Crock Pot 20 Clove Garlic Chicken: A Step By Step Recipe Guide

Crock Pot 20 Clove Garlic Chicken is exactly what the title implies…chicken breasts cooked with 20 cloves of garlic and a handful of other ingredients. It’s packed with garlic flavor!

Crockpot Garlic Chicken Recipe

We love this version of garlic chicken which is easily made in a slow cooker.  We enjoy the fixing and forgetting, and you can eat the end version as is over rice, or you can shred it up for salad or for any of your favorite casseroles or soups.

Recently, Aldi started carrying bags of peeled garlic in the refrigerated section. Barbara has been dying to make a recipe using them.  Peeled, bagged garlic makes this recipe super simple.  We rarely buy bulbs of garlic, and usually we resort to using jars of minced garlic from the fridge.  From now on, we will be using these bags since the flavor is so much better.

Disclaimer*** If you buy the bags of peeled garlic, be sure to have a plan in place to use them quickly.  There is nothing worse than fermenting garlic in the refrigerator. (not that i know from experience. cough, cough).

Ingredient List

• Chicken breasts
• Salt
• Paprika
• Black pepper
• Chicken broth or water (optional, see note)
• Garlic cloves (approximately 20 cloves)

How to Make Crock Pot 20 Clove Garlic Chicken

Step by Step Instructions

1. Arrange chicken breasts in a crock pot insert, keeping in a single layer if possible. 
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. 
3. Arrange garlic cloves on top.
4. Cover with lid, and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low or until the chicken breast is 165 degrees F.
5. Shred or chop as desired.

Recipe Variations

• Squeeze with fresh lemon juice after it comes out of the slow cooker for more flavor.
• Add onion with the chicken, if desired.
• Stir in fresh herbs before serving such as fresh dill, parsley or basil.
• Use other cuts of chicken if desired, such as chicken thighs or legs.
• If desired, use skin-on chicken for more flavor. Place the skin-side up. Discard the chicken skin before shredding.
• Use a dry white wine or cooking sherry for chicken broth.

Recipe FAQs

• You may need to add liquid in the slow cooker in form of chicken broth and water depending on what types of chicken breasts you use. Barbara tends to use frozen chicken breasts from the freezer section.  Most chicken breasts including these frozen ones are injected with solution. When you slow cook them, the liquid comes out negating the need to add additional liquid. Long story short, check your chicken add only add additional water if needed.
• We used packaged, peeled garlic cloves, but you can absolutely buy whole cloves.  Whack them with a knife and peel off the skins before using.
• The chicken will be done in 3 to 4 hours when cooking on high or 7 to 8 hours when cooking on low. To ensure moist chicken that isn’t dry, cook it to 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
• The cooking time will need to be adjusted if you layer up your chicken breasts on top of each other. We try to keep it in a single layer as much as possible.
• You can serve this recipe a variety of ways.  Eat it as is for a main course.  You can eat it over rice with the cooking liquids used for more flavor. You can cut it into pretty slices, or shred it up.
• If you plan to shred, we recommend letting it cool for a few minutes so all the juices don’t escape which will leave you with dry chicken.  Shred with 2 forks or use the paddle attachment of a mixer for super easy shredding.

What recipes can I use 20 Clove Garlic Chicken in?

This recipe is perfect to be used in Grandma’s Chicken and Rice Casserole, 10 Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta, 5-minute Low Carb Lemon Chicken Salad, and 3 Ingredient Chicken Salad.