Summer Comfort: Just 3 ingredients. I make it when I want dinner handled hours ahead and the house is just too hot to turn on the oven.

When the day is busy and the kitchen feels too warm to heat up with the oven, this simple slow cooker chicken is the kind of recipe that saves supper. It uses just three ingredients to make tender shredded chicken with a sweet-savory glaze, and it is especially handy for family meals, sandwiches, rice bowls, or easy leftovers the next day.

This chicken is wonderful served over fluffy rice, buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. For a lighter plate, pair it with steamed green beans, corn on the cob, coleslaw, or a simple garden salad. It also tucks nicely into sandwich buns with pickle slices, which is always a fun option for a casual family dinner.

3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Poor Man's Parents' Day Prep Chicken

Servings: 6

Succulent shredded protein in amber glaze in a slow cooker

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix

Chicken breasts, barbecue sauce, and dry seasoning packet on a counter

Directions

1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.

Raw chicken breasts arranged in a slow cooker

2. Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle the dry Italian dressing mix evenly on top.

Barbecue sauce and seasoning added over chicken in the slow cooker

3. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easy to shred.

Tender cooked chicken in sauce inside the slow cooker

4. Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker with two forks and stir well so all the meat is coated in the sauce.

Shredded chicken being mixed into sauce in the slow cooker

5. Serve warm over rice, on buns, or with your favorite simple sides.

Plated shredded chicken with rice and green beans

Variations & Tips

For sweeter flavor: Use a honey barbecue sauce for a slightly sweeter, kid-friendly finish that goes especially well on sandwich buns.

Sweeter barbecue shredded chicken on sandwich buns

For a tangier version: Choose a smoky or slightly tangy barbecue sauce to balance the seasoning packet and give the chicken a deeper flavor.

For easier serving: If you know you want to use this for sandwiches, let the shredded chicken rest in the slow cooker on warm for 10 to 15 minutes after stirring so it soaks up even more sauce.

For freezer prep: Leftovers cool well and can be packed into airtight containers for quick lunches or another easy dinner later in the week.

For picky eaters: Serve the chicken plain on soft rolls or over rice and keep stronger sides separate so everyone can build a plate they like.