You only need 5 minutes of prep for this easy Pulled BBQ Chicken recipe in the slow cooker!
An easy dinner recipe comes to the rescue! Pulled BBQ Chicken in Crock Pot is a family-friendly meal that only requires about 5 minutes of prep. Serve it on a salad, stuff it in sandwiches, or wrap it in tortillas — the freezer-friendly, versatile meat appeals to just about everyone at the table.
This easy slow cooker barbecue chicken recipe is one of my go-to dinner options on days when I don’t have time to cook. You simply dump the ingredients into the pot and go! When you get home at the end of the day, you’ll have tender, juicy, fall-apart pulled BBQ chicken in Crock Pot waiting and ready!
How to make Pulled BBQ Chicken in Crock Pot:
This idea came from my sister-in-law, who made a similar dinner when we were visiting a couple of years ago. With many small children to keep track of, this was an easy way to get a tasty and healthy meal on the table without spending too much time in the kitchen. Jackie served it with oven-roasted sweet potatoes and coleslaw from the deli.
I love that the recipe is so simple and requires very few ingredients!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
- A bottle of barbecue sauce
First, place the chicken in the slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Next, pour the barbecue sauce over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chicken is done when it’s fall-apart tender!
Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, chicken that’s cooked for too long in the Crock Pot will become dry and tough. Since every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature, it’s important to keep an eye on your meat the first time you prepare this recipe. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Then simply shred the meat with two forks, stir it with the sauce in the pot, and serve!
What goes with Pulled BBQ Chicken?
We typically pile the shredded chicken on sandwich buns or enjoy it on a salad. The following easy sides go well with barbecue chicken:
- Coleslaw
- Southern Potato Salad
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Fruit Salad
- A simple green salad dressed in Buttermilk Dressing
- Southern Collard Greens
- Snickers Salad
- Secret Ingredient Jiffy Cornbread
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
- Any bottle of store-bought barbecue sauce is fine, or you can use your favorite homemade recipe. We typically go with Stubbs Original Barbecue Sauce, which is just slightly spicy and less sweet than other options. If you prefer a sweeter barbecue sauce, try Sweet Baby Ray’s.
- How long will Crock Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken keep? The cooked barbecue will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze pulled BBQ chicken? Yes! You can freeze the meal before or after cooking. To freeze the raw chicken, place it in a large Ziploc freezer bag, season, and pour barbecue sauce into the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, and then cook in the Crock Pot according to recipe instructions. To freeze cooked barbecue chicken, allow the meat to cool to room temperature, package in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat the chicken: Place cooked chicken and sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop. Warm over low heat, just until the meat reaches the desired temperature (stirring regularly).
- Is pulled BBQ chicken healthy? Yes! Especially if you choose a sauce that’s lower in sugar, this is a protein-rich, low-fat meal, with about 150 calories per serving.
- Want to make pulled BBQ chicken in the Instant Pot? This is our favorite version!
More easy Crock Pot chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
- Instant Pot or Crock Pot Root Beer Barbecue Chicken
- Ranch Chicken Tacos in a Crock Pot
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
- Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken for the Crock Pot or Instant Pot
Pulled BBQ Chicken in Crock Pot
You only need 5 minutes of prep for this easy Pulled BBQ Chicken recipe in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
- Optional, for serving: sandwich buns
Instructions
Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in cooker and sprinkle with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour barbecue sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Just before serving, remove chicken from cooker and place on a cutting board. Shred the chicken by pulling it apart with two forks. Place the chicken back in the cooker, stir, and warm through. Serve on top of sandwich buns.
Recipe Notes
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
- Any bottle of store-bought barbecue sauce is fine, or you can use your favorite homemade recipe. We typically go with Stubbs Original Barbecue Sauce, which is just slightly spicy and less sweet than other options. If you prefer a sweeter barbecue sauce, try Sweet Baby Ray's.
- How long will Crock Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken keep? The cooked barbecue will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze pulled BBQ chicken? Yes! You can freeze the meal before or after cooking. To freeze the raw chicken, place it in a large Ziploc freezer bag, season, and pour barbecue sauce into the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, and then cook in the Crock Pot according to recipe instructions. To freeze cooked barbecue chicken, allow the meat to cool to room temperature, package in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat the chicken: Place cooked chicken and sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop. Warm over low heat, just until the meat reaches the desired temperature (stirring regularly).
- Is pulled BBQ chicken healthy? Yes! Especially if you choose a sauce that's lower in sugar, this is a protein-rich, low-fat meal, with about 150 calories per serving.
This recipe was originally published in September, 2013. The photos were updated in September, 2017.
Love slow cooker meals Blair and this one looks fabulous – pinned!
Thanks, Trish! I hope that you all love it!