The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Easy Pulled Chicken) - Kindly Unspoken (2024)

Try my Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken for the most delicious, tender, flavorful, easy slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches you’ll ever eat!

Hey everyone! One of my absolute favorite easy crockpot meals that I’ve been making for my family for years and years is Crockpot BBQ Chicken.

Today I’m so excited to share my simple and delicious recipe for The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken (AKA Pulled Chicken), and it really is SO easy to make.

My recipe uses simple ingredients for a flavorful and delicious homemade BBQ sauce you’ll love.

Even better, this crockpot BBQ chicken is super versatile, freezer-friendly, and is perfect for eating on sandwiches, on pizza, in a wrap or taco, or with a fork by itself.

If you want to learn how to make The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken sandwiches then keep reading below and be sure and check out my step-by-step video tutorial over here.

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The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken

One of the reasons I love this crockpot BBQ chicken so much is the fact that you only need just a handful of ingredients, a Crockpot, and a few basic kitchen tools.

Just throw it in the crockpot and let the cooking magic happen.

• No fancy equipment needed.
• No crazy ingredients.
• This BBQ pulled chicken is just simple and delicious!

Tips for the Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken

1. Use a programmable crock-pot/slow cooker

I love my original old-school crock-pot, but much prefer to use a programmable slow cooker like this nowadays.

It’s so easy to just set the timer/temperature in the morning and then no matter if I’m home or not, it will automatically switch over to warm mode once it’s done cooking.

Plus, I really like that this particular crockpot has a locking lid for easy traveling whenever I want to take this dish to gatherings with family/friends.

2. Use a crockpot liner for easy clean-up

Wanna save time and energy scrubbing your crockpot clean?

Do yourself a favor and grab some of these disposable slow cooker liners.

They’re affordable and super easy to use and make clean up a breeze!

3. Use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce

For this recipe, I recommend using Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ.

Combined with the Italian Dressing it gives it the absolute perfect sweet and tangy flavor!

Delicious Ways to Serve Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Not only is this slow cooker BBQ chicken delicious for a quick and easy dinner throughout the week or on the weekend, it’s also great for parties and potlucks!

This crockpot BBQ chicken is great for serving on slider buns when making them for a crowd, or you can serve it alongside your favorite sides.

Check out some of our recommended ways to serve it below!

• On a large bun or slider buns for delicious BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches
• On 2-Ingredient Pizza Dough for a delicious BBQ chicken pizza
• On top of a salad for a healthy BBQ chicken salad
• On a tortilla with cheese and lettuce for yummy BBQ pulled chicken tacos
• In yummy BBQ chicken cups topped with cheese
• On top of a baked potato or sweet potato for BBQ chicken baked potatoes
• On top of tortilla chips for BBQ chicken nachos
• Over a bed of rice with sautéed veggies for BBQ chicken rice and veggies

What sides go well with Crockpot BBQ Chicken?

Shredded Crockpot BBQ Chicken is such a classic all-American food and we love eating it with the following:

• Creamy Mac and Cheese
• Buttery, Homemade Biscuits
• Oven Sweet Potatoes
• French Fries
• Potato Chips
• Coleslaw
• Baked Beans
• Grilled corn on the cob

Easy Crockpot BBQ Chicken FAQ’s

What’s the best chicken for crockpot BBQ chicken?

I prefer using boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless chicken thighs or a combo of the two!

What’s the best way to shred chicken?

The chicken in this recipe will be very tender when finished cooking and it’s SO easy to just shred with a couple of large forks.

Another simple method is to use an electric mixer which is quick and easy!

Can you freeze pulled BBQ chicken?

Yes, crockpot BBQ chicken is freezer-friendly and we almost always have leftovers.

You can freeze leftover pulled chicken for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?

Unfortunately, yes!

It’s especially easy to do with boneless skinless chicken breasts, and will result in dry/tough chicken.

To avoid this, I recommend following the guidance below and using the recommended cooking times in my recipe card.

How can I avoid overcooking crockpot chicken?

To avoid dry, tough chicken, I recommend cooking your chicken at the lowest time first, and checking it with this instant thermometer.

Chicken should only be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, and it’s quite easy to overcook boneless skinless chicken breast if you’re not careful.

Plus, an instant thermometer is one of my top must-have baking toolsand is super helpful to have on hand.

Can I use a different barbecue sauce?

Yes, you can use whatever barbecue sauce is your favorite, just know that it will slightly change the flavor.

We use Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ for a more sweet flavor, but you can also use a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce for an extra kick, or a more tangy BBQ if you prefer that.

You can also lessen the amount of brown sugar or completely omit if you prefer it less sweet.

How To Make Crockpot BBQ Chicken (AKA Pulled Chicken) – Step by Step

INGREDIENTS FOR CROCKPOT BBQ CHICKEN

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (with fat trimmed off)
• Barbecue Sauce (our family loves Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ, but any kind will do)
• Italian Dressing (I use fat-free)
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Light Brown Sugar
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt
• Black Pepper

RECOMMENDED KITCHEN TOOLS

• Crock Pot Slow Cooker
• Disposable Liners
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Measuring Cups
• Magnetic Measuring Spoons
• Instant Thermometer

Step 1:

First liberally spray the inside of a large crockpot or slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray, or for less mess, use one of these awesome disposable liners.

Next, season your trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, and place in the bottom of your crockpot.

Step 2:

In a medium size mixing bowl, add barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, light brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until combined.

Pour mixture evenly over chicken breasts, place the lid on the crockpot, and cook on high for 2.5 – 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

To avoid over-cooking, I recommend checking it at the lowest time with this meat thermometer.

The chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees internal temperature.

Step 3:

Once fully cooked, you can either serve whole or use two forks to shred chicken.

I like to shred it right in the crockpot to soak up all the extra chicken marinade and BBQ sauce.

Serve on buns for delicious BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches or serve on pizza, salad, tacos, nachos, over rice, or by itself.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Storage Tips

To Store:

Leftover shredded crockpot BBQ chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To Freeze:

Place leftover shredded crockpot BBQ Chicken in an airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

If desired, you can freeze smaller portions for quick and easy lunches/dinners. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and then re-heat via stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warm.

To Re-heat:

Chicken can be reheated in individual servings in the microwave or you can heat it all at once in a pot on the stove over medium heat.

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Popular Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

• Easy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
• Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
• Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
• Easy Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for my Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken recipe! Do you love shredded BBQ chicken too? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by! – Cara

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