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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), about 5-6 count
- 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!!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
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