Crockpot BBQ Chicken

My tried-and-true Crockpot BBQ chicken recipe is a quick, easy, and flavorful way to make pulled chicken for game day! I cover succulent chicken breasts in an addictive barbecue sauce, slow-cook them, then shred them to make sandwiches, sliders, burritos, tacos, rice bowls, and more. I love this 5-ingredient recipe for slow cooker pulled chicken, and so many of you have rated it highly too, making it one of my most popular and beloved recipes!

Top Reader Reviews

Absolutely love this recipe! Was the BEST bbq pulled chicken we ever had. Thanks!

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June

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I made the crockpot BBQ Chicken for dinner tonight. My family loved it ! I used chopped onion and garlic instead of the powder, and used 3 lbs of chicken. It came out great ! It made enough for a few dinners for 3 adults.I will definitely be making this again. It was so easy. Thanks for the recipe.

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C. Alexander

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Get the Perfect BBQ Sauce Consistency!

Since the chicken breasts are slow-cooking directly in the barbecue sauce mixture, it will be a thinner saucy consistency. If you want to thicken it, simply stir in some cornstarch, or cook down the remaining sauce on the stovetop to serve.

4.58 from 1420 votes

Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe

Make this Crockpot Pulled BBQ Chicken for an easy and delicious way to prepare flavor-packed shredded chicken for sandwiches, game day food, or weeknight dinners.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

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Equipment

• 2.5-Qt Crockpot

Serves 4 people

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 1½ cups BBQ sauce (*)
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (**)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (***)

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Instructions

• In a bowl, whisk BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder together.
  1½ cups BBQ sauce, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  
• Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts, covering them fully.
  
• Cook the chicken on HIGH for 2-3 hours; or on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  
• Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker; or remove to shred and return to the sauce.
  
• Give the chicken a good stir to coat it in the sauce.
  
• Serve BBQ pulled chicken as sandwiches, tacos, or bowls.
  

Notes

*I like Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce for this recipe. You can use any BBQ sauce you like, but it may change the overall flavor and consistency. If you are starting with a sweeter sauce, I recommend cutting the brown sugar from the recipe.

**You can substitute white wine vinegar if needed.

**This recipe can be made with boneless chicken thighs for a richer result. You may need to increase the cook time just slightly. Check the internal temp to be sure they are cooked through.

Tips:

• Know your slow cooker! When cooking 4 chicken breasts like this recipe calls for, I use my 2.5-quart Crock Pot because it’s the perfect size and heats up quickly. If you’re cooking more chicken, you’ll want to use a 4-6 quart Crock Pot.
• If your slow cooker is too full, it will take longer to heat and cook the chicken.
• Don’t overcook. I know it’s tempting to leave the chicken in a little bit longer when slow-cooking, but longer isn’t always better. You really want to be sure you hit the sweet spot between “just enough” and “dry and unappetizing”. Chicken breasts are done when they reach 165℉.
• If using frozen chicken, it’s best to thaw it first. But if you need to start from frozen, cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-6 hours.

Serving: Use pulled chicken to make sandwiches, sliders, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, BBQ bowls, BBQ plates, and more. Instead of shredding, the BBQ chicken breasts can also be served whole.

Stovetop: Add all ingredients to a large pot, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes; or until cooked through. Shred chicken and serve.

Storage: Store Crockpot BBQ pulled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for 4 months.

Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe

Amount Per Serving (0.5 pound)

Calories 471 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.03g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 145mg48%

Sodium 1371mg60%

Potassium 1114mg32%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 42g47%

Protein 49g98%

Vitamin A 308IU6%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 54mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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Variation Ideas

• Spicy Chipotle Chicken: Add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce along with the BBQ sauce, plus sliced jalapeños and a touch of honey.
• Hawaiian Chicken: Add crushed pineapple (with juice), soy sauce, and a touch of ginger. You can also add some red bell pepper and onion slices for extra flavor.
• Mustard BBQ Chicken: Use a mustard-based BBQ sauce, a bit of honey or brown sugar, and some spices like paprika and cayenne pepper.

How to Make Pulled BBQ Chicken in a Slow Cooker Step by Step

Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this Crockpot barbecue chicken recipe. You can use any type of BBQ sauce you like. If your preferred sauce is on the sweeter side, consider skipping the brown sugar I include in my recipe.

Make the BBQ Sauce: Whisk together 1½ cups of BBQ sauce, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Add the Chicken: Next, place 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add the BBQ Sauce: Then pour the sauce into the cooker, directly over the chicken breasts. Toss to fully coat chicken in the sauce–but they don’t need to be fully submerged.

Cook: Cover the Crockpot and cook the chicken on HIGH for 2-3 hours; or on LOW for 4-6 hours; until cooked through to 165℉.

Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, shred it. You can do this directly in the slow cooker, or move it to a plate if that’s easier for you. Just pull two forks through the cooked chicken in opposite directions. If you want to serve BBQ chicken breasts for dinner, skip the shredding!

Stir: Add the chicken back to the slow cooker (if removed), and stir the pulled chicken in the BBQ sauce to make sure it’s fully coated.

Serve: This pulled chicken can be served on buns to make sandwiches, or used any way you like. I love to use it to make BBQ chicken bowls, burritos, or tacos too!

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat

• Fridge: Store Crockpot BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze it batched, or divided into individual portions, in airtight containers or freezer-safe resealable bags. Store for up to 4 months.
• Reheat: To reheat larger portions of pulled chicken, place it in a roasting dish with a small amount of liquid (water, broth), cover with foil, and place in a 350℉ oven for 20 minutes; or until warmed through to 165℉. Or quickly reheat small portions in the microwave in 30-second increments. If reheating from frozen, defrost in the fridge first.