Get ready to rock your taste buds with this ridiculously easy, mouthwateringly juicy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe! Made in a slow cooker, it’s the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal. Perfect for those busy bees or lazy Sunday vibes, this dish promises all the flavor of a BBQ pit with minimal effort. Let’s dive into a world where tender, saucy chicken meets the magic of slow cooking!
This recipe is so amazing served as a sandwich with coleslaw and a side of roasted broccoli!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Crock Pot Dinner
- Effortless Cooking: Just toss in the ingredients, set the timer, and voilà! Your slow cooker does the heavy lifting, freeing you up to binge-watch your favorite show or conquer that to-do list.
- Flavor Town: Slow cooking = flavor infusing! It gives the chicken time to soak up all that smoky, sweet BBQ goodness, resulting in every bite bursting with taste.
- Tender and Juicy: Say goodbye to dry chicken! The slow, low-temperature cooking ensures your chicken stays succulently tender and juicy.
I live for super quick dinners and this one is no exception. Everything is poured into the slow cooker and cooks to absolute perfection and the serving options are nearly endless- making it a meal prep dream. It’s one of those slow cooker easy recipes that you are so glad you saved and pull out whenever you need a meal and have zero time.
Picture this: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken that even has the picky eater stamp of approval. The chicken is fall-apart tender, soaked in the rich, smoky goodness of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, with a hint of sweetness and a touch of savory depth. It’s like a comforting hug in food form! Serve it up on fluffy buns for an epic pulled chicken sandwich, or keep it light and zesty over a fresh salad. Either way, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s as delicious as it is easy.
Shredded BBQ Chicken Ingredients
This is my favorite way to make chicken in a slow cooker. The simple ingredients are inexpensive and flavor packed and the cook time is as low as 3-4 hours! A win for this busy working mom.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are a little more lean and need less cooking time to help avoid dryness. If you need to set and forget for a little longer I suggest using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Onion: As onions cook, especially slowly in a slow cooker, they release natural sugars, adding a subtle sweetness that balances the tanginess of the sauce. I like to use yellow onion but a sweet onion would work well too.
- Barbecue Sauce: BBQ sauce is packed with a complex blend of sweetness, tanginess, and smokiness. It infuses the chicken with these flavors as it cooks. You can use a homemade bbq sauce or pick up your favorite bbq sauce from the grocery store. The beauty of this is that no matter what kind of bbq sauce you use it is going to taste delicious. IF you opt for a sweeter sauce you can lower or omit the sugar.
- Brown Sugar: It helps balance the acidity and spiciness of the BBQ sauce and other ingredients, making the dish more rounded and palate-pleasing.
- Garlic Powder and Worcestershire sauce: Garlic powder adds a warm, savory aroma while Worcestershire deepens the overall flavor profile.
Barbecue Chicken In A Slow Cooker
This is a great crockpot recipe for game day or just an easy dinner idea. Serve as bbq chicken sandwiches with a side of potato salad for a summer favorite!
- Mix the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. This mix is your ticket to Flavor Town!
- Add the Chicken: Lay the chicken breasts into the slow cooker and top with onions. Pour your delicious BBQ sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure it’s well coated.
- Cook it Slow: Set your slow cooker to low and let it work its magic for about 3 to 4 hours. Remember, we want our chicken like our weekends – long and relaxing, not rushed!
- Check for Doneness: After 3 hours, check if the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. If it’s not quite there, give it a bit more time.
- Shred and Serve: Once cooked, take the chicken out and shred it with two forks. Put the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir it around to soak up all that saucy goodness.
- Enjoy: Serve it up on toasted buns for a classic BBQ chicken sandwich, or over rice, in tacos, or even as a salad topping. The world is your BBQ chicken oyster!
And there you have it, a Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe that’s as easy as it is delicious. Get ready for your kitchen to smell like a BBQ joint!
Helpful Tools
- Slow Cooker: The MVP! Sizes vary, but a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker is ideal for most recipes.
- Meat Thermometer: To ensure your chicken is cooked just right, a meat thermometer is your best friend. Chicken is done when it hits 165°F (75°C).
- Tongs: For safely maneuvering hot chicken in and out of the slow cooker.
Recipe Notes:
It’s best to thaw the chicken first for even cooking. Cooking chicken from frozen in a slow cooker can be risky as it may spend too long at a temperature where harmful bacteria can grow.
The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and shreds easily with a fork.
Yes, even in a slow cooker, chicken can become dry and tough if cooked too long. Stick to the recommended cooking times.
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with ingredients like apple cider vinegar for tanginess, smoked paprika for smokiness, or even a splash of bourbon for depth.
Yes, chicken thighs are a great alternative and often turn out juicier due to their higher fat content.
If the sauce is too thin after cooking, you can remove the lid and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes, or thicken it with a cornstarch slurry.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove, adding a splash of water or BBQ sauce to keep it moist.
Yes, you can cook the chicken, shred it, and then refrigerate it with the sauce. Reheat when ready to serve.
Sure, as long as your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate the increased quantity without overcrowding.
More Yummy Slow Cooker Recipes
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Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1½ cups barbecue sauce
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Lay the chicken breasts into the slow cooker and top with onions.
- In a bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour your delicious BBQ sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure it’s well coated.
- Set your slow cooker to low and let it work its magic for about 3 to 4 hours.
- After 3 hours, check if the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. If it’s not quite there, give it a bit more time.
- Once cooked, take the chicken out and shred it with two forks. Put the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir it around to soak up all that saucy goodness.
- Serve it up on toasted buns for a classic BBQ chicken sandwich, or over rice, in tacos, or even as a salad topping.
Nutrition
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