Just 2 ingredients go into making this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken. It is simply made from chicken breasts and an easy homemade BBQ sauce and then slow cooked until the chicken falls apart. Pulled BBQ Chicken is so simple to make and well worth the wait for the slow cooker. Serve in tacos, in a bun with slaw or on rice.
There is no prep involved with this BBQ Chicken in the slow cooker – everything just goes into the slow cooker, is stirred and then you just have to patiently wait until it is ready. That’s the hard part.
You could make this even easier and make it with store bought BBQ sauce, but the homemade sauce is really worth the effort and gives this slow cooker shredded chicken extra flavour. It's also a healthier barbecue sauce too!
It’s a little bit sweet, but super juicy and tender. This BBQ pulled chicken practically melts in your mouth. It might just be the easiest slow cooker chicken you will ever make and perfect all year round. This is a real family favourite and it freezes well too, making slow cooker bbq pulled chicken perfect for batch cooking.
If you're looking for more easy slow cooker recipes, why not try our delicious Slow Cooker Beef Brisket, versatile Slow Cooker Pulled Beef or our comforting Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken breasts - We used boneless skinless chicken breasts to make slow cooker BBQ chicken. You could use boneless and skinless chicken thighs, as they are juicer and give more flavour, but they aren't as lean.
- Homemade BBQ Sauce - Or your favourite store bought one for convenience.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Breasts - Step by Step
- Step 1: Put the chicken breasts in the slow cooker dish.
- Step 2: Pour the BBQ sauce on top of the chicken breasts and mix. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Step 3: Using two forks, shred the chicken and stir it all together.
What makes this recipe so special is the homemade BBQ sauce, which is a little bit healthy than the kind you can buy. If you want to make this a really easy meal, then feel free to use store bought BBQ sauce, but you can really taste the difference in a homemade batch.
It’s actually far easier than you probably think to make your own BBQ sauce. You just mix together passata, paprika, garlic, maple syrup and vinegar and season and then let it bubble away in the slow cooker.
You can change it up by adding some brown sugar or pineapple juice to make this slow cooked BBQ chicken extra sweet, or adding some hot sauce for a kick of heat.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
This is perfect served in tacos with all the usual fixings. Some crispy shredded lettuce and cheese is a must and then we like to add some Guacamole and Mexican Coleslaw on the side too. What some homemade salsa and tortilla chips on the side? Why not try our Restaurant Style Salsa.
You can also serve it on rice or a baked potato, or in a bun with slaw for a BBQ chicken sandwich.
Extra Tips
- Add some extra flavour and texture to the slow cooker pulled chicken by putting some diced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker before you put the chicken breasts in.
- We have shredded the chicken, but you could always take the chicken breasts out and chop them and then add them back into the bowl with the BBQ sauce.
- Serve the shredded chicken on rice, or use it as the filling for burritos and tacos. You could even put it on a pizza or salad.
- This BBQ chicken freezes well if you have some leftovers. Just pop it in a container and it will keep in the freezer for up to a month.
- You can save yourself time by using store bought BBQ sauce. If you use ready made sauce a little paprika, garlic and onion powder to it to jazz it up a little.
- You don’t have to shred the chicken, you could chop it into chunks or serve the breasts whole if not using in tacos. But being cooked on high for 4 hours will mean that the chicken starts to fall apart.
- We like to make this a little bit spicy and add some chipotle paste to the BBQ sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes four portions - which is about 150-200g (5-7oz) per person.
This is a great batch cook meal and it freezes really well too. It will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days and then you can add it to salads and wraps throughout the week, or you can portion it out and freeze leftovers and they will keep for up to 2 months. Make sure it is thoroughly defrosted and then heat in a pan with a little oil or in the microwave until hot.
There are lots of leftovers when we make this slow cooker pulled chicken, as there are so many ways to use it. We like to put some in a big soft roll with some coleslaw, put it on a salad, use it as a nacho topping, put it on a pizza or baked potato or turn it into quesadillas. We also like it cold with a potato salad for an easy lunch. Leftovers go well on a BBQ Chicken Pizza or BBQ Chicken Salad too.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.33 lb) Chicken breast
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) Homemade BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Put the chicken breasts in the slow cooker dish.
- Pour the BBQ sauce on top of the chicken breasts and mix.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken and mix it all together.
Recipe Tips
- Add some extra flavour and texture to the slow cooker pulled chicken by putting some diced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker before you put the chicken breasts in.
- We have shredded the chicken, but you could always take the chicken breasts out and chop them and then add them back in to the bowl with the BBQ sauce.
- Serve the shredded chicken on rice, or use it as the filling for burritos and tacos. You could even put it on a pizza or salad.
- This BBQ chicken freezes well if you have some leftovers. Just pop it in a container and it will keep in the freezer for up to a month.
- You can save yourself time by using store bought BBQ sauce. If you use ready made sauce a little paprika, garlic and onion powder to it to jazz it up a little.
- You don’t have to shred the chicken, you could chop it in to chunks or serve the breasts whole if not using in tacos. But being cooked on high for 4 hours will mean that the chicken starts to fall apart.
- We like to make this a little bit spicy and add some chipotle paste to the BBQ sauce.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Jade says
This looks so yummy! I love slow cooked bbq pork so i'm sure to love this too!
Jade x
Lucy says
Homemade bbq sauce that isn't full of salt and sugar? Yes please! I bet this would be good on bbq chicken too.
Cailee says
YUM! This looks amazing! My mum makes slow cooker BBQ chicken...and it's like one of my fave things!! SO yummy! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing! :)
Camilla @FabFood4All says
Love a simple dish so this certainly fits the bill Danni:-)
Kim Yenn says
We love your bbq sauce in our house. We actually had it on burgers at the weekend. I have put it in an old bbq sauce bottle and my kids don't know the difference.
Jennie says
I am really happy that you are going to be posting more quick recipes. I have a newborn and a 3 year old, so cooking is a bit difficult. But I want to make sure my family has a healthy dinner each night.
Lily Lau says
Oh Dannii, you nailed everything on this post! Slow food, RICE and bbq chicken! Oh my oh my, will try this for dinner!
David @ Spiced says
Haha! We've totally done the BBQ sauce on tacos thing. We often have all sorts of odd leftovers around here, and we quickly learned that everything tastes better when it's in a taco! I'm going to have to check out this BBQ chicken, though...it sounds delicious!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love my slow cooker, too! It's like my miracle appliance. This bbq chicken looks amazing, Danni! I can almost smell it from here. Yum!
Jude says
I'm going to be really expermental and cook this in my pressure cooker...the result should be similar...
Teresa says
Danii-
Are you using boneless, skinless ck breast? Have a great day.
Kelly says
I am going to have this with cauliflower "rice" tomorrow night for dinner. Thanks for the recipe.
Denise says
A bit of avocado on top of this and it would be perfect!
Hanna says
BBQ chicken tacos for dinner it is this weekend.
Rebecca says
Thanks for the recipe. I am never sure if I need to cook the chicken in a pan before it goes in the slow cooker. I am glad to see that this doesn't need pre-cooking.