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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)
- 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!!
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.
If I make this a day ahead and need my slow cooker the next day for something else, what is the next best way to reheat the slow cooker pulled chicken?
Hi Nancy, You can reheat in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. Either way will work. This chicken does reheat well.
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 🙂
I like
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!