Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

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Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

This Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken is an easy, flavorful meal, perfect for gatherings or casual dinners. The chicken becomes fall-apart tender, absorbing sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Enjoy it in sandwiches, tacos, salads, or on baked potatoes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Resting10

Total Time4 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 306kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

1.5 pounds chicken thighs
1.5 pounds chicken breast
salt & pepper to taste
1.5 cups BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons onion powder

Instructions

Prep:
This recipe works best in a 4-5 quart slow cooker.
Get your ingredients ready.
Season chicken:
Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
1.5 pounds chicken thighs, 1.5 pounds chicken breast, salt & pepper
Make sauce:
In the crock of a 4-5 quart slow cooker, combine the remaining ingredients to make the sauce.
1.5 cups BBQ sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
Add chicken:
Add the seasoned chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
Cook:
Slow cook on low for 5-8 hours (or on high for 2.5-4 hours) until the chicken is tender. The exact time required will depend on the size of your chicken pieces and how hot your slow cooker runs.
Shred the chicken using two forks right in the sauce.
Rest and serve:
Let it rest for 10-15 minutes to absorb more flavor and to soak up the sauce. Serve on buns, in tacos, or over rice!

Notes

Mix your meats for moisture: Avoid using 100% chicken breast if you can help it. Mixing in an equal amount of chicken thighs introduces enough natural fat to prevent the lean breast meat from drying out during the long simmer.
Whisk the sauce directly in the pot: Do not dirty an extra bowl to mix the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, and Worcestershire. Whisk them right in the bottom of the slow cooker insert before dropping the raw chicken in to save yourself a dish to wash.
The "low and slow" rule: While the high setting works in a pinch for 2.5 to 4 hours, the low setting for 5 to 8 hours is what truly breaks down the chicken. It yields a much softer texture that shreds effortlessly without tearing.
The mandatory 15-minute rest: Do not serve the chicken immediately after shredding. Letting the pulled meat sit in the hot sauce inside the turned-off crockpot for 15 minutes allows the chicken pieces to act like a sponge and soak up the flavor.

Nutrition