Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe

This is a tried-and-true Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe made with both chicken breasts and thighs for a tender, juicy result. The chicken cooks in a smoky, tangy BBQ sauce, then gets shredded and stirred back into all that flavor. I like serving the shredded chicken on a soft bun, but it also works well over mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or mac and cheese.

For another easy chicken dinner with a completely different flavor profile, these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are a simple weeknight option.

How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

These step-by-step photos show how to make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken. Check the recipe card below for the complete measured ingredients and instructions.

1. Build the BBQ Sauce

Stir together the BBQ sauce, chicken stock, grated onion, brown sugar, minced chipotle in adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning directly in the slow cooker.

2. Add the Chicken

Add the chicken breasts and thighs and turn them in the sauce until well coated. Set the slow cooker to HIGH and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.

If you enjoy hands-off crockpot dinners, this Crockpot Lasagna Recipe is another option for a busy day.

3. Shred the Chicken

Once the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.

Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir until every piece is coated in the BBQ sauce.

4. Finish the Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Continue cooking the shredded chicken in the sauce for another 10 minutes. Stir in the green onions and serve hot in buns, bowls, or with your favorite sides.

Ingredients

The recipe card below contains the complete measured recipe. The ingredients used for this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken are:

• 2 cups BBQ sauce
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup grated yellow onion — about half of a medium onion
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon no-salt Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ⅓ cup minced green onions

Using both breasts and thighs gives the shredded chicken a good balance of lean meat and richer, tender pieces.

Recipe Tips

• Start with a BBQ sauce you enjoy. It provides most of the sauce’s flavor, so choose one that matches the sweet, smoky, or tangy profile you prefer.
• Use the right slow cooker size. For the 2½ pounds of chicken in this recipe, a 4-quart slow cooker gives the chicken room to cook evenly. A larger batch may need a 6-quart cooker.
• Check the temperature. Slow cookers vary, so use a food thermometer and check the thickest part of the chicken rather than relying only on cooking time.
• Don’t continue cooking unnecessarily. Once the chicken is safely cooked and tender enough to shred, extended cooking can gradually dry it out.
• Shred with two forks. Pull the cooked chicken apart while it is still warm, then return it to the sauce so it absorbs more flavor.

The USDA recommends cooking poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F, measured with a food thermometer.

Serving Ideas

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is flexible enough for sandwiches, bowls, salads, and comfort-food dinners.

• Sandwiches: Pile the shredded chicken onto soft rolls and add pickles or slaw.
• Classic sides: Serve it with mac and cheese, cornbread, baked beans, or creamed corn.
• Bowls: Spoon it over rice, grits, or mashed potatoes and add extra BBQ sauce.
• Salads: Add warm pulled chicken to a fresh salad or serve it alongside potato salad.
• Casseroles: Stir leftover BBQ chicken into baked mac and cheese or another cheesy casserole.

For something crisp on the side, Southern Hush Puppies add a fried cornmeal contrast to the saucy chicken.

You can also serve a lighter appetizer such as Deviled Eggs when this BBQ chicken is part of a larger gathering.

For a Southern-style plate, Grit Cakes give the shredded chicken another hearty base besides rice or mashed potatoes.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator

Let the chicken and sauce cool, transfer them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezer

Freeze the BBQ chicken in individual portions in airtight freezer containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

Warm the chicken gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of stock or water, stirring until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

For a completely different easy dinner to keep in your rotation, Easy Shrimp Scampi Pasta gives you a quick stovetop alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes. Chicken can become drier and tougher when it stays in the slow cooker longer than necessary after it is fully cooked.

For this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe, cook the chicken on HIGH for about 2 hours, checking the thickest portion of the breast with a food thermometer. It should reach 165°F and be tender enough to shred easily.

Cooking time can vary between slow cookers, so temperature and tenderness are more reliable than adding extra time automatically.

What goes well with pulled chicken?

Pulled BBQ chicken goes well with both fresh and comforting sides. Good choices include coleslaw, potato salad, mac and cheese, cornbread, baked beans, creamed corn, rice, grits, mashed potatoes, and a simple green salad.

You can also serve it on soft buns with pickles or spoon it over a baked potato for an easy full meal.

What is the best chicken to use for Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken?

This recipe uses both boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs. The breasts provide lean shredded meat, while the thighs add extra moisture and richness.

How do I know when slow cooker chicken is done?

Use a food thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken. It should reach at least 165°F. For this pulled chicken recipe, it should also be tender enough to separate easily with two forks.

Can I use only chicken breasts?

The tested recipe uses a combination of 1 pound chicken breast and 1½ pounds chicken thighs. Using only breasts would change the balance and has not been specified in the source recipe, so the breast-and-thigh combination is the supported version.

Can I freeze pulled BBQ chicken?

Yes. Cool the chicken completely, portion it into airtight freezer-safe containers or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How should I reheat BBQ shredded chicken without drying it out?

Warm it gently over low heat with a small splash of chicken stock or water and stir until heated through. Keeping some of the BBQ sauce with the chicken also helps maintain moisture.

Recipe Card

Use the recipe card below for the complete measured ingredients and full step-by-step instructions.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Recipe

Print Recipe

This BBQ shredded chicken recipe is made in the slow cooker with chicken breast and thighs for a juicy barbecue chicken every time.

• Author: Maya Collins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 130 mins
• Total Time: 140 mins
• Yield: 8, 8 servings 1x
• Method: Main Course
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups favorite BBQ sauce (mine is Sweet Baby Ray’s original)
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup grated yellow onion (about ½ of a medium onion)
• ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon no-salt Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup minced green onions

Instructions

1. In a slow cooker, stir together the BBQ sauce, chicken stock, onion, brown sugar, chipotle, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Cajun seasoning.
2. Add the chicken and coat it with the sauce.
3. Set your slow cooker to high and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the thickest portion of the chicken breast registers 165°F on an inserted digital thermometer. Remove from the slow cooker and using two forks, shred the chicken.
4. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir to coat with sauce, and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir in green onions and serve hot.

Nutrition

• Calories: 333 kcal
• Sugar: 31 g
• Sodium: 904 mg
• Fat: 6 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 39 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 118 mg