How Long Should I Cook 3 Lbs. of Chicken Breast in a Crock Pot?

Cooking chicken to the proper temperature is important.

Recommended Times

Recommendations are to cook chicken with bones for seven to eight hours on low and three to four hours on high. Boneless chicken takes less time to cook. The average weight of a chicken is 3 1/2 to 4 lbs., and the cooking time is based on this weight.

Real World Cooking

Chicken breast has very little bone, but this does slow the cooking process. Generally, boneless chicken breast cooks too fast and dries out in a crock pot using recommended times. Chicken needs to be cooked to a particular temperature, so key elements to crock pot chicken breast are adding ingredients such as soup to maintain moisture and reducing the recommended cooking times.

Bottom Line

Chicken should always be cooked to a specific temperature; for chicken breasts it should register 165 degrees F in the middle of the meat. Keeping track of the internal temperature of the chicken is the best guide for juicy chicken that is cooked correctly rather than sticking to a specific time.

References

• Crock Pot: Frequently Asked Questions
• Thats My Home: Crock Pot Cooking Times
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Is It Done Yet?