Crock Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken
This Crock Pot BBQ Chicken is one of the easiest slow cooker dinners you can make. Juicy chicken cooks low and slow in a sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce until it’s perfectly tender and easy to shred.
This easy crock pot chicken recipe is perfect for sandwiches, sliders, tacos, baked potatoes, nachos, pizza, meal prep, and busy weeknight dinners. With simple pantry ingredients and just a few minutes of prep, this slow cooker BBQ chicken is always a family favorite.
Crock pot BBQ chicken is one of my go to weeknight dinners. It’s so easy to throw together and there’s usually leftovers for lunch the next day. Usually, we shred the chicken and serve on buns with coleslaw for sandwiches, but I’ve also topped nachos, made BBQ chicken tacos, BBQ chicken pizza with pickled red onions and cheddar cheese and loaded up a baked potato. Lots of meal possibilities out of one recipe!
If you love this recipe, I just know you’ll love Crock Pot Dill Pickle Shredded Chicken Sandwiches and Crock pot Shredded Pork Tacos.
Serve these juicy sandwiches up with a side of Crispy Oven Fries, Potato Salad, Pasta Salad or a simple side salad.
Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
- Easy slow cooker recipe: Just add everything to the crock pot and let it cook.
- Perfect for busy weeknights: Minimal prep and hands-off cooking make this ideal for hectic days.
- Great for meal prep: The leftovers reheat beautifully for lunches and quick dinners.
- Feeds a crowd: Perfect for parties, potlucks, game day, and family gatherings.
- So versatile: Use it for sandwiches, sliders, tacos, baked potatoes, pizza, nachos, rice bowls, and more.
- Sweet, tangy, and smoky flavor: The homemade BBQ sauce has the perfect balance of flavors.
- Budget-friendly dinner: Simple pantry ingredients keep this recipe affordable.
Ingredients
🩷 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 6–7 quart crock pot
- Chicken breast – boneless and skinless
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar both work
- Honey – adds the perfect sweetness
- Apple cider vinegar – regular white vinegar also works
- Worcestershire sauce
- Seasonings – paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
OR just use a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and call it a day. 🙂
How to Make Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
Spray a 6–7 quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray, then place the chicken breasts in the bottom.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar and all seasonings until smooth and combined. Pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the chicken, making sure it’s fully coated.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 2½–3 hours, until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
Once fully cooked, shred the chicken directly in the crock pot and stir it into the sauce. A hand mixer makes shredding super quick and easy — just use it right in the crock pot for perfectly shredded chicken in minutes! (Just skip the hand mixer if you used a crock pot liner… trust me on this one. 🙄)
Let the shredded chicken sit in the sauce for about 10 minutes before serving so it soaks up all that sweet and tangy BBQ flavor.
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How to Serve Shredded BBQ Chicken
Typically we serve the meat on sandwich buns or sliders with coleslaw or a slice of cheddar cheese and dill pickle chips.
It’s also amazing on a pizza! To your pizza dough add extra BBQ sauce on the pizza dough, the shredded chicken, pickled red onions, and shredded cheddar cheese and bake as directed.
Try it over a big plate of nachos or on tacos. I also love this over macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, or a baked potato. There really are so many possibilities!
Tips For The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than chicken breasts during long cooking.
- Avoid overcooking chicken breasts or they can become dry.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce if you want an even quicker shortcut version.
- A hand mixer makes shredding chicken incredibly fast and easy.
- Let the shredded chicken sit in the sauce for 10–15 minutes before serving so it absorbs more flavor.
- For extra smoky flavor, add a dash of liquid smoke or smoked paprika.
- Toast sandwich buns before serving for added texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen chicken in the crock pot?
For food safety, it’s best to thaw chicken before slow cooking so it cooks evenly.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Absolutely. Chicken thighs stay extra juicy and shred beautifully in the slow cooker.
What’s the best BBQ sauce for shredded chicken?
Any BBQ sauce works well. Sweet, smoky, spicy, or honey BBQ sauces are all delicious depending on your preference.
How do I keep shredded chicken from drying out?
Keep the chicken in the sauce after shredding so it stays moist and flavorful.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for meal prep and reheats very well.
How long does leftover BBQ chicken last?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze crock pot BBQ chicken?
Yes. Let the chicken cool completely and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
What can I serve with BBQ chicken?
Some great side dishes include:
- coleslaw
- potato salad
- pasta salad
- baked beans
- fries
- mac and cheese
- corn on the cob
Can I make this recipe spicy?
Yes! Add cayenne pepper, hot sauce, chipotle powder, or a spicy BBQ sauce.
What’s the easiest way to shred chicken?
A hand mixer or stand mixer shreds chicken quickly and evenly.
Ways To Use BBQ Chicken
- BBQ chicken sliders
- loaded baked potatoes
- BBQ chicken quesadillas
- BBQ chicken wraps
- rice bowls
- stuffed sweet potatoes
Try these Crock Pot Recipes
- Buttery Beef and Potatoes
- Beef and Broccoli
- Game Day Chili
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Apple Cider Pork Loin
- Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Ravioli Casserole
- Pork Tenderloin
- Peach Glazed Meatballs
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Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Add chicken to a lightly sprayed crock pot, sprinkle on all the seasonings and spices.
- In a small bowl mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken
- Cook on low 5 hours or high 2 1/2 hours
- Shred the chicken and serve on sandwich buns, in mac and cheese, on a BBQ chicken pizza, over baked potatoes, over fries, tots, nachos or in tacos
Nutrition
Notes
- If you don’t want to bother mixing the ingredients just use 1-2 bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce and slow cook as usual.
- Use a hand mixer to easily shred the chicken (but not in the slow cooker if you used a slow cooker liner!) Or add the meat to a stand mixer and shred using the paddle attachment. This tip will change your life!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove until warmed through.
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Not only did the house smell amazing, the chicken was so delicious. I did the high temperature @ 2 1/2 hours with my own bbq sauce. I wasn’t sure if I was still suppose to add the seasonings with my bbq sauce so I left them out.
Definitely a keeper recipe.
So happy to hear! Thank you for sharing!
This was delicious. I served it over baked potatoes. But there was so much sauce for 2 pounds of chicken. I wound up freezing the excess to use again. Next time I would add more chicken or halve the sauce ingredients.