This Crock Pot BBQ pulled chicken delivers tender, fall-apart meat in a thick, sweet-and-zesty sauce, all with just 5 minutes of prep. It’s the kind of easy slow cooker dinner that earns a permanent spot in the weeknight rotation!
More slow cooker BBQ dinners
Photography by BEA MORENO.
Before You Get Started
A few things to know before you start (they make a real difference in how the chicken turns out):
- Use a thick BBQ sauce. A thicker sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray’s) holds up better in the slow cooker and won’t thin out from condensation. Thinner sauces tend to get watery by the time the chicken is done.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken dries out fast in the slow cooker. Pull it as soon as it hits 165°F. Most slow cookers get there on HIGH in about 2 to 3 hours or LOW in about 4 hours.
- Breasts or thighs: both work. Thighs stay juicier over a longer cook time; breasts are leaner but more sensitive to overcooking. Either is great here.
How to Make Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
My sister-in-law made a version of this dinner when we were visiting over a decade ago. At the time, she had several small children to feed and very little time to cook, so this recipe hit every mark. It’s been a regular in my kitchen ever since! Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Mix the Sauce
In the bottom of a large slow cooker, whisk together the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses flavor, but light brown sugar works just as well.
⇢ No extra liquid needed. The BBQ sauce provides all the moisture the chicken needs. You do not need to add water or broth to the slow cooker for this recipe.
Step 2: Season and Add the Chicken
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Nestle it into the sauce and spoon a little extra sauce over the top to coat.
Step 3: Cook Low and Slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Start checking on the earlier end of the range. Overcooking is the most common reason pulled chicken turns dry, so pull it as soon as it’s ready.
⇢ Sauce getting thin? If you notice the sauce is thinner than you’d like at the end of cooking, remove the lid during the last 20 to 30 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken back up.
Step 4: Shred and Stir
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. You can also shred it directly in the slow cooker if you prefer.
Another easy option: place the cooked chicken in a bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed. It shreds in seconds. Return the pulled chicken to the slow cooker, stir to coat it with the sauce, and taste for seasoning.
Step 5: Serve
Pile the chicken onto sandwich buns with coleslaw (my Traditional Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw are both great here), or serve it on its own alongside your favorite sides.
Good sandwich toppings include shredded cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese; pickles, sliced red onion, or fried onions; and extra BBQ sauce or a drizzle of mayo.
For a different take on slow cooker BBQ chicken, my Root Beer BBQ Chicken is a great option for the Instant Pot.
⇢ Make it spicy. Add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the sauce before cooking and adjust to taste. A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes works well, too.
⇢ Hawaiian twist. Stir in a few tablespoons of crushed pineapple and a splash of the juice for a sweeter, tropical spin on the sauce.
⇢ Use it on pizza. Leftover pulled chicken is excellent on my Flatbread BBQ Chicken Pizza, which comes together in about 20 minutes.
This was DELICIOUS. The best BBQ chicken I have ever made. I served this with your baked bean recipe and it was a huge hit!
– Rachel
Serving Suggestions
The pulled chicken is great on sandwich buns, stuffed into tacos, spooned over nachos, tossed into a salad, or served straight on the plate with your favorite sides. For an easy weeknight spread, here are a few sides that pair especially well:
Storage & Reheating
How to Store: Leftover BBQ pulled chicken keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Freezer Meal: To prep this as a freezer meal, combine the raw chicken and all sauce ingredients in a large zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then dump everything directly into the slow cooker when you’re ready to cook.
How to Reheat: Place the chicken and a splash of extra barbecue sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Cover and warm, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Individual portions reheat well in the microwave in about 1 minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you overcook chicken in the slow cooker?
Yes, and it’s the most common reason pulled chicken turns out dry. Chicken breasts in particular lose moisture quickly when they go past 165°F. For this recipe, the chicken is usually done on the earlier end of the time range: about 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW in most slow cookers.
Start checking early and pull it as soon as it hits 165°F. Thighs are a little more forgiving if your slow cooker runs hot.
Should I use chicken breasts or thighs?
Either works well. Chicken breasts shred cleanly and are slightly leaner, but they’re more sensitive to overcooking. Boneless skinless thighs stay juicier over a longer cook time and are harder to dry out. You can also mix the two if you’d like. Just check for doneness at 165°F.
Do I need to add water or broth to the slow cooker?
No. The BBQ sauce mixture provides all the liquid the chicken needs. Adding extra water or broth would thin the sauce and dilute the flavor. Stick with the recipe as written and you’ll get a thick, rich sauce without any watering down.
How do I keep the shredded chicken from drying out?
Two things help most: not overcooking in the first place, and stirring the shredded chicken back into the sauce right away. The sauce keeps the meat moist. If the chicken sits out of the sauce for too long before serving, it can dry out. Shred it and stir it back in as soon as it’s ready. A splash of extra barbecue sauce before serving also helps if you feel like it needs it.
I have the world’s pickiest boyfriend. Made this for him after a long ER shift & he couldn’t get enough! New favorite here!!
– Jayme
More BBQ and Pulled Meat Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Equipment
- 6- or 7-quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's recommended)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional, for serving: coleslaw, sandwich buns, pickles
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, whisk together the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in the slow cooker and spoon some of the sauce over the top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks (or use a hand mixer on low speed for faster shredding). Return the pulled chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve on sandwich buns with coleslaw, or alongside your favorite sides.
Notes
- Don’t overcook. Chicken breasts and thighs are best when pulled at 165°F. Most slow cookers hit this mark on HIGH in 2 to 3 hours or on LOW in about 4 hours. Start checking early. Overcooked chicken turns dry and stringy quickly.
- Use a thick sauce. A thicker BBQ sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray’s) holds up better in the slow cooker. Thinner sauces can become watery from the condensation as the chicken cooks.
- No extra liquid needed. Do not add water or broth. The BBQ sauce mixture provides all the moisture required.
- Chicken choice. Boneless skinless thighs stay juicier over a longer cook time. Breasts work great but are more sensitive to overcooking. You can mix both in the same batch.
- Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar adds a richer molasses flavor; light brown sugar is a fine substitute.
- Sauce too thin? Remove the lid during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to let the sauce reduce and thicken.
- Shredding tip. Place the cooked chicken in a bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed for quick, easy shredding.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Freezer meal. Combine raw chicken and all sauce ingredients in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then cook as directed.
- Spicy version. Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the sauce before cooking. Adjust to taste.
Nutrition
Originally published in September, 2019, this post was updated in May, 2026.
Love slow cooker meals Blair and this one looks fabulous – pinned!
Thanks, Trish! I hope that you all love it!
I have a pork butt roast in the freezer would that work for this recipe? If so, I’m assuming would need to double bbq ingredients the roast weighs 3.83lbs.
It should work! You will likely need to adjust the cooking time a bit, and yes we would recommend doubling the ingredients.
This was DELICIOUS. The best BBQ chicken I have ever made. I served this with your baked bean recipe and it was a huge hit!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Rachel. Thank you!
This was delicious! It says to spoon “some” of the sauce over the chicken in the crockpot. What do you recommend doing with the rest of the sauce? Thank you!
Hi Donna,
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! We love to save the rest of the sauce to serve on the side for those who prefer more sauce or as a dip.
Going to make this for the Super Bowl looks super yummy! I see you note if you want to make spicy add cayenne. How much would you add to a single batch?
You can use as little or as much as you want, depending on how spicy you want your chicken! We recommend starting with 1 teaspoon, and adjusting it as needed.
I have the worlds pickiest boyfriend. Made this for him after a long ER shift & he couldn’t get enough! New favorite here!! Thank you, Blair 🙂
Amazing! I’m so happy to hear that!
Can you mix breasts and thighs for this recipe?
We don’t see why not!
Can I use sugar free bbq sauce in this? I’m watching my sugar intake.
Hi, Susan! Yes, that should work well. You can also reduce the brown sugar or use a substitute such as the Swerve brown sugar. Hope you enjoy the meal!
This was fantastic! I love the Pulled Chicken at Mission BBQ, and this topped theirs.
I used half chicken breast, half thighs, and flash fried them first in some tallow.
Will definitely make again!
Thank you, Renee! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!! My two teenage sons love it! It’s a delicious and quick meal to assemble. I often make it during busy weeks, especially now that we’re back to school.
Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review, Dawn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Why not list an amount for “some “? one cup, more or less ?
Hi, Nancy! The specific measurements for each ingredient are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. I hope that helps!