One of the most popular recipes on LaaLoosh is our Crockpot Beer Chicken. In 2012, it was named Ziplist’s most cooked recipe. And there is a reason. It’s wonderful and easy. It tastes great, is perfect for game days or a busy evening and is low in points.

Chicken breasts are an incredible food. Nearly everyone likes them, they’re easy to prepare, they’re high in protein but relatively low in fat and you can use them in just about anything. They are mild and that means they are incredibly versatile.

The downside of chicken is that, just like meatloaf, it’s just as easy to make tough and dry chicken as it is to make juicy and delicious chicken. The secret to this delicious and juicy chicken is really the beer.

This Crock Pot Beer Chicken Recipe was named ZipList’s Most Cooked Recipe of 2012!

People really seem to be divided into two camps when it comes to cooking with alcohol. There are those that avoid it like the plague and there are those that use it in every recipe that calls for it. I like to use alcohol in some recipes when it calls for it. It always seems to enhance the flavor of the dish.

Beer’s essential role in this fabulous chicken comes down to the fact that alcohol can bind with both fat and water molecules. (Look at me getting all scientific!) That allows it to carry the flavor of the spices into the chicken and make the chicken incredibly flavorful.

Science rocks.

Add in a little alcohol, in this case dark beer, and you enhance the ability of the salt in the spices to penetrate the chicken breast. The result is more juicy and flavorful chicken.

There’s frequently a concern that too much alcohol will be left in the dish and make everyone drunk. But that’s really not the case in many recipes. There simply isn’t enough alcohol in most recipes to have a measured effect on you. Not to mention the cooking method plays a major role in how much alcohol is left.

Since this chicken is cooked in a crockpot for several hours, about 95% of the alcohol will be cooked out of this chicken before you serve it.

I like to add garlic powder, oregano and black pepper to my chicken. It seems to be the combination that adds the most flavor but is still mild enough to be paired with nearly everything else. But you can definitely play around with the spices. Use onion powder and paprika, or sprinkle in some Italian seasoning. Get creative!

Using chicken breast in this Crockpot Beer Chicken Recipe ensures that it stays low in points, so you can pair it with just about anything – a baked potato, roasted potato skins, wild rice, roasted veggies or a tossed salad. It’s quick and easy to put together and is perfect for a busy night or that Super Bowl Sunday.

Try these other crock pot recipe hits:

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Creamy Crock Pot Tarragon Chicken

Crock Pot Pumpkin Lentil Stew