Fall apart tender, juicy and so flavorful, this crockpot BBQ chicken is perfect served on sandwiches, in wraps, or even on pizza. Just 5 simple ingredients required!
Cooking chicken in the slow cooker does not have to be boring- from crockpot chicken fajitas to lemon garlic chicken, there are so many flavor options that you'll never get bored!
This crockpot BBQ chicken is simple and yet you are rewarded with the most deliciously juicy pulled chicken that is the perfect base for multiple meals.
Serve it up with some air fryer corn for a delicious, summery meal!
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Reasons you'll โก crockpot BBQ chicken
- has only 5 simple ingredients, is juicy, flavorful and kid-friendly
- it works great for meal prep: assemble as a freezer crockpot recipe or cook ahead and use in multiple meals
- is perfect served in sandwiches, tacos, wraps and on pizza
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Ingredient notes
- chicken- feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts; increase the cook time to low 4-5 hours for thighs
- BBQ sauce- use your favorite! I've used various brands including Stubb's, Sweet Baby Ray's* and Newman's Own to make this recipe. *our favorite
- apple cider vinegar- enhances the tanginess of this recipe; I strongly recommend the Bragg's brand.
- maple syrup- adds sweetness to contrast the vinegar; swap for brown sugar or honey.
- chili powder- refers to a paprika-based chili powder blend; do not confuse with pure powdered chilis! If you cannot find it in the spice aisle of your grocery store, consider making your own.
Step by step directions
1. Combine- Stir together the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and chili powder in the base of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Stir until smooth, then add the chicken breasts, turning to coat in the sauce.
2. Cook- Put the lid on the slow cooker, then cook on low for 3-4 hours. Do not lift the lid while it cooks!
A note about slow cookers- I use Crock Pot brand slow cookers which cook slightly hot. If you know your slow cooker cooks lower or slower, increase the cook time to 4-5 hours.
3. Shred- Use tongs to remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker, placing them into a clean bowl. Use an electric hand mixer or two forks to shred the chicken. Then return to the slow cooker, tossing it back up in the sauce.
TIP- If you prefer sliced chicken, that will work as well: rest the chicken on a cutting board for 10 minutes, then cut into strips or cubes before tossing it back in the sauce.
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Serve it up
BBQ pulled chicken is typically served on a bun with slaw. If you'd like a good slaw recipe, check out these honey lime shredded chicken sandwiches!
While crockpot BBQ chicken is great served on a sandwich, there are several other ways you can serve it up:
- pizza- top with pineapple, red onion, and extra barbecue sauce brushed on the crust (or on naan bread pizza!)
- wrap or tacos- top with crunchy cabbage slaw
- burrito bowl- serve with rice, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, guacamole, and your favorite toppings (check out pulled pork burrito bowls for more ideas)
- meal prep bowls- use these Grilled Veggie Black Bean Meal Prep Bowls as inspiration
Serving size + equipment
This recipe is formulated to be cooked in a larger slow cooker- 5 or 6 quarts, and it makes a large portion (serves 8). If you donโt want to have ample leftovers, you can cut the recipe in half and cook in a 2.5 or smaller slow cooker.
- my favorite 6 quart slow cooker
- cook a half batch in this 2.5 quart slow cooker
- it also worked in a 6 quart Instant Pot, cooking for 8 minutes at high pressure with a quick pressure release
Meal prep + storage
Crockpot BBQ chicken is perfect for meal prep, and can work in a few different ways:
1. Crock pot freezer meal
A crock pot freezer meal is assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. This way, when itโs time to cook, you simply dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and skip any measuring. This is a great recipe to prepare for someone who is expecting a baby.
Hereโs how you can turn this recipe into a freezer meal:
- Assemble the boneless skinless chicken breasts plus all remaining ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer bag, reusable silicone bag, or meal prep container.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely, then cook as directed in the recipe card.
Find my favorite freezer containers here!
2. Cook ahead and reheat
You can cook this recipe all the way through, and store in an air tight container in the fridge (up to 4 days) or freezer (up to 3 months), using it as a protein for multiple meals.
Rewarm in a frying pan, using tongs to stir it up. Heat until steaming hot, and enjoy!
Find my favorite meal prep containers here!
More slow cooker chicken recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Juicy + Tender!)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breast 1
- ยฝ cup barbecue sauce 2
- ยผ cup maple syrup 3
- ยผ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder 4
Instructions
- Combine-ย Stir together the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and chili powder in the base of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Stir until smooth, then add the chicken breasts, turning to coat in the sauce.
- Cook-ย Put the lid on the slow cooker, then cook on low for 3-4 hours (see note 5). Do not lift the lid while it cooks!
- Shred-ย Use tongs to remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker, placing them into a clean bowl. Use anย electric hand mixerย or two forks to shred the chicken.
- Toss- Return to the slow cooker, tossing it back up in the sauce.
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Tips:
- Serve on a bun with slaw
- Serve on pizza with barbecue sauce, onions and pineapple
- Serve in tacos or wraps with slawย
- Serve in burrito bowls with with rice, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, guacamole, and your favorite toppings
- Serve as a protein in meal prep bowls with grilled vegetables
Video
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Marty says
Can this be frozen before cooking then thrown in the crockpot once it is defrosted?
Annie says
Hi Marty, yes it can. Please refer to the Crockpot Freezer Meal section above for complete instructions. Enjoy!
Krista says
What would the conversion from crock pot to instant pot look like?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Krista! I am not 100% sure if you can make this in the Instant Pot; my only concern is that the barbecue sauce may be too thick to create the steam needed for the pot to come to pressure. If you want to try it, though, I would do 8 minutes + quick pressure release. Let me know if you try it!
Sarah says
I donโt have a Crock Pot or Instapot. Is there a way to adapt these recipes for the oven or stove?
Denise says
Hi Sarah! I think this would bake well in the oven. I would try baking in a covered dish at 425ยฐF for 25-30 minutes, then shred with a fork. This worked well with my salsa chicken recipe so I'm pretty confident it will work for this one as well ๐
tammy says
This was so simple and delicious. I stuffed a baked potato with the tasty tender bbq chicken. It was so good I didn't need to add anything else so I felt it to be relatively healthy. Although I'm sure alittle cheese and sour cream and maybe some bacon crumbles would be amazing with this recipe stuffed inside a baked potato.
Denise says
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing, Tammy!
Alana says
Hi Denise
Are the chicken slow cook receipes also ok to freeze post the entire crockpot cook?
Thanks
Alana
Denise says
Do you mean post cooking? Yes! The shredded chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months ๐
Alana says
Yes exactly what I mean. Thank you. I made the honey soy and Mexican one tonight to freeze for meals next week ๐ yum!
Denise says
Woo hoo! Hope you enjoy!
Natasha says
I have a 6.7 Quarts stockpot; can I use these recipes in this pot on the stove? Or is it better in the oven?
Denise says
Hi Natasha! I haven't tried but I bet it would work just fine on the stove. I would try simmering in the salsa for 20-30 minutes and seeing if the chicken is ready to shred? This is really an estimate though ๐