using a slow cooker , because frozen meat takes too long to pass through the “danger zone” (40–140°F), where bacteria can multiply.
  • Some recipe sites and home cooks do cook frozen chicken in the crockpot and report no issues, but this goes against conservative safety advice.
  • If you want to minimize risk, treat “frozen chicken straight into crockpot” as a last resort , not your default.

Why Experts Say “Better Not”

  • Frozen chicken warms very slowly in a crockpot, so it can stay for hours at a temperature where bacteria grow quickly, even if it eventually reaches 165°F.
  • Safe cooking isn’t just about hitting 165°F once; it’s about how long the meat spends in unsafe temperature ranges on the way there.
  • That’s why safety-focused guides explicitly say “do not cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker; thaw it first.”

But… People On Forums Still Do It

There’s a big split between official advice and real-world habits:

  • Some slow-cooking fans say they put frozen chicken breasts on high for ~3.5–4 hours in liquid and “do it all the time” with no issues.
  • Popular recipes and videos show tossing frozen boneless, skinless breasts into the crockpot with seasoning and minimal or no extra liquid, then cooking on low 6–8 hours or high 4–6 hours , checking that the chicken hits at least 165°F.
  • These users acknowledge the safety debate, but many decide the risk is acceptable for themselves and rely on a thermometer and long cook times.

So in practice:

Official food safety answer: No, thaw first.
Everyday “I do this all the time” answer: Yes, but at your own risk, and be very careful.

Safest Ways To Handle Chicken

If you want to stay on the cautious side but still keep things easy:

1. Thaw, Then Crockpot (Safest Slow-Cooker Route)

Thaw your chicken before slow cooking:

  • Thaw in the fridge (overnight is best).
  • Or use the microwave’s defrost setting, then transfer immediately to the crockpot and cook right away.
  • Cook on low 6 hours or high about 4 hours for boneless breasts, and confirm 165°F internal temperature with a meat thermometer.

2. Cook Frozen Chicken With Faster Heat

If your chicken is still frozen and you’re short on time:

  • Instant Pot / pressure cooker: Many guides show cooking frozen chicken breasts with broth on high pressure for about 10–15 minutes, depending on size, plus natural release, then checking for 165°F.
  • Oven or stovetop: Use a higher temperature (for example, 375–400°F in the oven) and cook longer than you would for thawed chicken, again checking internal temperature.

These methods bring the chicken through the “danger zone” much faster than a crockpot does, which reduces risk.

If You Still Choose To Use Frozen Chicken in a Crockpot

This goes against conservative safety guidelines, but if someone chooses to do it anyway, common practice from recipes and forum discussions usually looks like this:

  1. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs , not a large whole chicken (too thick to heat quickly).
  1. Avoid overloading the pot with a huge mass of frozen meat; more pieces = slower heating.
  1. Add some liquid (broth, sauce, salsa, etc.) and cook on high rather than low to speed up heating.
  1. Do not lift the lid often; that drops the temperature and slows everything down.
  1. Always check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches at least 165°F before eating.

But again, food safety–focused sources explicitly say this is not worth the risk and recommend thawing first.

Simple Example “Safe Path” Dinner

Here’s a quick, safer workflow using thawed chicken:

  1. Thaw 2–3 chicken breasts in the fridge overnight.
  2. In the morning, add to crockpot with:
    • A jar of salsa, taco seasoning, and a bit of salt.
  3. Cook on low 6 hours (or high 3–4 hours), then shred when they reach 165°F.
  1. Serve in tacos, burrito bowls, or over rice.

You still get the set-it-and-forget-it feel, just with a lower food safety risk.

Bottom Line (TL;DR)

  • From a food safety standpoint, the recommended answer to “can you put frozen chicken in the crockpot?” is no — thaw it first.
  • From a real-world standpoint, many home cooks do it, especially with boneless breasts and extra cooking time on high, but they accept some added risk and rely on thorough cooking and thermometers.

If you want both convenience and safety, use:

  • Thawed chicken in the crockpot , or
  • Frozen chicken in a faster method like an Instant Pot or oven.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.