Methods for treating a shale formation may include injecting a pad fluid including a shale stabilizing agent into a shale formation to generate one or more fractures. The method may also include injecting a fracturing slurry including proppant particulates into the one or more generated fractures such that the proppant particulates form microfractures along shale fracture faces. At least a portion of the proppant particulates may be at least partially coated with at least one oxidizing agent.