This easy crockpot bbq chicken makes the most delicious, juicy pulled chicken…perfect for sandwiches, tacos, wraps, and pizza! Just 5 simple ingredients and freezer crockpot compatible!
Summer might not sound like prime time to rock your crock pot, but it’s actually the perfect time to have it out!
Using your slow cooker means that you can keep your oven off, and we all want to keep our houses as cool as possible, right?
With that in mind, this crockpot bbq chicken is the perfect summery meal to make in your slow cooker!
(psst! If this recipe looks familiar, it’s probably because it was part of our 7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes post, which has 7 freezable slow cooker chicken breast recipes)
This crockpot bbq chicken
- has only 5 simple ingredients
- can be used as a freezer crockpot recipe
- is perfect served in sandwiches, tacos, wraps and on pizza
- will keep your oven off!
How to assemble this slow cooker BBQ chicken ahead and freeze
Chicken breast freezer packs are a staple in my freezer and are an absolute lifesaver during busy weeks! Here’s how you can turn this slow cooker BBQ chicken into a freezer pack:
- Assemble the boneless skinless chicken breasts, BBQ sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and chili powder in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or these awesome eco-friendly silicone freezer bags
!). - Squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
!).So incredibly simple! When you’re ready to cook, you will need to thaw completely before placing everything in the slow cooker and cooking on low for 4 hours.
Can I swap the chicken breasts for chicken thighs? YES. I love cooking boneless skinless chicken thighs in my slow cooker! Low 4-5 hours will be great for chicken thighs.
Can I cook this crock pot BBQ chicken in my Instant Pot? I haven’t tried this and believe it *should* work, however there might be an issue with the BBQ sauce being too thick to generate steam. If you get a ‘burn’ message, try adding a bit of chicken stock or water to thin it out. And if you give this a try, I’d love for you to let me know how it turned out for you!
Can I half this crock pot BBQ chicken recipe? Yes, but you will need to cook in a smaller crock pot (2.5 quart). We simply cut the recipe in half and cook for the same amount of time, and it works great for our small family!
How can I serve this crockpot barbecue chicken?
This recipe is pretty versatile and I have a ton of ideas for you!
- served on a gourmet burger bun topped with a crunchy cabbage slaw
- served on pizza with pineapple, red onion, and extra barbecue sauce brushed on the crust (or on naan bread pizza!)
- served in a wrap or in tacos with crunchy cabbage slaw
- served as part of a ‘burrito bowl‘ with grilled vegetables
- use it for meal prep by swapping it out for the black beans and bbq vinaigrette in these Grilled Veggie Black Bean Meal Prep Bowls
Tips for perfect crockpot barbecue chicken:
- this crock pot barbecue chicken recipe may be cooked in a large 6 quart slow cooker or halved and cooked in smaller 2.5 quart slow cooker for the same amount of time
- this crock pot barbecue chicken recipe may be cooked in a large 6 quart slow cooker
or halved and cooked in smaller 
for the same amount of time- For making freezer packs: you can find my favorite baggie holders here, and the freezer bags I used here (MAKE SURE you get a good quality freezer bag, as you don’t want any leakage as it thaws!)
- Looking for more freezer slow cooker recipes? Check out this Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe, this Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken, and these Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
, and the 
(MAKE SURE you get a good quality freezer bag, as you don’t want any leakage as it thaws!)
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breast
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the base of a 5 quart slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and toss in the cooking liquid.
Krista
What would the conversion from crock pot to instant pot look like?
Denise Bustard
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
I don’t have a Crock Pot or Instapot. Is there a way to adapt these recipes for the oven or stove?
Denise
Hi Sarah! I think this would bake well in the oven. I would try baking in a covered dish at 425°F 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 🙂
tammy
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
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing, Tammy!
Alana
Hi Denise
Are the chicken slow cook receipes also ok to freeze post the entire crockpot cook?
Thanks
Alana
Denise
Do you mean post cooking? Yes! The shredded chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months 🙂
Alana
Yes exactly what I mean. Thank you. I made the honey soy and Mexican one tonight to freeze for meals next week 🙂 yum!
Denise
Woo hoo! Hope you enjoy!
Natasha
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
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 🙂