Crockpot BBQ Chicken
The BEST EVER crockpot BBQ chicken recipe. Easiest slow cooker recipe for tender pulled chicken made with just chicken and barbecue sauce.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours 30 minutes
Total: 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (4 1/2 cups shredded chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Homemade BBQ Sauce or your favorite store-bought sauce (the homemade sauce only takes about 15 minutes to make and is totally worth it!)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see post for directions on using thighs or legs)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry
- Serving suggestions: whole wheat or pretzel buns or whole wheat tortillas, cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, baked sweet potatoes
Instructions
- If you are making your own, prepare a Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- Lightly coat a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with sauce, spooning the sauce all over the top. If you made a batch of the Homemade BBQ Sauce, reserve the rest for serving.
- Cover the slow cooker, and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks, either on a cutting board or directly in the slow cooker.
- Thicken the sauce in the slow cooker. Add the slurry to the slow cooker with the remaining sauce. Whisk to combine, cover the slow cooker, and set to high. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes (see the note section below for a quicker stovetop method to thicken the sauce).
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat. Serve chicken warm on buns for sandwiches, inside quesadillas, or (our favorite) on top of a baked sweet potato with a sprinkle of green onion. Add additional BBQ sauce as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftover BBQ shredded chicken in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: BBQ chicken can be stored in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can thicken the sauce more quickly by transferring it from the slow cooker to a medium saucepan. Whisk in the slurry, and then cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (If your slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, you can remove it from the slow cooker and place it directly on the burner, but do not do this unless you are POSITIVE your insert is stovetop safe or it may crack).
- For directions on using chicken thighs or chicken legs, please reference the blog post above.
- Feel free to double this recipe to feed a larger group. You may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- All slow cookers differ in temperature, so adjust the cooking time according to your experience. Cooking time may vary based on the make and model of your slow cooker.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6), about 3/4 cups, without bunCalories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 33gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgPotassium: 697mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 178IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
