Slow Cooker Applesauce Chicken

Published: Apr 15, 2015 · Modified: Aug 23, 2023 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

This Slow Cooker Applesauce Chicken is the easiest family-friendly dinner recipe you've ever had! The sweet and savory combo of applesauce and chicken is dumped together and cooked right in your Crockpot with zero fuss! This no-fail chicken recipe is naturally healthy, gluten-free, paleo, keto-friendly, with no refined sugars! Meal prep and freezer-friendly for a stress-free meal!

Slightly sweet, savory, moist, and tender, this unexpectedly delicious combo is your secret solution for a crowd-pleasing family-friendly dinner! Just applesauce and chicken dumped into your Crockpot and slow-cooked to tender fall-apart chicken perfection! Kids will love this healthy meal and so will you! Not only is it easy with the quickest prep possible, but it's make-ahead and freezer-friendly so you'll always have a quick and healthy dinner to serve up on those busy weeknights!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The subtle sweet apple flavor with plain chicken breasts is a match made in heaven! Toss in a few spices like black pepper, garlic, onion, and cinnamon for the most delicious way to serve plain chicken without any added oils or sugars! This applesauce chicken is naturally gluten-free and low-carb. The applesauce keeps the chicken super moist without any added fat and makes a perfect sauce to spoon over the chicken when serving!

Gluten-Free
Paleo & Grain-Free
Keto-Friendly & Low-Carb
Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
Added Sugar-Free & Oil-Free
Kid-Friendly & Picky Eater Approved
Quick Prep & Easy
2 Ingredients & Budget-Friendly
Make-Ahead, Meal Prep, & Freezer-Friendly
Healthy Dinner That's Great For Batch Cooking

Ingredients For Applesauce Chicken

Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts: Just plain lean chicken breasts are all you need for this easy recipe! Lean and healthy protein that just soaks up the sweetness and moisture from the applesauce. If you want to use skinless boneless chicken thighs you can give that a try as well for a more prominent chicken flavor.
Applesauce: Let's get real, we're going to use Slow Cooker Applesauce! My homemade slow cooker applesauce is perfect to use for this chicken recipe! If you want to make this recipe right now without the applesauce prep, you can use plain store-bought unsweetened applesauce too! Smooth or chunky works; whichever you prefer!
Additional Spices: To jazz up the flavor profile ever so slightly, you can add a dash of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cinnamon to make this slow cooker chicken dinner even more aromatic, warm, and cozy for a fall or winter night!

How To Make Slow Cooker Applesauce Chicken

Add the raw chicken breasts into the Crockpot or slow cooker.
Pour the applesauce over the chicken to cover and add any spices you'd like.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Uncover the slow cooker and serve the chicken breasts whole or use two forks to shred the chicken in the applesauce before serving.

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

The applesauce will thin out as it cooks. That's okay! That's why it makes a perfect sauce to spoon over the chicken and will keep leftovers juicy and moist.
If you are using chicken thighs, you may need to cook them slightly longer. Make sure all chicken reaches 165°F.
Make sure you use unsweetened applesauce. This dish is meant to be naturally subtly sweet.
The ratio is 1 cup of applesauce to 1 pound of chicken. Keep this ratio the same if you plan on batch cooking.

Storage & Freezer Instructions

Storing Leftovers: Once the applesauce chicken has cooled, store leftovers in a closed container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also freeze leftover cooked chicken for up to 6 months.
Reheating Leftovers: To reheat cooked leftovers add the chicken to a pot on the stove or in the microwave until the chicken is hot throughout. The chicken can also be warmed in the oven at 350°F in a baking dish until the chicken reaches 165°F. Reheating it with extra applesauce will keep your chicken from drying out.
Freezer Meal Prep: Make this chicken a freezer meal by adding the raw chicken and applesauce to a freezer storage bag and freezing it flat in your freezer for up to 6 months. When you're ready to cook, take the bag out and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before dumping the bag contents into your slow cooker and following the cooking instructions.

How To Serve Applesauce Chicken

Serve your Crockpot applesauce chicken with the applesauce liquid it was cooked in or extra warmed applesauce. You can keep the chicken breasts whole or use two forks to shred the chicken for pulled slow cooker applesauce chicken that's great on potato buns or over mashed potatoes (like stroganoff!) Serve it with other healthy side dishes like:

More Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes: