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.
Nell
I would like to try this recipe but I need to know if I can use chicken legs instead of chicken breast
Sam
Hi Nell, while that should be fine I would suspect the chicken will need less time to cook. You will also need more meat to get the same amount, as much of the weight of chicken legs comes from the bone.
Stephanie O’Neill-Miller
I used a 3 lb frozen bag of boneless skinless chicken thighs. It turned out great!
Nona
Best chicken BBQ I have ever made! Cooked on high for 3 hours & was perfect.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Nona! 🙂
Alena
I don’t have any ACV or white vinegar. Wonder if yellow mustard would work?
Sam
Hi Alena! I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how it would taste.
Lindath
Maybe some pickle juice? Or lemon?
Rosh
I made this for dinner yesterday and it came out perfect! Thank you for the recipe. It’s a keeper! I used just over 2 lbs of chicken breast and made a little more than half of the sauce. Cooked on high for 3 hours. Delicious. Broccoli coleslaw on the side.
Sam
I am so happy to hear that it was such a success, Rosh! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and letting me know how it turned out for you! 🙂
Sean Conner
Do you have to use the vinegar
Sam
I recommend it for best results.
Yana
I want to make this, but for 2 people. I know I won’t need that much chicken, so not sure how to proportion the other ingredients!
Sam
Hi Yana! You will want to scale everything down by the same proportions. This makes about 8 servings so you can cut it down to 25%. 🙂
DeirdreGH
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have literally been trying to find a pulled chicken recipe for years that doesn’t taste rubbery, that is easy to shred and also has a sauce that doesn’t taste too crazy. This turned out beyond my expectations – it is so good! So grateful for you sharing this recipe. I can see making this again and again!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Evelyn
I like to use thighs!!!
Jen
Hi! If I am using 4.5-5 lbs of chicken breast, what would you recommend for cooking time on high? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jen! I haven’t tried making that much at once. If you have a probe for your slow cooker I would recommend using that to ensure your chicken is done. I hope you love it. 🙂
Dixie
So, so good! I’ll definitely be using this in the future!
Priscilla
This was delicious! The only change I made was to put diced onion in instead of onion powder. The first night we had it with cornbread, the second night we made sliders, and tonight we will have it on top of baked potatoes. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Priscilla! I am so glad that you have enjoyed it and found different ways of enjoying it. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Allonia W. Little
I am making this dish tonight for dinner. Having broccoli salad as a side.
Sam
I hope you love it! 🙂
Beverly Clark
Delicious!! The whole family lived it! I added a little molasses, just because I love the flavor. Definitely a keeper!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Beverly! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you! 🙂
Andrea
Hi there ! I am planning on making it this weekend and there will be 8 of us but I know at least four of the people are big eaters and will have 2 sandwiches. Do you know how many sandwiches your current recipe feeds ? Also, if I were to increase it to 5lbs of boneless chicken breast, would you recommend using two crockpots?
Sam
Hi Andrea! This makes about 8 servings so if you have a couple of big eaters I would probably double it. That will be a lot of chicken to put in one crock pot so I’m not sure if it will all fit.
Lorin
I only have 2 lbs of chicken, how much would you cut the sauce down?!
Sam
Hi Lorin! You will need just over half of the sauce. I hope you love it! 🙂
Stephanie
Delicious! I love the idea of using the olive oil to make the chicken more moist. I only had 1.25 lb of chicken breast, but cut the sauce in half only. Worked great! I put it on low for 2 hours 45 minutes, then high for an hour. I’ve saved this recipe and plan on using it again!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Stephanie! 🙂
Dawn
Has anybody tried making this and then freezing it for a couple weeks, then reheating?
Sam
Hi Dawn! While I haven’t tried it I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. 🙂
KATE E
I am not usually a big barbecue lover, but this sauce was amazing, and so easy! Definitely putting it in the rotation and will double next time and make it a freezer staple. Can’t wait to try it with a pork loin!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kate! 🙂
John
When I make this great recipe I make tons. (On average 5 lbs) I divide it up and freeze it. When my adult kids come by to raid the fridge I hand them a container. It works out great and everyone loves the BBQ!
Kandi
When you use a larger amount of chicken, how long did you cook it and how much extra sauce would I need?
Reem
The recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it tomorrow. If I am making half the amount of chicken (1.75 lbs) do I need to adjust the cooking time? Or, do I still do six hours on low?
Sam
Hi Reem! While I haven’t tried it myself, I believe the cook time would be significantly reduced.
Brandon
Breast is too lean and dries out. Thighs work better.
Lorna
Sounds delicious. I also use sweet baby rays BBQ sauce. Definitely will try. Tx.
Bitsie
This does look good! Can you tell me how many mls/g is equal to the two cups of new sauce? I don’t think that we have the brand that you used in the UK but I can find alternatives. I shall give this a try and let you know how it turns out……
Bitsie
So sorry, auto correct, I meant bbq sauce 😔!
Thank you for your help.
Sam
In grams 1 cup of bbq sauce is about 286g and for ml it’s about 235ml. 🙂
Bitsie
Thank you so much, will be trying this next week!
Maddie
Hi! Quick question – I don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand. Can I leave that out or do I need to substitute or should I go buy some? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Maddie! You could use white vinegar instead. 🙂