Crockpot BBQ Chicken

An easy dinner recipe comes to the rescue! Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken 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 pulled chicken appeals to just about everyone at the table. We love the sweet and savory pulled BBQ chicken recipe with cornbread, biscuits, mac and cheese, collard greens, or coleslaw.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

This easy crockpot BBQ chicken recipe is one of my go-to dinner options on busy weeknights when I don’t have time to cook. All you need to do is dump the simple 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 ready for a barbecue chicken sandwich, a cob salad, a taco, BBQ chicken nachos, or your favorite veggies and sides. You can even use the pulled chicken on a flatbread BBQ chicken pizza!

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 chicken the first time you prepare this easy recipe. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

What’s the best way to shred chicken? 

There are a few easy ways to shred slow-cooked BBQ chicken. The first and most basic is with two forks. Slow-cooked, tender chicken will shred easily with forks. You can either shred the chicken right in the crockpot or remove it from the slow cooker and shred it in a bowl or on a cutting board. Another easy way to shred chicken is with a hand mixer. Put the cooked chicken in a bowl and use the hand mixer on low speed. The mixers will make easy work of shredding the BBQ chicken. You could also use a stand mixer. You could also use a chicken shredder tool — it may seem kind of gimmicky, but it certainly works!

How long does it take to cook BBQ chicken in a slow cooker?

Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly. In general, cooking chicken on low shouldn’t take longer than 6-7 hours, and cooking on high shouldn’t take longer than 3-4 hours. Again, variations like the thickness of the meat, if it’s thawed or frozen, and if there is more or less meat in the slow cooker will all affect the cooking time. Using a meat thermometer and testing the internal temperature periodically is the best way to monitor doneness. 

Do you need to put liquid in the slow cooker when cooking BBQ chicken?

No, with this recipe, you do not need additional liquid in the slow cooker! The BBQ sauce provides plenty of liquid. However, if you prefer your sauce to be thinner, add water or chicken broth into the crockpot with the chicken. Additionally, I recommend covering the bottom of the slow cooker with a spoonful of extra sauce, which will ensure all sides of the chicken are coated with sauce and will stay nice and moist.

What are the best toppings for BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches? 

There are tons of options — use your favorite toppings for customized flavors! Here are some popular options: 

• Cheese like cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, or Monterrey jack cheese pair well with BBQ flavors. 
• Vegetables like sliced red onions, pickles, jalapeno slices, or fried onions. 
• Extra sauce. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce, Italian dressing (adds a tangy zing), mustard, or mayo.
• Coleslaw is a no-brainer. A creamy coleslaw adds tang and sweetness. A dry, vinegar-dressed coleslaw adds a delicious crunch.

What to Serve with Pulled BBQ Chicken

Pile the shredded chicken on hamburger buns, use it on pizza, nachos, tacos, salad, or offer the tender, flavorful meat on its own with your favorite side dishes. It’s also a great recipe to use for meal prep, as you can make a large batch at once and it stores well. Here are some easy options that go well with BBQ chicken:

• Hush Puppies
• Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
• Hoe Cakes
• Baked Potato Wedges, Twice Baked Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Skin On Mashed Red Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, or Easy Potato Salad
• Skillet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins
• Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
• Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits
• Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
• Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
• Southern Succotash
• Southern Collard Greens
• Fried Okra
• Broccoli and Cheese
• Easy Pasta Salad
• Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon
• Charleston Red Rice
• Okra and Tomatoes
• Southern Squash Casserole
• Cheese Grits
• Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe Variations & Cook’s Tips

• Use your favorite homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe rather than the store-bought version.
• Add extra flavor, like a Hawaiian twist with crushed pineapple and juice, or a spicier version with chipotle and peppers.
• Serving a larger group? Double all of the ingredients. (Keep in mind the capacity of your slow cooker.)
• Make it spicy by adding some cayenne pepper to the spices.
• Want to make pulled BBQ chicken in the Instant Pot? My root beer barbecue chicken recipe is my favorite way to cook chicken in an Instant Pot. 
• Use either boneless 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.
• Pick a thick store-bought barbecue sauce, which won’t get too watered down and thin in the Crock Pot. We like Sweet Baby Ray’s brand for this dish.
• Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most — sometimes they’re done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes to Try

• Chicken Corn Chowder
• Crock Pot Chicken Stew
• Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
• Crock Pot Chicken and Noodles
• Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
• Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
• Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 3 hours hours

0 minutes minutes

Total: 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 382 kcal

This easy meal is ready with about 5 minutes of prep! Crockpot BBQ pulled chicken is zesty and flavorful, perfect for pulled chicken sandwiches, nachos, tacos, and countless other easy-prep meals.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup 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 to taste.
• Place the chicken in the slow cooker and spoon some of the sauce over top.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
• Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir the meat back into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

• Use your favorite homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe rather than the store-bought version.
• Add extra flavor, like a Hawaiian twist with crushed pineapple and juice, or a spicier version with chipotle and peppers.
• Serving a larger group? Double all of the ingredients. (Keep in mind the capacity of your slow cooker.)
• Make it spicy by adding some cayenne pepper to the spices. 
• Use either boneless 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.
• Pick a thick store-bought barbecue sauce, which won’t get too watered down and thin in the Crock Pot. We like Sweet Baby Ray’s brand for this dish.
• Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most — sometimes they’re done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Keyword: bbq chicken recipe, crock pot chicken recipe, crockpot bbq chicken, pulled BBQ chicken in crock pot, slow cooker barbecue chicken

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Southern

Author: Blair Lonergan

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