Slow Cooker Mojo Chicken

This Cuban slow cooker mojo chicken is so easy to make, and tastes fantastic. Tender, shredded chicken in mojo marinade is so versatile, and can be used in a variety of dishes.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🧂 Mojo seasoning
• 🔪 Instructions
• ⏲️ Cooking time
• 🐓 Chicken
• 💭 Top tips
• 📖 Variations
• 🥗 Serving suggestions
• 🍲 Leftovers
• 🍴 You might also like these recipes..
• 📋 Frequently asked questions
• Recipe

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You might also be interested in my collection of healthy slow cooker chicken recipes, or these other slow cooker shredded chicken recipes.

I love a good slow cooker chicken dish. It's really easy to make, require little to no effort, and the result is always amazingly tender meat. Chicken breasts are also really lean, which makes it an excellent healthy weeknight dinner option.

Make a big batch of mojo shredded chicken, and use it in multiple dishes through the week, or make a smaller amount to serve for dinner tonight!

🥘 Ingredients

The mojo marinade requires olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and cumin.

Additionally, you will need chicken breast fillets or other cuts of chicken.

You will also need a slow cooker. I like this one from Amazon.

🧂 Mojo seasoning

Mojo is a popular Cuban flavor. In general terms, "mojo" can be applied to any sauce that's made with garlic, olive oil and citrus juice. A combination of lime and orange juice is common, as is certain other ingredients such as cumin and oregano.

Mojo is not really the name of a specific sauce, but rather a term used for a variety of sauces. You will also find varieties of mojo in Puerto Rico, on the Canary Islands and throughout the Caribbean.

The mojo sauce we make for this recipe is a very traditional Cuban version, and the result is a flavorful marinade that works really well with chicken. Shredded mojo chicken can be used in a variety of dishes, such as wraps, tacos, or simply served as a main course with a variety of sides.

🔪 Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker. Place the lid on top, and leave it to cook for 3-5 hours on high, or on 6-8 on low.

Use two forks or these meat shredder claws to pull the chicken apart after it has cooked through. Serve the slow cooker mojo chicken immediately, or keep it in the Crockpot on warm setting until you're ready to serve.

⏲️ Cooking time

The good thing with slow cooker recipes is that the cooking time is very flexible. This dish can be ready to eat in as little as 3 hours, or you can leave it in the slow cooker for up to 8 hours.

In general, you should use these times:

On high setting: 3-5 hours

On low setting: 6-8 hours

After 8 hours, you can turn the slow cooker to the warm setting if you wish to keep the meat warm for a few more hours before you're ready to eat.

🐓 Chicken

I use chicken breast fillets in this recipe. Chicken breasts are lean, and cook really fast. It's perfect for this recipe, and the result is a tender, juicy chicken with lots of flavor.

You can however use any cut of chicken. If you use chicken with bones or skin on, these will have to be removed when you shred the chicken. I therefore recommend using cuts of chicken with a lot of meat and few bones.

Chicken breasts or chicken thighs are both great options, or you can even use a whole chicken. Steer away from chicken wings or drumsticks, as you will have to cook quite a lot of them to make a decent amount of shredded chicken.

💭 Top tips

Although this recipe is very simple, here are some of my best tips to get it perfect:

• Don't remove the lid from the slow cooker unless you have to. Doing this releases a lot of heat from the pot, and can significantly increase the cooking time.
• The chicken has cooked through when the meat is white throughout. If in doubt, you can use a meat thermometer and ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 °F / 75 °C.
• You can adjust the seasoning however you like it. Add more lime juice for a zesty sauce, and omit the cumin if you don't like it.

📖 Variations

Here are some easy variations of this dish:

Mojo chicken breasts, legs or thighs: Put whole pieces of chicken in your slow cooker along with the sauce ingredients. Serve the chicken pieces whole instead of shredding them for a delicious entree.

Diet friendly / low sugar: Although this recipe is suitable for most, you can make it more diet friendly by using freshly squeezed juice instead of buying orange juice. This usually has a lower sugar content.

🥗 Serving suggestions

This dish is so versatile, and can be used in a variety of dishes. Here are some of my favorite options:

In wraps, sliders or sandwiches: You can fill either of these with the shredded chicken, and any other toppings of your choice. Black beans, chili lime rice, lime juice and lettuce are great pairings.

As a main: Shredded chicken is an easy main dish you can serve with your favorite sides. Try it with roasted carrots and green beans, rice, salsa, guacamole with lemon, or Mexican rice.

In casseroles or other dishes: Mojo chicken can be used as an ingredient in many dishes. Add it to salads, casseroles, tacos, nachos, soups or anywhere you could typically use any pulled chicken.

🍲 Leftovers

Leftover shredded chicken can keep really well. Here is how you can get the most out of the leftovers:

Storing: Store the shredded chicken in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Mojo shredded chicken can be frozen in freezer safe containers for up to 6 months. Leave the frozen leftovers to thaw in a refrigerator overnight before using it in your favorite dish or recipe.

Reheating: You can quickly reheat the leftovers in a microwave. You can also eat the pulled chicken cold if you want.

Meal prep / making ahead: As this dish stores well, it's an excellent meal prep recipe. Make a big batch, and store the leftovers in portion sizes to use in several future meals.

🍴 You might also like these recipes..

If you love healthy slow cooker chicken recipes, you should try any of these recipes:

📋 Frequently asked questions

Can I use premade mojo marinade? - Absolutely. Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker, and add your marinade. Cook following the instructions listed.

Can I use frozen chicken breasts? - It is not recommended to place frozen meat in a slow cooker, as harmful bacteria can develop. If you have frozen chicken breasts, you should thaw them before using.

Does this recipe suit my dietary requirements? - It is gluten free, soy free, nut free, egg free and dairy free. It's also suitable for most diets, including weight watchers, slimming world and whole30.

Recipe