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.
Rachal
I love this recipe and it’s a huge hit in my house, especially with my 10 month old baby girl.
I will say that I felt like the recipe did not make enough sauce for 3.5 lbs of chicken. When I combined everything in the crockpot, there wasn’t even enough to spoon over the chicken.
I doubled the sauce and it came out perfectly. Not too runny and not too dry. Just exactly how I expected it to be. I guess we just like extra saucy chicken.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it, Rachal! 🙂
Jill
I tried this for the first time tonight. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly! All three of my picky kids devoured two helpings of it.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Jill! 🙂
Ashley Reichenbach
Making this for the 3rd time tonight! It’s delicious and literally could not be any easier. We just do less brown sugar (maybe a tablespoon or so), because we don’t like our bbq sauce too sweet. Thanks for a great and simple recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Ashley! 🙂
Susan
Very good! But I don’t know how much of this counts as one serving?
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed it. The recipe makes about 8 servings. 🙂
Leanne
Easy and delicious. I cooked mine on low for 7 hours. Perfection.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Leanne! 🙂
Heather Jillene
Hi Sam,
I owe you a big “thank you”!
Finding a recipe that my husband can eat is near impossible (love him dearly but gluten, lactose, nut, seed and pork free is quite the challenge!!)
However, I made a massive pot of this in my slow cooker and we ate it with a big salad – rave reviews and ate leftovers for days!
Thanks for the great recipe, I’m making it again tonight! 🙂
Sam
I am so glad you everyone enjoyed it so much, Heather! My husband is equally as difficult but he has no allergies, he’s just a pain 🤣, so I know how hard it can be. I’m glad you have found something he can have and works well for him! 🙂
Francesca
Excellent recipe! I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand and I followed it exactly as written. I’ve tried several pulled chicken recipes and this was by far the easiest and tastiest. My whole family loved it! Thanks for sharing 😀
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Francesca! 🙂
Beth
Can I sub red wine vinegar or white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar? Just realized that I don’t have it. 😐
Sam
That should be fine! Enjoy! 🙂
Kylie
If I want to double the recipe, should I use a second crockpot? Just worried the chicken won’t cook right/the same if they are stacked in there.
Sam
Hi Kylie, unless your crockpot is smaller than the one I use it should be fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Naomi
I am beginning to make it for the first time. Like Kylie I was thinking about doubling the recipe but I did not understand your answer. So just to clarify… can I double stack the raw chicken and expect it to cook evenly? I have only cooked with my slow cooker one other time so I am very new to this cooking world.
Thank you for the recipe.
Sam
Hi Namoi! I don’t think it will cook quite the same if you double stack the chicken breasts in there. There is just a lot more to cook and it would probably slow down the cook time, but I haven’t tried it to be sure. I hope this helps. 🙂
Anne
Can you substitute chicken for pork in this recipe?
Sam
Hi Anne! I haven’t, but I definitely think that should not be a problem. Enjoy!
Mark
Hi this looks delicious.
I have a phillips multi cooker. I’m guessing I just use slow cook function and adhere to same timeframes?
Sam
Hi Mark! I honestly am not familiar with this particular cooker, I’m sorry. Would you let me know how it turns out for you?
Daph
Can you make this ahead of time and reheat it before serving to company?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Daph! Yes, you can! I hope that everyone enjoys it. 🙂
Sylvia
This was a hit with my family! We halved the recipe and used 3 chicken breasts. It still turned out great. Served with sourdough toast and coleslaw. Super easy and will be making again!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone enjoyed it, Sylvia! 🙂
Heidi
Would the cooking time or results be any different with chicken thighs?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Heidi! Baking time should be the same. You will want to be sure to use boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
Jessica Simms
Thank you so much for this recipe! I add extra apple cider vinegar to mine and boom! Its like I slaved all day in the kitchen for this delicious easy meal.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it and that it made such an easy meal for you, Jessica! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Allison Bandarra
Hi! How much more ACV did you put in? Thanks! 😊
Gerilyn
I rarely post comments (although I love reading them)! I had to write about this. One of the absolutely best recipes I’ve tried in a while. Came out perfect. Since it’s only 2 of us I halved the recipe and we have enough for leftovers. Truly a wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for taking a moment to leave a comment, Gerilyn! I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂