Slow Cooker Apple Chicken (5-Ingredients!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Sep 6, 2016 (last updated Sep 3, 2026) 
This slow cooker apple chicken is made with just 5-ingredients and comes together with just 5-minutes of prep. Chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) cook with onions and apple for a super easy crockpot dinner that’ll have you going back for seconds.
5 star review
“I made this tonight and my husband and I absolutely loved it!! This is a keeper! Thank you so much for this healthy and yummy recipe!!”
– Mrs. P
Apple Pulled Chicken? Yes, Please!
Well, hello fall! I’m sort of in denial that summer’s over, but there’s no denying that the season is changing, and the good thing about the season transition is the food! Fall is my absolute favorite time of year for so many reasons, with food coming in right at the top of the list.
It’s also the beginning of slow cooker season (here are my favorite fall slow cooker recipes to kick things off), though honestly every season is slow cooker season to me. I came up with this easy apple chicken recipe as a way to ease into early fall, when the temps are still high, but we’re ready to start enjoying all the flavors fall has to offer.
Chicken and apples happen to be one of my favorite unexpected flavor combos (evidenced by my amazing chicken apple skillet, this chicken apple salad and one-pan chicken sausage and apples). For this ultra simple slow cooker apple cider chicken, the chicken gets a low and slow bath in the delicious sauce made up of fresh apples, onions, and apple cider.
Then the chicken gets shredded and topped with an optional but super simple crunchy quick apple slaw. So good! Our family loves the versatility of pulled chicken, since everyone can enjoy it in their own way, as it’s equally delicious piled high into a bun as it is in a bowl or as part of a salad. You really can’t go wrong!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Crockpot Apple Chicken
Slow Cooker Apple Chicken (5-Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 2 medium medium sweet, crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, or Gala), cored and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¾ cup apple cider (see notes)
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
Optional Apple Slaw
- 6 cups finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 medium medium sweet, crisp apples (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, or Gala), shredded for finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh leaf parsley
Equipment
Instructions
Make the Apple Chicken
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with an ½ teaspoon salt and the granulated garlic.
- Place the apples and onions in the base of a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, tossing to combine. Pour over ½ cup apple cider.
- Nestle the chicken into the onion and apple mixture. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6, or until the chicken very tender and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Shred with two forks or dice, then place back into the slow cooker. Add the remaining ¼ cup apple cider, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or apple cider to taste.
- Serve the apple chicken topped with the optional Quick Apple Slaw in buns or in bowls.
Apple Slaw (Optional)
- Combine the cabbage, apple, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and parsley in a large bowl, tossing to combine. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to combine. Serve on top of the Apple Chicken in buns or bowls.
Notes
- Apple Cider: While apple cider adds the richest flavor for this recipe, apple juice can be used in its place if that’s what you have on hand.
- Nutrition Information: calculated including optional apple slaw.
- Testing Update: I made this recipe again with the following changes and LOVED it. I’m going to leave the original recipe alone, but if you want to give this variation a try, let me know how it goes in the comments: Added 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon dried thyme to the garlic powder and salt to season the chicken. Swapped chicken stock for apple cider. Topped the chicken with 3 tablespoons butter during cooking. Surprising no one, the butter really elevates all the flavors. 🙂
Whaaa!? Why have I never thought to add apples to my crockpot chicken? Why is this not on a plate in front of me right now? These are just some of the questions I have. One thing I do know is that this looks AH-MAZING.
You’re too cute! I love apples in everything. I hope you do too and enjoy this one! 🙂
Printing this for my meal plan next week, thank you! Where does one find unsweetened apple cider?
Dawn, great question! Most apple cider is unsweetened, which simply means there is no sugar added. Just check the ingredients, the only thing on the list should be apple cider. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
We went to an apple orchard this past weekend to pick apples, and I’m still trying to use them! Going on our meal plan for Monday! Yay! Thank you for this!
Perfect timing, Melissa. I hope you and your family enjoys!
Hi Robyn! This looks delicious! I have a question, I’m sorry if you have addressed it elsewhere – I think most of your recipes are written for a 6 qt slow cooker. Would they work in a 4 qt cooker instead? I am thinking of investing in a new slow cooker with fall because I want a programmable one, but would love to know if these will work in my 4 qt in the meantime… Thank you!
Joyce, I haven’t adapted this recipe for a 4-quart, but it should work. It’s really about ratios, so do your best to cut it down by 1/3 (there is a lot of wiggle room with this particular recipe, so it should be fine). Let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Robyn! I have made this recipe and it is deliciou! . I would like to make it for a large group. Is there a way I could double this recipe in a 6qt slow cooker?
Kristin, so glad you enjoyed! I image you could double this recipe in a 6qt slow cooker. You may need to add some additional cook time, and taste for seasoning at the end/adjust as necessary. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi – my kitchen smells great with this cooking. What do you do with the apples and onions at the end of the cooking time?
Kathleen, add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, along with the cooked apples, onions, and cooking juices, and stir together. Hope you enjoy!
I made this tonight and my husband and I absolutely loved it!! This is a keeper! I served it on whole grain buns with tomatoes, avocado, radish, cucumber and arugula for adding to the sandwich as well as the yummy slaw! I substituted fennel for the scallion and used 1 cup of green cabbage, 1 cup of purple cabbage, and two cups of jicama and all the rest of the ingredients and the slaw was delish! Thank you so much for this healthy and yummy recipe!!
Sounds lovely–love all the tasty veggie additions. So glad you enjoyed!
Hi! This looks delicious! I’m making this for dinner tomorrow evening- but purchased enough ingredients for 2 batches. Would you recommend freezing this in the raw form or cooking it first?
Hi Jodi, I think this one freezes best after it’s cooked. Hope you enjoy!
Is there a printable version??
Yep, it’s right there in the post.
How do you print?
Hi Hayley, there’s a print button right under the recipe.
I was confused when your said 3/4 cups of apple cider divided. I do not cook and had no idea what you meant by this. People who cooked do not get it when someone says they do not cook. Believe them and dumb it down.
Barb, sorry to hear this was confusing for you. The good news is that I did dumb it down! When an ingredient is listed as “divided” it means that you don’t add the whole amount all at once. However, you don’t need to know what that means for the recipe to work for you because I tell you exactly how much to add at each step of the recipe (1/2 cup apple cider in step 2, 1/4 cup in step 3). I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I was hoping the chicken would be flavorful, but was disappointed. There was only a hint of the cider flavoring and for all of the hours slow-cooking, I really did expect more. Won’t bother with this recipe again.
Sorry to hear this one wasn’t a hit for you Linda. You’re correct in that a long slow simmer in the slow cooker ins’t going to concentrate the flavors of the cider. I try to address this by adding the fresh cider at the end, as well as serving with the apple slaw. If you really wanted a concentrated flavor you could reduce simmer 1/2 cup cider until reduced to a syrup and add that at the end as well. Either way, thanks for sharing your thoughts, and sorry this one wasn’t for you.
I was really hoping to love this recipe but it turned out very bland. I followed the recipe exactly. Opinions are like…. well you know. Lol. I encourage everyone to still try it, I didn’t care for it but maybe it was just my taste buds.
Hi Samantha, so sorry to hear this one wasn’t a hit, I know how frustrating that can be! While I personally wouldn’t call this one bland, in an effort to keep ingredients to a bare minimum it is pretty basic and can definitely benefit from some extras – did you make the slaw as well? My family like this one best on buns with a touch of mayo or butter, the chicken, and the slaw, plus some hot sauce if someone likes it spicy. Just some thoughts if you ever decide to make it again. Thanks for sharing your notes!
Another delicious (and easy!) recipe – I’m so glad I stumbled on your website!
Wendy, I’m so glad, too! So happy to hear you enjoyed. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Healthy, easy, and delicious! I only had apple juice from concentrate, so I added extra concentrate to up the apple flavor. The children loved it. The slaw adds a nice crunch.
Carla, ohhhh, good to know about subbing apple juice concentrate! Thanks so much for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
Delicious. So tender. Great winter recipe. Easy for working families!
Jane, so happy to hear you enjoyed, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!
What is the serving size? I see there are 6 servings. I am trying to apply this to my macros for a serving size. Thanks!
Hi Melissa, it will really depend on the exact wight of all the ingredients you specifically use, especially the chicken. If you’re okay with estimating, just divide the final dish into 6 equal portions and go from there. For exact, you can weigh the finished dish, and then divide that by 6 and portion from there.