A simple recipe that shows you how to make Crock Pot BBQ chicken (also known as BBQ Pulled Chicken!) at home in your slow cooker! This is a quick, easy, and so flavorful recipe that’s perfect for any party, potluck, or picnic!
My oven broke earlier this week and as I type this it is currently in pieces across the kitchen while Zach works on repairing it. If all goes as planned, we’ll be back in the baking business by the end of the day, but just in case it doesn’t I have a batch of Crock Pot BBQ Chicken simmering in my slow cooker and ready to go for dinner tonight.
This Crock Pot BBQ Chicken has come in handy a lot this week while I’ve been oven-less, but it’s actually been my go-to dinner option for the past few summers. It’s a great and simple dinner option any time of the year, but especially during the summer when the weather’s too hot and humid for me to feel like turning on the oven.
Preparation involves the following:
- Pour BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s) and spices in crockpot.
- Add Chicken and cover with sauce.
- Cook. Shred. Enjoy.
Boom, done. Delicious.
And yes, I do use a pre-made BBQ sauce as the base for this recipe, though I also add other seasonings and spices to really develop the flavor. This is how I’ve made this Crock Pot BBQ Chicken for years and it keeps it simple, something you can toss together in the morning before you go to work without a second thought and it’ll be ready to serve when you walk back through the door in the evening.
That said I may also be working on developing my own BBQ sauce, which I’ll definitely link to whenever I get that down 100%… stay tuned.
Until then I’m sharing this well-tested and well-loved pulled chicken recipe, It tastes great on a fresh roll but I also enjoy eating it by the forkful out of a bowl, no roll required.
This recipe is so simple that I don’t have many tips to include today — it’s essentially foolproof, there are just a few FAQ’s I’d like to cover.
Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, overcooking your chicken will result in meat that is tougher and drier than desired. For best results, monitor your chicken for it to reach a temperature of 160F and it should be easy to shred. For this recipe that means cooking it around 3-4 hours on high, or 6-7 hours on low.
What goes well with pulled chicken?
Most salads and side dishes go well with pulled chicken. These are my personal favorites:
Alright, wish me luck with my oven because this is a pretty nerve-wracking ordeal for me, seeing it in 20 pieces across my kitchen!
Enjoy!
How do you make pulled chicken in a crock pot?
Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast¹ (1.5kg)
- 2 cups BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
- ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar packed (60g)
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Combine BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper in the basin of a slow cooker
- Place chicken breast in sauce and use a spoon to cover with sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when it is easily shredded with a pair of forks.
- Shred chicken and stir well to coat with BBQ sauce. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Linda
Sounds yummy! What size crock pot would you recommend for this recipe?
Sam
Hi Linda! I use a 6 quart crock pot. 🙂
Brandy
How much is a serving? 1 cup?
Sam
Hi Brandy! I have never measured it in cups, but each serving will be slightly less than half pound of chicken. 🙂
Laura
I made this recipe for dinner today! This was the tenderest chicken I ever had. My husband loved it. It came out perfectly after 6 hours on low. Will definitely be making it again. Thank you Sam!
Kellie
Can you use chicken thighs?
Sam
Hi Kellie! Others have done so with success. 🙂
Jessica
Can I cut this all in half?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Lorley
This was easy and delicious. I used skinless/boneless chicken thighs and they turned out great. We had a very SugarSpunRun lunch as I made your homemade hamburger buns, your watermelon lemonade and your fruit salad to compliment the BBQ chicken. Thank you for all your hard work and making me a better baker and cook for my family.
Sam
That’s so awesome! Sounds like a really great lunch! I’m so happy to hear that everyone loves everything so much! 🙂
BETTY
Tried it for a party everyone loved it!!
Sharon
Hello. Can I slow cook the chicken first and then add the bbq sauce when shredded? I have some family members that can’t eat bbq sauce.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sharon! We’d recommend following our slow cooker shredded chicken recipe instead 😊
Sue Smith
This was EXCELLENT!! Made for a bbq birthday party yesterday. There was tons of food as we had over 50 people. This was the first thing gone. Two guys even asked for the recipe! I would give it 10 stars if I could. It’s a definite keeper and will become used often!
John Smith
Fantastic meal I made it twice now and I play around with the recipes a little bit with less onion powder or more garlic powder or sometimes add more bbq sauce by mixing sweet baby rays plain and mix it with there honey sauce
Comes great 👍 great
Jenifer
Hi! Making for my daughter’s grad party. Can I double the recipe and will it stay good for two days ahead?? Thanks
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jenifer! Yes, as long as everything fits in your crockpot. And it do just fine being fine made ahead. Congratulations to your daughter! 🎓
MJ
Hi
Can it be cooked in the oven
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Unfortunately you really aren’t going to get the same results if you make it in the oven; it’s going to be a lot more difficult to shred. We haven’t tried it this way so we are not sure how long or what temperature you would need either.
Cassidy Taylor
Hi there,
Can you skip the apple cider vinegar or is it needed?
Sam
Hi Cassidy! The apple cider vinegar does a lot for the flavor here so I don’t recommend skipping it. 🙁
Kellie
Can white vinegar be used as a substitute?
Sam
Hi Kellie! The white vinegar won’t have as much flavor, but if it’s all I had I would definitely use it over omitting the vinegar entirely. 🙂