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CrockPot BBQ Chicken makes dinner effortless and delicious. With less than 5 ingredients, you can create tender, juicy bbq chicken thighs, shredded chicken breasts, chicken legs or even wings. Simply add everything to your slow cooker to have classic BBQ flavors any night of the week!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I can always count on this recipe to make dinner easier and tastier. Here’s why Crock Pot BBQ Chicken has earned a regular spot on our table:
- Super simple ingredients: You need fewer than five items to create a flavorful, hearty meal.
- Versatile for any cut: Whether it’s Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings, Crockpot BBQ Chicken Legs, Crockpot BBQ Chicken Quarters, or Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs, the crock pot cooks a variety of BBQ chicken perfectly.
- Effortless prep: Just dump a few simple ingredients into the slow cooker, let it work its magic, shred if you like, and serve.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Grab the exact amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s what you’ll need and why each ingredient matters:
- Chicken breasts, raw, boneless and skinless: tender and easy to shred once cooked; perfect for soaking up BBQ flavors.
- BBQ seasoning: adds that signature smoky-sweet flavor to your chicken. I use my homemade recipe, but you can also get bbq seasoning from the grocery store. Just be sue to use their tips for the amount to use per pound of meat.
- BBQ sauce: I recommend hickory or Kansas City-style for a rich, well-balanced sauce that’s not too sweet or thin.
- Chicken broth or Zevia Cola: helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks and adds a subtle depth of flavor. I use Zevia cola because it gives the meat cola flavor without using regular soda.
- Avocado oil: keeps the chicken breasts juicy while cooking; not necessary for other cuts like thighs or wings, which aren’t as lean so they stay tender.
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Making crockpot barbecue chicken breast is easy. Use these step-by-step photos as a guide to learn how to make it in a few key steps:
Prep and Cook
Pat the chicken dry, then place it in the crockpot. Add the spices, BBQ sauce, broth, and avocado oil, and mix well so the chicken is fully coated. Cover and slow cook on low for 3 hours.
Shred and Serve
Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the sauce. Once the chicken is cooked through, you can turn off the slow cooker and serve.
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Pro Tips That Save Time & Add Flavor
Making this recipe effortless doesn’t mean skimping on flavor. A few simple techniques go a long way:
- Keep chicken juicy: If you’re using chicken breasts, a little avocado oil helps prevent them from drying out.
- Liquid options: I like using Zevia Cola because it tastes just like regular cola but isn’t, so it adds sweetness without extra sugar. Regular cola or chicken broth work well too.
- Seasoning made simple: Homemade BBQ dry rub gives the best flavor, but store-bought mixes work as well. Start with about 1 tbsp per pound and adjust after cooking if needed.
- Check for tenderness: The chicken is perfectly cooked when it shreds easily with a fork
Swaps & Variations
All of my recipes are kitchen-tested and designed to adapt to real life. Here are some easy ways to tweak this one to fit your tastes and lifestyle:
- Protein swaps: While chicken breasts are perfect for shredding, you can also make other cuts of bbq chicken in the crockpot too. Try my Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings, Crockpot BBQ Chicken Legs, BBQ Chicken Quarters, and Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Veggie options: Toss in sliced bell peppers, onions, or even mushrooms toward the end of cooking for a one-pot meal that’s colorful and hearty.
- Budget-friendly tip: Bone-in chicken pieces are usually less expensive than boneless, and they still cook wonderfully in the crockpot.
- Low-carb option: Serve over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, a simple green salad or any of these keto bbq side dishes instead of traditional sides.
- More flavor: Mix in a splash of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of smoked paprika, or even a few dashes of hot sauce to give the sauce a little extra punch.
More Crockpot BBQ Chicken Recipes
If you love this recipe, you will also enjoy the other Crock Pot BBQ Chicken recipes on my site:
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Legs
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Quarters
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
FAQs
Just add your chicken to the crock pot, season lightly, and pour your favorite BBQ sauce over it. Cover and let it cook until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
Yes! Raw chicken goes straight into the crock pot in this recipe. It cooks safely as long as you allow enough time and keep the lid on while it’s cooking.
In this recipe, I add the sauce right at the start so the chicken stays moist and picks up all of the flavor. If you like extra saucy BBQ, brush on a little more right before serving.
Low is my go-to because it gently cooks the chicken and keeps it juicy and tender. High works in a pinch, but for the best melt-in-your-mouth results, slow and steady wins every time.
Storage & Reheating
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze: This recipe freezes well. Portion the shredded chicken and sauce into freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Reheating slowly helps the chicken stay tender and keeps the sauce rich and flavorful. Avoid reheating at very high heat, which can dry the chicken out.
Printable Recipe Card
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Breasts, raw, boneless and skinless
- 3 tbsp BBQ Seasoning, click for my homemade recipe
- ⅔ cup BBQ Sauce, hickory or Kansas-city style work best
- ⅓ cup Chicken Broth, or Zevia Cola
- 1 tbsp Avocado oil
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel.
- Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot.
- Add the spices, BBQ sauce, broth, and avocado oil to the chicken breasts.
- Use tongs to mix to coat.
- Cover and slow cook on low for 3 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred the meat.
- Return the chicken to the sauce. Turn off your slow cooker since the meat is cooked through.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
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Recipe Notes
- Keep the chicken juicy: a little avocado oil helps prevent the chicken breasts from drying out. You don’t need it when making crockpot bbq chicken with other cuts.
- Liquid options: I like using Zevia Cola because it tastes just like regular cola but isn’t, so it adds sweetness without extra sugar. Regular cola or chicken broth work well too.
- Seasoning made simple: Homemade BBQ dry rub gives the best flavor, but store-bought mixes work as well. Start with about 1 tbsp per pound and adjust after cooking if needed.
- Check for tenderness: The chicken is perfectly cooked when it shreds easily with a fork
- Protein swaps: While chicken breasts are perfect for shredding, you can also make other cuts of bbq chicken in the crockpot too. Try my Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings, Crockpot BBQ Chicken Legs, BBQ Chicken Quarters, and Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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