This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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 (Try Homemade BBQ Sauce or 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 2 to 3 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours. Check on it early since timing can depend on the thickness of your chicken and the size of your slow cooker. It will also cook faster if making a smaller batch. Chicken is done when cooked through to an internal temperature of 167˚F 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 chicken breasts, (boneless, skinless)
- 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
- Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 5-6 qt slow cooker.
- Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or for 6 to 7 hours on low. Check on the chicken earlier if using smaller chicken pieces, if making a smaller batch, or if you know your slow cooker runs hot. Chicken is done when cooked through to an internal temperature of 165˚F and is easy to shred.
- 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
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!!
I added a tbsp of cider vinegar and a tbsp of dark molasses. This chicken was delicious and the perfect dinner during the blizzard of 2016!
Shari, thank you for such a nice review and great job improvising the recipe 😃. Our weather is in mid 40s˚, I wish we had some of that snow.
This Recipe is the bomb! it was really good! and simple 🙂 ingredients are all in my fridge too! Thank you!
Finding out you have everything you need for a recipe – I love it when that happens! 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This was delicious. My husband loved it- will now be a monthly meal! Thank you for this awesome dinner!
I did not do the coleslaw (mainly because of time)- will be next time. I “buttered” my buns with sweet baby rays and it was a hit 😉
Also… I saw someone mentioned it dried out at 8 hours low. I did the 4 high and it was fall apart perfect!
Thank you for sharing your awesome review!! 🙂
I want to try this tomorrow for my family.. I was wondering do you have to add the Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar?
They add nice flavor but I think the recipe would still work without them since the bbq sauce provides plenty of flavor and sugar.
The brown sugar does add a nice carmelization to the chicken, though. You can probably leave it out but it really does add a little something extra.
Do you think this would work with pork loin chops?
HI Tracy, I haven’t tried that but I think it could work. Ideally you want the pieces to be the same thickness as large chicken breasts and not a whole pork loin or it wouldn’t cook through. It may take a little longer to cook and it might not, jut test to make sure you can easily pull apart the pork when finished. I do have a pulled pork recipe posted also: https://natashaskitchen.com/2011/12/19/svetlanas-pulled-pork/ but that one really needs Pork Shoulder Chuck Roast (more fat than pork loin chops) to work well.
I thought it was a wee bit dry cooking on low for 8 hours but I brought it to an employee potluck and everyone loved it. I used the Hickory Brown Sugar Sweet Baby Ray’s and it gave it a great smoky flavor. I was short on time so I just shredded some cabbage and added store bought coleslaw dressing but it worked out great.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This looks delish. I’d like to make it for a potluck in two days. If I make it tomorrow and reheat it in the crockpot a day later, will it dry out? If I add a little water and more sauce, will it be okay?
Megan, it should be fine with a little bit of water but you don’t need more sauce. Just make sure you are warming it in a crock pot and not cooking it again 😀.
Thanks for the quick response! I’m looking forward to trying this!
Hi Can you freeze this does it still taste OK
regards Rosemary
I haven’t tried but I imagine it would freeze well.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try it for a big group. Have you ever doubled the recipe for a party?
I haven’t but as long as your crock pot can hold it, you can double it :).
If I double the recipe will I need to cook the chicken longer? Thanks.
It should still take about the same amount of time. You might have to add an extra hour. Make sure to cook until chicken is cooked through and easy to shred.
Even as we don’t have the exact brand of BBQ sauce over here in the Netherlands this recipe was delicious. I’ve made it yesterday for 12 people and they like it very much. Thanks for sharin!
It’s actually not a bad idea to change up the kind of barbecue sauce. Different flavors of barbecue sauce will make this taste different and unique. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this today and it is delicious. Everyone loved it. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Also made your creamy cole slaw except I used the package from the store. Shredding cabbage is not my thing.
Linda, thank you for the great review and you are welcome :).
Hi
I tried this recipe yesterday and it was delicious. The coleslaw with the honey bbq just added a great extra flavor.
Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks Amy 🙂
Very nice closeup photo, Natasha.
Thank you Olena :).
oh it looks fantastic . I gonna to prepare it for dinner , tonight . thank you dear Natash
You are welcome Farzan, let me know how it will work out :).
hi dear , it was really delicious, my son has asked me to cook him again. it’s a good way to make chicken . thanks
Thank you for the great review and you are welcome :).
What else can I use this with?Like what side?
You can serve it with mashed potatoes and it would also taste great with a cucumber tomato salad like this one. You could serve it as a bbq meat without the sandwich just like any bbq chicken recipe.
Natasha this looks great! I have a question for you though, what if I wanted to use beef? My husband isn’t a big fan of chicken. Would I just substitute the chicken or do I need to modify some steps?
To be honest, I haven’t used beef with this recipe so I can’t say for sure. I think you’d have to brown the beef first and then cook it on high for longer (closer to 5 or 6 hours) until tender. Sorry I can’t say exactly since I haven’t tried it myself. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Natasha this looks amazing, can’t wait to try this!!! Where do u buy buns?
I purchased these at Fred Meyer 🙂
You’ve got to love a good bbq chicken recipe, especially when it is made in the slowcooker! Yum!
For sure!! And so easy!! Thanks Shelby 🙂
We were just talking about slow-cooker cooking last night.
Were your ears burning?
This looks so delicious, Natasha.
It’s going onto the table tonight!
I can come over, right?…. 😉 #wishingIhadleftovers
I am so jealous of all that shredded chicken in the second picture!! Tomorrow is my 10th wedding anniversary and I’ve been craving….of all things…BBQ. But I was going to do pork. Not anymore! It’s chicken. I know. I know. Why are we not going out to eat? Because I feel like restaurants just pack on the carbs and oil and I want to control more of what I eat, making it a bit healthier. Plus the kids get hungry and going out to eat with a 3 and 5 year old is not fun, even on your anniversary =) I even have Sweet Baby Ray’s on hand!! yah =)
Oh happy Anniversary! Blessings to you! We didn’t go out this year either and we didn’t regret it 😉
Looks great. I do not use slow cooker, if I want to make it without one, should I cook it in the oven or stove top?
You can actually do it either way. 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/