This tender, shredded Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken can be used to create a variety of different meals. Just toss everything into the Crock-Pot, kick back, and let the magic happen for a hassle-free meal.
For a fun variation on this recipe check out my Slow Cooker BBQ Buffalo Chicken Sliders.
Baby, it’s cold outside. Too cold for this lady to fire up the grill.
I crave BBQ all year long and thankfully I’ve got several recipes that keep me going through the winter months. There’s my my Crock-Pot Barbecue Beef, BBQ Country Style Ribs and this easy as can be Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken.
This is the recipe I turn to create incredibly tender and flavorful shredded BBQ chicken any time of year. It’s literally a dump everything in the Crock-Pot and run out the door recipe and the end result is fabulous.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: I most often use boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe but will sometimes use a combination of boneless thighs and breasts. It’s a great recipe for using up odd pieces of chicken you might have in your fridge or freezer.
- BBQ Sauce: Your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce. We love Kinder’s here.
- Vinegar: A little apple cider vinegar adds just the right amount of tang to balance the sweetness in the BBQ sauce.
- Seasoning: Smoked paprika, granulated garlic or garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken
- Combine the BBQ sauce and apple cider vinegar in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken, turning it over to coat both sides with sauce.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the pieces of chicken.
- Place the cover on your slow cooker and set it for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. When the chicken easily falls apart when you test it with a fork, you’re good to go!
- Use a couple of forks to shred it into the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Classic BBQ Chicken Sandwich: Pile the tender shredded chicken between soft buns, add your favorite coleslaw, and enjoy a classic BBQ sandwich.
Loaded Baked Potatoes: Top a baked potato with a generous serving of shredded BBQ chicken, melted cheese, and a dollop of sour cream for a hearty twist.
BBQ Chicken Tacos: Fill warm tortillas with the flavorful chicken, and customize with fresh salsa, guacamole, and a squeeze of lime for a tasty taco night.
BBQ Chicken Nachos: Create a crowd-pleasing appetizer by layering tortilla chips with shredded chicken, melted cheese, pickled jalapeños, and a dollop of sour cream.
Quesadillas: Create cheesy quesadillas by sandwiching shredded BBQ chicken between tortillas and serving with salsa or guacamole on the side.
BBQ Chicken Sliders: Mini sliders topped with shredded chicken, pickles, and a drizzle of BBQ sauce make for irresistible bite-sized treats.
BBQ Chicken Wrap: Roll up shredded BBQ chicken in a tortilla with lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing for a quick and tasty wrap.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate: Transfer the leftover shredded BBQ chicken to an airtight container and referigerate within two hours of cooking. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Be sure to use a freezer-safe container, like a zippered food storage bag. Just press out as much air as possible, seal the bag and lay it flat in your freezer to save space. Frozen shredded BBQ chicken can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months.
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Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, (I used Kinder's Mild)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or a combo of breasts and thighs
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Combine the BBQ sauce and apple cider vinegar in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken, turning it over to coat both sides with sauce. Sprinkle the chicken with the smoked paprika, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Remove the cover and use two forks to shred the chicken into the sauce.
- Serve on toasted buns or however you'd like!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
This post was originally published on March 28, 2017. It has been updated with new text and images.
Love love love this recipe and so does my whole family!
This chicken was tender, juicy and full of BBQ goodness! Super easy and only took a few minutes to get into the slow cooker.
Valerie, Does this chicken freeze well in order to prepare ahead for a large crowd?
Would you recommend freezing and then reheating for the day needed?
Hi Noreen. I haven’t tried it but can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work well. A tip for freezing a big batch of anything saucy – portion it out into gallon sized freezer-safe plastic storage bags, seal the bags and freeze them flat. Once they are frozen solid they can be stacked in your freezer to save space. Allow the item to thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.