Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is a simple and delicious dish made by combining chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce in the crockpot! Shred the tender and juicy chicken with a fork and pair it with sandwiches, tacos, or rice!
Can’t get enough of your slow cooker? Me too! Try my Slow Cooker Beef Roast, Best Easy Pulled Pork, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, and Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy & Fuss Free: There simply does not exist and easier meal than this slow cooker bbq chicken recipe. With just 5 ingredients, you can make flavorful pulled chicken in the crockpot with just 10 minutes of prep time! Let the slow cooker do all the heavy lifting while you go about your day. Then, you will have delicious BBQ chicken to serve at dinner time! Perfect for feeding a crowd!
Flavorful & Versatile: Not only is this easy crockpot bbq chicken absolutely delicious and packed with flavor, but it is also super versatile and can be served in so many different ways! Serve them on your favorite buns with some coleslaw for pulled chicken sandwiches. Or, make some BBQ chicken tacos or nachos! This shredded BBQ chicken would also go great with some fluffy rice and steamed veggies for a healthy meal.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: I used about 4 large chicken breasts here. You can use more or less, depending on how big they are. If you prefer, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Paprika: For a little bit of smoky heat!
- Garlic Powder: Adds a savory depth of flavor.
- Salt: To taste.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, or make a homemade bbq sauce!
Here’s How to Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Prep: Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the paprika, garlic powder, and salt, and pour over the bbq sauce, making sure all the chicken is covered. (photos 1-4)
- Cook: Slow cook for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high.
- Shred: Remove the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn it up to high, if it is not already there, uncovered, while you shred the chicken with a pair of forks. (photo 5)
- Combine & Serve: Return the chicken to the slightly thickened sauce in the slow cooker and stir until it is well coated. Enjoy! (photo 6)
Expert Tips
- Add some veggies! If you want, you can add in some veggies like sliced onions and bell peppers to add a little extra nutrition and flavor!
- Don’t overcook the chicken! Chicken breast should be cooked to 165 F and can get dry if it is cooked any further. Around 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high should do the trick, but you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken as it cooks.
- Typically, shredded barbecue chicken is made with chicken breast. However, you can substitute it for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you have them on hand! These are less likely to get overcooked and will be a little bit richer due to a higher fat content.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any kind of BBQ sauce that you love for this slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe. I like making my homemade BBQ sauce if I have the time, or my favorite store-bought brand. If you prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce, taste it at the end to see if you need to add a little apple cider vinegar to balance out the flavors!
For bbq sandwiches, you can simply serve your pulled bbq chicken on a bun! Top it off with some crunchy coleslaw and dill pickles, and serve it with some mac and cheese or classic potato salad. You can also serve this chicken on pizzas, salads, tacos, nachos, or with a simple baked potato! The options are endless, making this chicken recipe perfect for meal prep at the beginning of the week.
More BBQ Recipes to Try
- BBQ Brisket Tacos
- BBQ Chicken Bites
- Korean BBQ Chicken
- Grilled BBQ Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Dip
Serving Suggestions
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Portillos Chopped Salad
- Summer Corn Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Best Broccoli Salad
- Avocado Bacon Potato Salad
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the paprika, garlic powder and salt, and pour over the bbq sauce, making sure all the chicken is covered.
- Slow cook for 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn it up to high if it is not already there, uncovered, while you shred the chicken with a pair of forks.
- Return the chicken to the slightly thickened sauce in the slow cooker and stir until it is well coated.
Are the leftovers freezer-friendly?
Yep, for sure!
I am surprised that you do not coat chicken breasts with bbq to cook. 2 cups of water sound like a lot. Would like to hear your reasoning. Love your recipes
Made this today. Very good and easy. Definitely will make this again! Great on a bun topped with coleslaw.
So easy and flavorful! I love slow cooker recipes – just load it and leave it!
This was delicious but very dry! I left it in the slow cooker on low for five hours instead of six b/c the sauce was almost gone. Any way I can add a cup and a half of BBQ and maybe some chicken broth to keep it moist? What would you recommend?
I’m sorry this happened! It sounds like your slow cooker cooks pretty quickly and it may just have over cooked the chicken. If you cook it for a bit less time, it shouldn’t be as dry. But you can also try chicken broth if you’d like to 🙂
Thank you so much for getting back to me! I really love your recipes and I’m on your site on a weekly basis looking for lunch/dinner lol!