Effortlessly prepare this versatile slow cooker BBQ chicken with just a handful of ingredients, to make deliciously tender shredded chicken! Use this chicken in sliders, sandwiches, tacos, nachos, and so much more.
- Serves: 6
- Cooking Time: 4 hours
- Skill Level: Easy
Weekday schedules can often be hectic and packed. That's why I adore having fuss-free recipes that I can count on for simplicity and ease. That's where this easy slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe comes in handy.
Prepare this pulled BBQ chicken on a Sunday for convenient use in several easy restaurant-inspired dishes all week including: BBQ chicken salad, chicken sliders, and even BBQ chicken nachos. Or simply serve with grilled corn on the cob, potato salad, and baked beans for a savory summertime meal.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Minimal effort recipe: Add everything to the slow cooker, set it, and forget it!
- Easy, tender, fall-apart chicken: Slow cooking a lean cut of meat such as chicken breast preserves its juiciness and tenderness, unlike many cooking methods that often result in tough, dry meat.
- Perfect for meal prep: Makes weeknight meals quick and easy to prepare after a long day at the office.
- Utilize in various recipes: Use this chicken recipe for sliders, sandwiches, wraps, nachos, tacos, quesadillas and so much more!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless breasts are best for this recipe. If you are a fan of chicken thighs, you can use those instead. See notes in recipe card for instructions.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite kind of BBQ sauce for this recipe.
- Onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika: My go-to spice blend base for all my BBQ recipes. Adds more flavor and a hint of smokiness.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds depth of flavor to the BBQ chicken.
- Brown sugar: Adds a caramelized flavor. Substitute with honey if desired.
- Hot sauce: Optional, if you like a little kick in your BBQ!
Instructions
In the slow cooker combine BBQ sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Mix well.
Add chicken breasts to the slow cooker and toss with the sauce mixture, being sure to coat all the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3.5 - 4 hours or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and mix into the sauce.
Serve it up and enjoy! Use on sliders, sandwiches, nachos and so much more.
Tips for Success
- Adjust cooking time for size and thickness: Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. Thicker cuts will require more time to cook, while thinner/smaller cuts require less time.
- Cook on low for best results: For the best results, slow-cook chicken breasts on low heat. This offers more control and minimizes the risk of overcooking, ensuring perfectly tender chicken every time.
FAQ
Absolutely, raw chicken is safe to place in a slow cooker. Prioritize hygiene to prevent cross-contamination, and ensure thorough cooking before serving to guarantee a safe and delicious meal.
Yes, follow the instructions as written in the recipe but increase the cooking time 1-2 hours. Make sure to cook on low for the best results.
How to use slow cooker BBQ chicken
- Serve with smashed potatoes, potato salad, beans, air fryer broccolini, or garden salad.
- BBQ Chicken Pizza: Use this chicken to make a pizza with tomato sauce mixed with BBQ sauce, mozzarella, provolone, red onion, and pickled jalapeno.
- Loaded BBQ Chicken Nachos: Top tortilla chips with cheese, chicken, and salsa for an easy game-day snack.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders: Add chicken to toasted slider buns with cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and ranch dressing.
- Pulled BBQ Chicken Tacos: Make some tacos by adding this chicken to tortillas with salsa, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.
- BBQ Chicken Salad: Chop up some crunchy romaine lettuce and add this chicken to a salad with your favorite veggies and drizzle with some ranch dressing.
- Pulled Chicken Sandwiches: Grill or toast some hamburger buns and top with this chicken and coleslaw.
Make Ahead, Storage + Freezing Instructions
- TO STORE: Store leftover BBQ shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat the BBQ with the sauce in a heavy-bottomed skillet or pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in a covered oven-safe dish at 375F for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- TO FREEZE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Recipe
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
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*Easily adjust serving size to your liking by clicking the number under servings or with the boxes below in the ingredients section.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless (about 3-4 breasts) I used 3 breasts 9-13 oz each
- 1.5 cups BBQ Sauce use your favorite! I used Sweet Baby Rays
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Hot Sauce if you like a little spice, optional
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Instructions
- In the slow cooker combine BBQ sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce(if using). Mix well.
- Add chicken breasts (for chicken thighs see note 2, for frozen chicken breasts, see note 3) to the slow cooker and toss with the sauce mixture, being sure to coat all the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3.5 - 4 hours (see note 4 below for cooking on high) or until the internal temperature reaches 165F and the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
- Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and mix into the sauce. If your sauce is thinner than desired, you can thicken it after this step. (See note 1.)
- Serve it up and enjoy! Use on sliders, sandwiches, nachos and so much more.
Notes
Slow cooker alternatives:
- Instant Pot: To the inner pot add: 1 tablespoon olive oil, chicken, BBQ sauce mixture, and ½ cup of water or chicken broth. Lock the lid in place, vent to the sealing position, and hit pressure cook for 10 minutes. When finished, natural release for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release to release any remaining pressure. Then follow the recipe as written above.
- Dutch Oven: Preheat oven to 350F and position the rack in the center of the oven. Add the chicken, BBQ mixture, and ½ cup water or chicken broth to a Dutch oven. Cover and bake the chicken for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken shreds easily. Then follow the recipe as written above.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
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- TO STORE: Store leftover BBQ shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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- TO REHEAT: Reheat the BBQ with the sauce in a heavy-bottomed skillet or pan on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in a covered oven-safe dish at 350F for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
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- TO FREEZE: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
If you tried this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Carol
So good and easy!
Suzie J.
Thank you, Carol!