Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe
This crockpot pulled chicken is so easy to make – everything just goes into the slow cooker without any special prep. It’s fall-apart tender, juicy and delicious. We put it on rolls with our coconut coleslaw and crisp dill pickle chips.
It was sweet, salty, savory and so satisfying. I invited my family over for crockpot bbq chicken sliders and everyone loved them. My son even asked for refills on the chicken (which is a big deal). l’m pretty sure all of the adults had seconds. Great reviews all around on this one! If the picture above hasn’t convinced you yet, the next one will! ♥♥♥
This is a great way to make meat for company or your family when you don’t have time to stand over the stove. You can throw everything in your slow cooker before church and it’s ready when you come home. Such a treat! PS. the coleslaw can be made when you start the chicken – just refrigerate it until ready to serve..
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken:
3 lbs (about 5-6 count) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ)
1/2 medium onion, grated (with juice)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Chicken:
1. Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 5-6 qt slow cooker.
2. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 – 7 hours. Chicken is done when cooked through and easy to shred
3. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred each breast using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crock pot and stir to coat with the yummy sauce
↑↑↑ Wishing I had leftovers…
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs about 5-6 count boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ
- 1/2 medium onion grated (with juice)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
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Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 5-6 qt slow cooker.
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Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Chicken is done when cooked through and easy to shred.
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Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred each breast using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crock pot and stir to coat with the yummy sauce.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Serve in buns with the best coconut coleslaw and dill pickle chips. Yum!!
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Here you'll find classic Ukrainian food and other favorite recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Has anyone tried using packaged rotisserie chicken meat like they sell at Costco?
Hi Rick, we took a look at that comments and haven’t found that. We haven’t tried that with cooked chicken either. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
After cooking in slow cooker…you should be able to have chicken pull apart
That is correct. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi Natasha,
Do you think this could be made in the instant pot?
Hi Kelly, I think that would be a great experiment but without testing it, I really can’t provide specific instructions. I love my instant pot, but things don’t always translate the way I hope they would to the instant pot. I will add it to my list, but if you experiment before I do, let me know how it goes.
I made this for a party last weekend and it was the star of the show! So many compliments and requests for the recipe. And I was happy to direct them here 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this!!
You’re so welcome, Elle! I’m happy you all loved that!
It’s great and simple to make! It was a hit at dinner on a lazy Sunday! I wish I could find it on MyFitnessPal.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do you think that I’d be able to make 4 1/2 lbs in a 6 qrt slow cooker?
Hi Marina, That may be cutting it close but it may work. We were able to fit 3 lbs into our 6 quart just fine :
Making as i type this. Smells so good so far. Should be ready for the 8pm CFB games.
That’s perfect!! I bet it smells amazing! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This is delish! The only changes I made was used chicken thighs with the bone in (removed when shredding) and added a diced can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce as well. Makes EXCELLENT spicy BBQ pulled chicken. I make this about once a month when the craving hits.
Thank you for sharing that with us David! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
This is really good. I made a few changes though. I cut the chicken breasts in half, butterfly style. I seared both sides in a hot, almost dry pan. (Just the tiniest bit of oil.) After that, I used the onions and about two tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. I also added about half teaspoon of crushed Thai chili pepper flakes. (My feeling is that anything that can be spicy should be.) I also used about a third less barbecue sauce. I find that less liquid works better in the crock pot, since you can always add more sauce/liquid as needed at the end.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This recipe is the best pulled chicken recipe I have found. Made it exactly the way it was shown and it turned out amazing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I followed the recipe and the chicken turned out great, but there was about a cup of liquid still .. I used more that 5 or 6 breast but they were thin sliced so not sure if that was the deal .. did I do something wrong ? I put exactly what you said ..
Hi Anita! if you shred the chicken, it soaks up most of the juice and makes the chicken really moist. It might be a good idea to remove some of the liquid if using less chicken and you can always add it back to taste and preference 🙂
Anita, I have made this a few times, most recently this past weekend. Until you shred the chicken it does look like it is so much liquid. But once I shred up the chicken, like Natasha said below, it soaks it all up. Trust the process!
was great!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
Yummy and so delicious! So easy to make! Will make again and again!
That’s so great Ellen!
Hi Natasha! Looking forward to trying out this recipe….quick question for you….do I need to grate the onion or can I just chop it up finely? Thanks so much!
We grated them for this recipe
Delicious and very easy. 10-15 mins prep, cooked on low 10 hours while I worked. Chicken fell apart. Added a couple tablespoons Bragg Organic Vinegar, very good on Jasmine Rice at the end of a long tiring day. Thanks!
P.s. Do you have some cool Ukrainian / Russian recipes? I worked in Kazakhstan 20 years & traveled all over. Love the regional food!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Genuinely impressed with this delicious salad. Thanks.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Made this today and delicious. Looking for great chicken recipes and this does it. Used Paul Newman s BBQ sauce
Thank you for the awesome review, Marlene!
Great recipe but possibly a little too sweet for European tastes. I used a savoury BBQ sauce (not honey), and half the amount of sugar, and it was still much sweeter than anything like this that we’ve had before. I will use this recipe again, just without the added sugar!
Thank you for your feedback, Grace.
Can I use frozen thin sliced chicken breasts instead of thawed?
Hi Cameran! haven’t tried this particular recipe with frozen chicken but have experimented with other recipes. You should be able to keep to the same timings – probably on the higher side of the timings (i.e. 7 hours on low). Once the chicken pulls apart easily with forks, it’s ready 🙂
Hi Natasha, just wondering if you were to slow cook this in the oven, what temp and how long should you do it for? Sarah
Hi Sarah, You can bake or cook it on the stovetop. I think it’s a little easier (hands off) and less time consuming in the oven. You can follow the baking instructions outlined in my sweet and spicy baked chicken post: https://natashaskitchen.com/2013/06/25/sweet-and-spicy-baked-chicken/
Hi, I’m thinking about doubling the recipe. How do you think that will affect the cook time? Thanks!
Hey Sara! That should work fine to double it as long as your slow cooker is large enough to fit everything. It will probably require a longer cook time though – I would aim for the higher end of the cook times (i.e. 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low) to check for doneness.
Just started college and I want to thank you for posting such a delicious dish. Surprisingly it came oh so tasteful, Icant get enough. So simple Thanks again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Akia! Thank you for the great review!
I have two whole chickens that I would like to use for this recipe. Can I debone and remove the skin? Would this work? It is for a work potluck so could I make in advance and keep on warm for the morning?
Hi Lee that should work fine to debone and remove the skin. I have instructions on how to cut up a whole chicken on my blog here. 🙂
This was fantastic. Made a batch for a pot luck, everyone loved it. I did add a tiny bit of liquid smoke to the cooking liquid to start, otherwise followed recipe exactly. I also blended the onion with the oil, worst. sauce, and a little bbq sauce because I don’t have a grater, and it worked great!
That’s so great, Corita! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
This looks so good! I have everything to make it too!! Could I use chicken tenders for this, instead of chicken breasts? If so, should I adjust the cook time?
Thanks,
Terri
Hi Terri, I haven’t tried it with tenders just yet. We’ve had people try this recipe with thighs, pork etc. and loved the results. You may have to adjust the cooking time a bit but it should be pretty close. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Have made this several times in the last year and was devoured each time. I even make it a day or two before a camping trip, it makes for an easy and quick dinner for that first night.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Kim!
Natasha! You have done it again! This is a keeper, easy and stress free recipe! It was a hit, and best thing with slow cooker, I get to run errands and the slow cooker cooks it for me and it tasted so so so good! Thank you Natasha, I hope you can come out with more slow cooker recipes, looking forward to it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Amy!
This was so easy to make! Just prepped everything in the slow cooker before bed & shredded the chicken when I woke up in the morning! Made it for a work potluck & it was an absolute hit! Thanks for the recipe!
That’s so great, Jenee! It sounds like you have a new favorite, thank you for the awesome review!
Hello, I want to double the recipe but I’m not really sure how I should do it. I’m afraid if I put double something, like the onion, Worcestershire, or sugar it may be too much and will completely over power the taste..let me know what you think! Thanks in advance(:
Hi Anae, if doubling the recipe, I would do at least 1.5 times the sauce – once you shred the chicken and return it to the pot, it soaks up most of the liquid. If you are concerned about the liquid, you can scoop some out before you return the shredded chicken back to the pot and then add it back in as needed.
I’ve made this for my family of eight and it’s amazing. I’ll be making this next week in roasters for our oldest’s graduation party. I’m making enough for 180 people (just in case everyone invited shows up-we know many large families). I was going to to make 1/4 pound per person, but but I ordered regular hamburger buns just because Aldi is so cheap. Does three pounds fill just 8 buns or does it serve 8 people one or two sandwiches?
Now to decide whether to slice 15 heads of cabbage or just buy bags of shredded cabbage-far less attractive!
Hi Erin, 3lbs made 8 generous sized sandwiches. Sounds like quite a party! so fun!!
It was absolutely perfect for our party. I made three roasters full a few days ahead of time (about 60 .lbs of chicken) and mixed up the coleslaw dressing in mason jars to be mixed with cabbage as needed. My friends were amazing and kept the kitchen going smoothly. My son was so happy with the food at his party :). I love all of your recipes. Thanks for all your work, makes my life easier!
You’re welcome! Sounds like you had a feast!
Which onion is best for this recipe? Yellow onion?
Hi Shari, yes, we use a yellow onion. A white or sweet onion would work as well.
This was delicious. I made the mistake of using a whole chicken since it was for a neighborhood block party. It was a little too shredded since there will be children at the party & I had to make certain there were no bones left in it. It was still delicious. Next time I will use boneless.
Hi Delilah, it’s definitely easier with boneless :). I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I tried a variation of this today where I used a salsa verde sauce in place of Baby Rays and added some chopped green chiles. I used some of the pulled chicken mixture in some baked enchiladas. Yummy!
I’m glad to hear the recipe was a great success, sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your great review Jim!
I made this today and I think it’d be a great Fourth of July recipe. So excited I found Natasha’s Kitchen.
I’m glad you found my page and are enjoying the recipes Mahta! Thanks for following and sharing your great review!
Looks good! Was wondering, with my work schedule, if thighs were used and cooked on low for 12 hours. Would it still work?
Hi Wayne, it would be very overcooked after 12 hours on low. It would be safer to set it to the time per the recipe and then allow the slow cooker to automatically switch to the ‘warm’ setting. Hopefully your slow cooker has that functionality.
Would this be able to be frozen?
Hi Catherine, I haven’t tried freezing but I think it would work 🙂
I freeze this recipe all of the time. It is just my husband and me so we can’t eat the entire recipe alone. Well…we could but my waistline would protest. This recipe has become a “tried and true” recipe for us and I make a double batch every time and freeze it in plastic freezer bags that hold just enough for a dinner and lunch the next day. I love the flexibility of pulling it out of the freezer whenever we need a quick dinner. It’s so easy and oh so delicious!!! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the wonderful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi I want to make this for a group of 25 people. How can i adjust it? Thank you
Hi Alysha, it depends on what else is on the menu. If this is the the only meat, you might quadruple the recipe and use 2 slow cookers to get the job done :).
i cooked it on high for 3 to 4 hours and put it on low until my family came home.It is delicious and will make it again in the future
I’m happy to hear your whole family enjoys the recipe Brittany! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Great recipe! I cooked it on low for 8 hours and shredded the chicken rigut in the slow cooker at hour 7. Delish! We used the leftovers to make pulled chicken nachos!
I’m glad your family enjoys the recipe Lisa! Thanks for sharing your great review!
If I were to cut this down so there wasn’t so much (I only need enough for 2) would I need to change the cooking time? I’m thinking only a pound for us instead of three.
Hi Sarah, If you are still using the same size crockpot, my only concern would be if you were to cut down the liquid, you would want it to be enough to cover the chicken so maybe cut the chicken in half lengthwise. It will probably cook faster if you do that – test it after 4 hours on low and turn it off when it shreds easily with 2 forks.
I am looking to make this recipe this weekend for our Cub Scouts potluck. Was going to do sliders to help it stretch to more people but still thinking I want to double the recipe. So if I double the amount of chicken…do I need to double the amount of the other ingredients? I don’t want there to be too much liquid. Thanks!
Hi Lara, I would do at least 1.5 times the sauce – once you shred the chicken and return it to the pot, it soaks up most of the liquid. If you are concerned about the liquid, you can scoop some out before you return the shredded chicken back to the pot and then add it back in as needed. I hope you all love it!
I made this 2 days ago. The flavor was great. But it was so soupy. Next time I will cook chicken w/o the sauce and pour off the excess juice before adding the shredded chicken back to the crock pot. Then add the sauce and let it re-heat.
Hi Alika, if you shred the chicken, it soaks up most of the juice and makes the chicken really moist. It might be a good idea to remove some of the liquid if using less chicken and you can always add it back to taste and preference 🙂
Hi,
Thank you for all your recipes, huge help for someone that knows nothing about cooking and can only follow your clear directions!!! just wondering if i could make this in instant pot? and what would be the time and pressure level?
thank you!
Hi Julia, I think that would be a great experiment but without testing it, I really can’t provide specific instructions. I love my instant pot, but things don’t always translate the way I hope they would to the instant pot. I will add it to my list, but if you experiment before I do, let me know how it goes.
LOVE this pulled BBQ chicken recipe AND the creamy coleslaw! The coleslaw makes it. Period. It is just the best and I will make this as a side dish for other dinners I make. Thanks for such delicious gluten free recipes!
You’re welcome Cathy! I’m happy to hear how much you love this recipe. Thanks for following and sharing your excellent review!
This looks delicious, how could you do with with pork?
Hi Christie, it depends on the cut of pork you are using. We generally use this pulled pork recipe when using pork. Pork usually needs more time to tenderize.
Could this be adapted to an Instant Pot? If so, how long would you set the time? Sounds so good!
Hi Beth, I think that would be a great experiment but without testing it, I really can’t provide specific instructions. I love my instant pot, but things don’t always translate the way I hope they would to the instant pot. If you experiment before I do, let me know how it goes 🙂
Have you ever cooked it the day before and then reheated in the crock-pot?
Thanks!
Venessa, it would work just fine to use crock-pot for reheating the next day.
I make this all the time. I am on weight watchers..do you have an idea what the nutrition value for each serving?
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Dawn! Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you!
Thank you for helping me get the points for my daily points. Once I did the analyse it came to 5pts!!! Can’t wait to enjoy this tonight!! Yummy!!
You’re welcome Dawn! I hope you love it!
Can I make this on the stove instead of a crockpot?
Hi LK, You can bake or cook it on the stovetop. I think it’s a little easier (hands off) and less time consuming in the oven. You can follow the baking instructions outlined in my sweet and spicy baked chicken post: https://natashaskitchen.com/2013/06/25/sweet-and-spicy-baked-chicken/
My husband and sons love this recipe! I’m loving it too, it doesn’t get any easier than this 😉 Thank you! Greetings from The Netherlands
You’re welcome Erna! I’m glad to hear how much you both enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
My family loves this recipe! Its one of our go-to dinners. Do you know if the cooking process can be adapted for an instant pot to speed up weeknight meals?
Hi Shannon, I haven’t tried it but one of my readers wrote the following: “I used my instapot and it was done in about 45 min. Start to finish. It was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe!” I hope this helps.
Okay, love you so much for this recipe!! A co-worker and I had to plan a meal for about 35 people staying on our college campus over Winter Break, and we knew they’d want left overs to take home. We used your recipe and doubled it, then made 4 huge crock pots full!! It literally saved the event!! I would have been stressing out, unable to make any sides, but instead I was able to take my time and really focus on getting prepared.
Also, let me just take a moment to explain how much people loved it: All of it was gone. People were piling the chicken onto their plates. When we ran out of buns, they just ate it plain. What a success!! Thank you so so much!!
You’re welcome Ashley! I’m happy to hear how much everyone loves the recipe. Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
If i want to make half the recipe does the cooking time stay the same?
Hi Vicky, I think that would work to cut the recipe in half and I would suggest cooking on the lower end of the time frames listed in the recipe or until the chicken is easy to pull apart with forks.
Hello!
I need to feed like 20 people but Im trying to get little buns for sliders.. Should I double everything in the recipe?
Also, how long would I cook it if I added more chicken?
Hi Mar, that should work fine to double it as long as your slow cooker is large enough to fit everything. It will probably require a longer cook time though – I would aim for the higher end of the cook times (i.e. 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low) to check for doneness.
Any idea what the cook time would be if you are using frozen chicken breasts?
Hi Jill, I haven’t tried this particular recipe with frozen chicken but have experimented with other recipes. You should be able to keep to the same timings – probably on the higher side of the timings (i.e. 7 hours on low). Once the chicken pulls apart easily with forks, it’s ready 🙂
Can this be frozen and still have a good consistency and taste?
Hi Karen, I haven’t tried freezing it but I do think it would work well. The ingredients are freezer friendly.
Hi Natasha!
I tried your recipe and it is delicious. Do you happen to have the nutritional information on this recipe? I made this recipe for meal prepping of the week. Thank you!
Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Jackie!
Thank you so much! I never knew a website like that existed. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond! The recipe was delicious!
Thank you Natasha for this wonderful recipe! It was a big hit in the family!
You’re welcome Rita! I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! I’m a vegan, but I’m making this for my boyfriend — I know very little about cooking meat, but even less about eating it.
Besides the slaw, what else can I serve him this recipe with?
I meant “instead of” the slaw! Oops.
Hi Alexa, I think a fresh green salad would work great or a steamed vegetable like green beans or cooked corn. There are so many things that would work well 🙂
Can i use a combination of chicken breasts and thighs?
Hi Jill, I do think that would work well. I hope you love the recipe!
do you cook chicken in crock pot with the sauce you have prepared? Then take out chicken breast and shred and put back in crock pot with sauce. Im confused.
Hi Kim, that is correct! 🙂 “Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred each breast using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crock pot and stir to coat with the yummy sauce”
Still confused- Do you cook chicken plain – then shred- then add in the sauce at the end?
Hi Nancy, the photos in steps 2 and 3 will clarify – put everything in the slow cooker (sauce and chicken) and once the chicken is cooked, shred it and place it back into the slow cooker with the sauce that the chicken was cooking in. I Hope that helps!
Hi There!
I have a 3 quart crock pot. Can I half the recipe? If so, what should the cooking time be?
Thanks!
Hi Moira, I think that would work to cut the recipe in half and I would suggest cooking on the lower end of the time frames or until the chicken is easy to pull apart with forks.
This is FANTASTIC! I just made it a few days ago, and my family is asking for it again! A new family favorite!!
I’m glad to hear that Sarah! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi! If I double the recipe how long should I cook it for? Also, if I make it the day before, can I just reheat it in crock pot? Thank you!
Hi Maureen, it depends on the size of your crock pot. If you are using a 6 Qt, it should be the same amount of time (maybe the higher end of the ranges; ie 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low). Once the chicken is easy to shred with forks, it is ready 🙂
Thank you!
You’re welcome Maureen!
I don’t have enough time for the slow cooker, what about using an instapot? Any suggestions?
Hi Sue, to be honest, I have zero experience with an instapot. I haven’t invested into one so I can’t really advise on that. Maybe someone else has tried? Thanks in advance! 🙂
I used my instapot and it was done in about 45 min. Start to finish. It was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe!
Wow! That is completely amazing!! What brand/model of instapot do you use?
Could this be frozen after it is made? And how would you suggest reheating it?
Hi Diane, I think freezing would work fine. I would thaw in the refrigerator and reheat over a skillet until it reaches desired temperature.
Made this for dinner a few nights ago and we are still enjoying it! Such a simple and easy dish, yet so delicious! Great recipe Natasha, this one is a keeper!
Thank you Dina! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe as much as I do! 🙂
How many grams is in one serving of this recipe ?
Hi Zoe, I have no idea! Sorry I can’t be more helpful but I don’t usually measure servings that way.
OH MY GOD. THANK YOU!! This recipe was TO DIE FOR! It was so simple to make, yet tasted so…”restaurant like”. I halved the recipe, and followed it exactly, besides putting a little hot sauce. I cooked it for 2 hours, and a little more after I shredded the chicken. I LOVE pulled pork, but don’t ever have meat to make it. However, THIS RECIPE is just as good as pulled pork, and way cheaper!! I will be using this recipe from now on, whenever I crave the sweet, yet savory flavor of this. Thank you so much for sharing! ❤
My pleasure Mila! I’m so happy to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Made this tonight! Sooo good:) hubby loved it! I added Fresh Market Cranberry Coleslaw in our BBQ slider and it was amazing!! Thanks for the recipe;)
You’re welcome Samantha! I’m glad to hear you both enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Just wondering how to make this pulled chicken with OUT BBQ sauce… want to have some pulled chicken with and without for those that dont care for bbq… any suggestions? Just boullion instead or is there a better option?
Hi Shari, since the base of this recipe is BBQ sauce, I would suggest trying a different recipe. You might consider this one instead – also very very good! 🙂
I have done it with can of cream of chicken soup. nothing else other than a little onion. It is great over noodles or rice, or makes a good sandwich, too.
I already have all the ingredients to make this! I will try this for dinner tonight.
This is becoming my go to food blog. Thanks for all the great recipes Natasha :-).
My pleasure Sarah! I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for following 🙂
Hi! I’ve made this once already and,it was a huge it. But I was wondering if I used frozen chicken breasts, do I need to defrost them? I used fresh last time. Thanks!
Hi Sarah, yes I would thaw before using them for this recipe.
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if it’s possible to use chicken drumsticks or thighs to make this recipe. I am a student on a limited student budget, and chicken breasts here are rather expensive!
Hi Nikita, I do think chicken thighs would work well with this recipe. I would suggest boneless skinless thighs.
Trying this for a party tomorrow… but using maple syrup in the bbq sauce and serving it between two mini waffles…..
Oh man that’s sounds great! Please let me know how it turns out Stacy!
Trying this today…… Using Baby Rays Original BBQ sauce and molasses (out of brown sugar)….. Hope it comes out tasty
Yum! Please let me know how it turns out Maureen!
We purchase most of our chicken in whole chicken form…any suggestions on how to best adapt the recipe to use the whole chicken? Should I skin/chop it first?
Hi Shawna, for this particular recipe, I would just add the meat from the whole chicken, but that is alot of work! Have you found any other recipes online that roast an entire chicken with the bones like that? I’ve seen some online but haven’t tried that method personally.
Can we double this recipe in one crock pot? Or should use two?
Hi Erin, if it is a larger crockpot, it would be safe to double it in one crockpot.
How much longer do you cook it for if it’s doubled?
Leticia, if have a larger slow cooker, recipe should be ready in the same time. You know the chicken is done when its shreds easily.
Hi Natasha I have made so many of your recipes now and my husband and friends love my Saturday night “Natasha’s dinner” night haha. I have a question about the ranch dressing mix. We don’t have that in Australia so can I use bottled ranch dressing and omit some other liquid? I am wondering if yes how much ranch dressing do you think I should use?
Oh haha sorry I was asking this question about the cream chilli chicken recipe.
Hi again! 🙂 I would probably experiment using 1/2 cup (4 oz) bottled ranch and 4 oz of cream cheese instead of the full 8 oz. I haven’t tested it that way but that is where I would start. 🙂
Ok thankyou I’ll give that a go. Keep up the great work and I’ll keep up “Natasha’s dinners” 😆😆😆
LOL, Thank you so much Kylie! 🙂
Hi Kylie, first of all Natasha’s dinner night is just awesome – best thing I’ve heard all day! 🙂 Thank you!! 🙂 For most recipes, you can replace bottled ranch dressing. There is no ranch in this slow cooker bbq chicken,… and ok I see your next comment. lol.
Can’t wait to try this. I also wanted to ask you about the “chicken slider” you made up for your son’s lunch. Is that just canned chicken you mixed up with may and put on a wheat bun? How did you do that? Thank you. Anna
Hi Anna, yes exactly! I just drained the chicken well (squeeze it dry) and add mayo and a little black pepper to taste. It’s similar to the mix of my old school egg noodles with chicken, but you can add mayo to taste – I added more in the pasta so it would coat the noodles also 🙂
I look forward to trying this recipe! I would like to make it for my daughter’s upcoming graduation party and would make batches ahead of time. How long would it last in the refrigerator and would it work to freeze?
Hi Beth, I haven’t tried freezing it but I think that could work. For max freshness, I would probably refrigerate up to 3 days.
Great recipe! Only change I made is that I WONT use Sweet Baby Rays EVER because it uses High Fructose Corn Syrup… I have switched to Stubbs because it has ingredients I would use if I was making my own sauce.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing 😀
I’ve now made this several times! It is SO easy and delicious.
Seeing the comments about leaving out the brown sugar due to sweetness, I had the same thought when I saw the recipe. What I do is buy the “original” Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce (instead of the honey) and still use the brown sugar. I’m sure it’s a matter of taste, but I think it’s perfect that way.
Today, I was hoping to skip the grating the onion part (I hate that!). Do you think I could use onion powder instead?
Hi Alison, onion powder won’t give you the same effect. If you have a high powered blender or food processor, you could process the onion that way until it’s at puree consistency and add it. That would work just as well and save you some tears 🙂
I made this recipe and it was SO delicious. I made the coconut coleslaw (just with a prepared bag of already shredded cabbage etc though because I have a baby so there’s no time for extra chopping)) to go with it and I would say that it that it’s a winning combo. I ate it the next night too! I would say that the chicken on it’s own is okay, but it’s really the combo that makes it amazing. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Taylor! I’m happy you enjoy the recipe!
So I tried your recipe and I ran into a big problem with the chicken breasts letting out so much water that it turned the mix into soup.
I did the recipe exactly as listed. Chicken breasts were bought from the store and I never froze them. Did the mix and moved breasts directly from package to the pot. I let it cook on high covered for 4 hours. Its at that point where I noticed the density of the sauce.
I proceeded to uncover it and continue to cook it on high for another 4 hours and though it helped eliminate some of the water, it never got anywhere near the consistency that the pictures show. Chicken was easy to shred but the barbecue sauce is still a medium thickness soup.
Any ideas on how to resolve this?
Hi Earl, it was definitely overcooked if you put it on high another 4 hours and that would turn the whole mixture into a soup consistency. The pot should still have a considerable amount of liquid when it’s done at 4 hours. Once you shred the chicken and put it back into the pot, it absorbs the liquid and becomes super tender. The end result will have very little liquid left since the chicken absorbs most of it. I hope that helps for next time!
I guess I’m confused. Since I decided to use the ‘Cook on High for 4 hours’ version of the directions instead of the Low option, you’re saying when its done it should look soupy? Bc at least in the pictures and video, it still looks like the thickness of barbecue sauce.
Good news is that even though I continued to cook it uncovered on high for another 4 hours, I was checking the chicken to make sure it didn’t get stringy or overcooked. I’m happy to say it came out great. Very tender and delicious.
And even though the mix wasn’t as thick as I wanted, that tasted delicious as well. Great recipe, just gotta figure yout the liquid part. Thanks for responding back to me b/c I’m anxious to try this again.
Hi Earl, yes the juice is more juicy than thick but not to worry – the chicken soaks it up nicely. I”m glad you still enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back! 🙂
Just tried your recipe and it was a big hit with my family. I could not believe how easy it was to make!!!Thank you Natasha
You’re welcome Patrick! I’m so happy to hear you and your family love it! <3
Ok to freeze?
I haven’t tried but I think that should be fine 🙂
Can I make this with chicken thighs bone in or it hcan as to be boneless breasts?
Hi Britney, I think bone-in thighs would work, it would just be a little more work to pick apart the meat and remove the bones :). Check after 6 hours and if doesn’t shred easily, continue cooking another hour.
Hi Britney, I think bone-in thighs would work, it would just be a little more work to pick apart the meat and remove the bones :). Check after 6 hours and if doesn’t shred easily, continue cooking another hour.
How many does this recipe serve? This was never mentioned.
Will leave out the brown sugar next time as it was a little too sweet .
Hi Sue, if you scroll down to the print-friendly, you’ll see the serving size at the top of the print friendly recipe :). It depends on how you serve it. if you’re using it for sandwiches, it will serve 8, but if you have a really hungry crowd, I’d say 6 (about 1 chicken breast per person)
Will try this recipe for Super Bowl party this Sunday with about 10 guests. Can I use food processor to finely chop or puree onions vs grating by hand? Also I plan on using 5 to 6 very large chicken breasts and was wondering if I should cut them in half prior to placing in crockpot? Given I will be using about 7lbs of chicken I also plan to double up on the ingredients. Thanks.
You can definitely use the food processor to purée. And it is OK to cut the chicken and half before putting it in the crockpot. I hope you love it! I would suggest increasing the whole recipe proportionally if you are going to be doubling the chicken.
WIll doubling up the recipe fit into a standard crockpot?
Hi Elizabeth, that should work fine in a 6 qt crockpot.
If i need to double this recipe would i still work in a 6 qt. crock pot?
Hi Angela, that should work fine to double it as long as your slow cooker is large enough to fit everything. It will probably require a longer cook time though – I would aim for the higher end of the cook times (i.e. 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low) to check for doneness.
I have this in the slow cooker now as im working. This recipe looks sensational and i dare say will taste incredible. I will leave a review once i try it tonight
Please do Aaron!!
This is definitely a delicious dish thankyou so much. I will be making this again very soon. I used hp bbq woodsmoke sauce. Wow what an awesome recipe…..
Awesome! I’m happy to hear you like the recipe Aaron!
Super easy and delicious! We leave the brown sugar out because we don’t like things too sweet
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Athena!
I don’t have a crock pot 🙁 looks delish. Can i make this in the oven?
Hi Stacie, I think that would work fine. Use the method (baking temperature and times) that I listed in this recipe.
I found this a few months ago and I have made it several times! It is a huge hit with our family and it is always a requested recipe!
I am so happy to hear your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does!! Thank you for sharing Julie 🙂
My husband and I are vegetarians, so I made this with Butler’s soy curls, which I buy online. I made it for my daughter’s wedding rehearsal party and everyone loved it, even the meat eaters from Texas. The cooked curls shred easily, just like chicken. No one could tell the difference. Thanks for sharing so many great recipes, Natasha. I plan to make something with buckwheat tonight.
You’re welcome Karen! What an awesome review, thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for sharing with us such a delicious recipe!
Hi!
This looks delicious! My husband does not like onions, but sometimes I am able to sneak them in sauces…is there a big onion flavor or texture in this recipe? If so, is there something else I could add in the onion’s place?
Hi Kelly, the onion is important to the flavor of this dish, but keep in mind it is grated onion with the juice of the onion so you get all the great flavor but it completely disappears into the dish and your husband would probably never guess there was onions in the dish 🙂
Made this today for friends. Amazing! Only modification was I added chopped red peppers.
Mmmm! That sounds good too Jeremy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Just made this and absolutely delicious! Easy to make. I cooked for a shorter time period than it stated and they were perfect. I will be making this one again
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!! Thank you for sharing your great review 🙂
Made this for the Pats playoff game tonight! Almost as excited to devour this as I am for the game!!! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Awesome!!! I hope your team wins! 🙂
I am trying this for a family dinner party tonight. Can’t wait for the results!
Cooking on low for 6 hours for optimum flavor absorbtion.
Let me know what you think Jordan!
I tried this pull chicken in crock pot recipe, it was so easy and it turned out great…it was delicious!!!!
Renae, thank you for such a rave review, I’m glad to hear that 😁.
This looks SO good. I shall be making it tomorrow for my parents when they arrive from overseas for a family visit. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Please do! Thanks Paul
I have three pounds of chicken breast but it is only in three pieces (so I assume much larger than the ones you used). They have been cooking for 3.5 hours but parts of it still look raw. I just set it for another hour but wondering if it will be done in that time?
Hi Jesse, have you been cooking them on high or low heat?
On high. I actually just pulled a piece out to cut them into smaller pieces and they are fully cooked and easily pulled apart with a fork. Not sure why they looked raw/pink on the outside, but I’m all set. Thanks!
I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
We have made this SO many times; all three of our kids love it, and so do all our guests that we have made it for!
I love to hear reviews like this! Thank you for sharing Jen 🙂
Definitely reduce the cooking time if using high setting; 2 hours or less if using boneless chicken breasts. I, too, was concerned about the amount of liquid but it did get absorbed after shredded meat was returned to the pot. I added some garlic and more onion.
Good tip! Thank you for sharing!
This looks so YUM, I am going to make it on the weekend with the coconut coleslaw. Thinking to make extra and then freeze the remaining cooked chicken. Have you tried freezing a portion…how did it or would it turn out once thawed?
Thank you!
Maudie, I haven’t tried freezing this recipe but I imagine this would work fine. Let me know how it turns out.
I would love to make this recipe for my office holiday party. How would it affect the cooking time, etc. if I doubled the recipe?
Hi Jennifer, if you have one of the larger oval slow cookers, it should not affect the cooking time by much. Try it at the recommended cooking time and add an extra hour if it doesn’t shred easily with forks yet.
I love this recipe. My daughter is a picky eater and she loves it. Everyone on the family loves it. I have made it twice in three days, its that good. Now i want to try it with pork shoulder. Thank you for the recipe.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Making this for dinner for my fiance tonight, it smells delicious already ♡♡
I hope you both love it! 🙂
Hi I want to make this tomorrow but only have 3 chicken breast, I want to start it off when I go to work and have it when I get home which is 9 hours is that too long?
Hi Mary, I think that would still be ok if your slow cooker turns to the warm setting automatically (and most do) 🙂 I would suggest setting it to 6 hours on low and letting it stay on the warm setting until you get home.
I have made this many times! So easy and delicious!
Thank you for the wonderful review, I appreciate it 😁.
Would you use the same cook time if using chicken thighs?
Hi Brandi, I think chicken thighs could be done as much as 1 to 2 hours sooner. Test it at 2 hours on high or 5 hours on low and if it pulls apart easily, it’s done! 🙂 (I’m assuming you mean boneless, skinless thighs)
After looking at all the positive comments I am trying this tomorrow.
Awesome! I hope you love it! 🙂
This looks delicious! Very tempted to try it out, but we don’t have a slow-cooker. Could it be made in a covered Pyrex dish in the oven??
Cassidy, yes you can make this in the Pyrex dish. Click here for the baking instructions when using Pyrex dish. Hope this helps, enjoy ?.
I love this recipe a lot! the amount was much for two people but my husband and I were never sick of eating this wonderful chicken BBQ.
this chicken BBQ is the best and now I have craving for it again. lol
I’m so happy you both love it! 🙂
Could you use frozen chicken breasts? Or do they need to be thawed?
Hi Whitney, I haven’t tested it that way but I think it could work with frozen as well. It might need slightly more cooking time. Cook until it is easy to pull apart with forks.
This recipe sounds wonderful! I need to make a bigger batch, can I double it? if so, should i increase the cook time?
Hi Lynne, if your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate it, the cook time should be about the same. It’s done when it’s fork tender and easy to pull apart.
I’m going to try this recipe, but I need to use bone in chicken thighs and drumsticks. I’m assuming I just need to cook a bit longer, correct?
Hi Madeline, yes I think that would work but I would cook it longer or until the meat is pull-apart tender.
Just by reading all the great coments, i will be trying this tonight.
I hope you love it! 🙂
I tried this today because we had pulled chicken sandwiches at a fair recently which my daughter loved. This came out so much better than at the fair! I put it on toasted rolls and topped it with a thin slice of cheddar cheese and it was delicious. So easy to make! Now 2 hours after dinner I can’t stop going back and eating a few more bites of the chicken. Will definitely make this again. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the wonderful review! 🙂
Made this and brought it to church for coffee hour today. Everyone loved it and NO leftovers! Yummylicious! Thanks for this wonderful and easy to follow recipe, Natasha!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
LOVE this recipe. So simple, so delicious. It’s the best pulled chicken I’ve ever had and I make it probably once a month.
I chop a red chilli and add that as well for a beautiful kick.
HI Natasha,
I have made this about 4 times now, currently making to take to my son at college. I serve it at small get togethers with friends, with little rolls, and cole slaw. Everyone loves it and it is just perfect for a little something yummy or to have several if your hungry. I add a little bit of Franks hot sauce and also serve that on the side! Gives it that extra tasty bite if you like hot sauce! Thank you!
Sherry, thank you for the nice review, I’m so happy to hear that everyone loves it 😀.
Going to try this on Sunday while watching the football games. Trying to eat healthier and I think the chicken will be a better alternative than pork! Seems easy enough that even I can make it. I tried pulled pork last year in the crock and it came out horribly. Hoping I have better luck with the chicken.
I would love to hear how it turns out 😀.
I’m most definitely going to try this for my fiancé tonight! I’ll let you know how it goes! Great recipe.
I hope you’ll love it 😁.
This recipe is so good and easy, I’ve made it a lot and everyone loves it. Thank you.
Trish, thank you for such a nice review and you are welcome 😄.
I am in Frankfurt, Germany, and Font habe a Crock Pot. Would cook it in the oven in a heavy iron pot. How long and at which temperature would I cook it this way? Thanks. Rolf
Hi Rolf, I haven’t tested this recipe that way so I can’t say exactly but I’d estimate you could bring to a simmer then reduce heat, cover and cook it over low heat with the lid on for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from heat when it shreds easily with a fork.
Thanks. Natasha