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 (1.5 kg) boneless skinless chicken breast¹
- 2 cups BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
- ¼ cup (60 g) light or dark brown sugar packed
- 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 cooker2 cups BBQ sauce, ¼ cup (60 g) light or dark brown sugar, 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
- Place chicken breast in sauce and use a spoon to cover with sauce.3.5 lbs (1.5 kg) boneless skinless chicken breast¹
- 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.
Lindsay
if I am going to make for 25-35 people how much to increase ingredients?
thanks
Lindsay
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Lindsay! This recipe makes 8 servings, so you would need to quadruple it for 32 servings.
Claudia Vaglica
Very good, and super easy! Definitely putting this in the rotation….it was hit with the family.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy everyone enjoyed it, Claudia! Thanks for giving our recipe a try 😊
S. Eckels
Can you mix breasts and thighs together for this recipe?
Sam
I haven’t personally tried it, but others have reported using thighs with a slightly shorter cooking time so that’s just something to keep an eye on. 🙂
Danielle Goodin
Would you increase the recipe by 50% if using 5lbs of chicken or use same amount of ingredients? Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Danielle! Increasing by 50% will work 😊
Rebecca
Can you use chicken thighs for this? Looks great
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rebecca! We haven’t tried it ourselves, but others have done so successfully. Enjoy!
GMJ
I have used boneless thighs. I think they work better, b/c the thighs hold up better to the longer cook time & reheating.
Wanda
I’ve made this recipe several times for my guys! I’m a vegetarian so I haven’t tried it but they love it and request it often!
Jane
My husband has alpha gal and cannot eat beef or pork. He had missed a good pork BBQ, so I gave this a try. I made it exactly as written and served it for a Memorial Day picnic. It was delicious.and everyone wanted the recipe.
S Renee Rushing
I made this and it turned out very good even though I had to use regular oil instead of olive oil. I think pork could be used instead of chicken and the result would be just as good.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you liked it! Thanks for the review ❤️
Anneke
Hi Sam,
This recipe looks delicious. I dont own a slow cooker/crockpot. And I was thinking about buying a multi cooker. Could you give me some adive on wich of the two is better. I know both will save me money on my gasbill. Thank you
kind regards Anneke
Sam
Hi Anneke! I rarely use my crock pot, but my pressure cooker has a slow cook setting so if you are trying to save space you may want to go with the multi cooker. 🙂
Terri B.
Very easy, turned out great and very yummy!
cathy
Tender, flavor full, and easy. Will definatly be making it again.
Scott Stark
I followed the recipe but I used Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce. 100% awesome!!