Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken (Easy + Versatile)
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken takes minutes to throw together in the crockpot and yields flavorful, succulent, saucy BBQ pulled chicken that’s delicious in sandwiches, on salads, over nachos, on pizza, and so much more!
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If you enjoy saucy crockpot sandwiches, you'll also love Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joes, Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork, Slow Cooker Meatball Subs, and Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is a recipe you need in your repertoire for a variety of reasons!
- It's effortless to make, with minimal hands-on time.
- It's versatile, with tons of ways to enjoy it.
- It freezes and reheats beautifully, which is great for making ahead or saving leftovers.
- It's simply delicious, thanks to juicy pulled chicken coated in flavorful BBQ sauce that appeals to adults and kids alike!
So what say we make it? 🙂
Ingredients
This Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken only requires a handful of simple ingredients:
- Chicken thighs. I love using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe because they turn succulent and fall-apart tender after a low, slow cooking time. That being said, chicken breasts will work beautifully in this recipe as well.
- Seasonings. Regardless of which chicken pieces you use, you're going to sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and seasonings to infuse flavor...namely, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, and chipotle chile pepper powder for a bit of smoky heat. Or if you prefer crockpot BBQ chicken that's completely mild but retains a touch of smoke, you could omit the chipotle powder and swap smoked paprika for the plain paprika instead.
- Chicken broth. The cooking liquid for the chicken. You can opt to use regular or low-sodium, since the broth will get drained away at the end anyway. You can also substitute chicken stock for the broth if you prefer, or use water with a spoonful of Chicken Better Than Bouillon stirred in.
- BBQ sauce. Here's your chance to make your Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken really shine by using your preferred type of barbecue sauce! You can use homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite brand of store-bought to save time. When using store-bought, I actually like using a combo of half Texas BBQ sauce and half Memphis or Kansas City BBQ sauce for pulled chicken that's somewhat sweet and somewhat spicy.
How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
Have I already mentioned that this crockpot BBQ chicken is easy to make and super quick to assemble?
- Place chicken thighs (or breasts) in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the chicken with all of the seasonings and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken falls apart when you try to pick it up with a fork.
- Turn off the slow cooker and transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Drain the liquid and wipe out the crockpot. Shred the chicken, discarding any fat, and then return the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Pour the BBQ sauce over the pulled chicken. Stir to combine, cover the slow cooker, and turn the heat back to LOW. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 more minutes or until heated through.
Serve your Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken on buns with sliced pickles...
...or get more ideas for enjoying it below!
Ideas to Use Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
This crockpot BBQ chicken is obviously scrumptious on buns for simple sandwiches or sliders. But there are a plethora of other creative ways to enjoy it!
● Sprinkle your pulled chicken over nachos.
● Scatter it over a pizza or flatbread.
● Stuff it into quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, or tacos.
● Add it to a salad or rice bowl.
● Pile it over baked potatoes or mac and cheese.
Can you think of any other ways to serve Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken?
Yield + Storage
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken makes enough for 6 servings, give or take a bit depending on how you plan to serve it.
It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or it may be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Freezing works whether you're making this recipe ahead of time or storing leftovers. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat crockpot BBQ chicken in a pot on the stove over medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently and adding a bit more BBQ sauce if necessary.
This recipe may also be reheated in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Just cover it to prevent splatters and stir it halfway through to ensure even heating!
So have I convinced you to give Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken a whirl?
This is one of those recipes that's great for busy weeknights because it's quick to throw together and it's hands-off while it cooks.
And it's a great repeat meal because even the pickiest of eaters love it and it can be enjoyed in so many different ways!
I hope you have a chance to try it soon. 🙂
More Delectable Slow Cooker Chicken Dinners
- Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken (Easy + Versatile)
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs OR breasts
- ½ cup chicken broth OR stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder, optional
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Place chicken and chicken broth in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, chipotle chile pepper powder (if using), and pepper. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until chicken falls apart when you try to pick it up with a fork.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Turn off the slow cooker, drain liquid/fat from the crock, and wipe it out. Shred chicken with two forks, discarding any fat, and return to the slow cooker.
- Pour BBQ sauce over shredded chicken in slow cooker. Stir to combine, cover slow cooker, and turn back on to LOW. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 more minutes or until heated through.
- Serve on buns with sliced pickles, if desired. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- I prefer making this recipe with chicken thighs for juicier chicken.
- The size of the chicken thighs or breasts will dictate how many you need for 2 pounds.
- This recipe will work with any cut of chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken is the easiest, with no skin or bones to worry about picking out. But bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (light and dark meat) can be used as well.
- If I don’t have homemade BBQ sauce on hand, I look for one with natural ingredients. Sometimes I even use a combination of two different BBQ sauces (half sweet, half spicy).
- You can use more or less BBQ sauce depending on how “saucy” you like your BBQ chicken.
- You should cook your chicken until it’s fall-apart tender when picked up. The total amount of time will vary depending on how hot your particular slow cooker runs.
- I recommend slow cooking chicken in a crockpot on LOW as opposed to high, to lower the odds of chicken drying out.
- If your slow cooker runs hot or if you cook less chicken, you may want to check it at the 3-hour mark. If your slow cooker does not run as hot or if you double (or triple) the recipe, you will probably need to cook it longer (up to hours) on LOW.
- When a slow cooker recipe calls for chicken broth, I often use water plus Organic (Chicken) Better Than Bouillon.
