Description
Crockpot BBQ Chicken: Tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken cooked low and slow with tangy BBQ sauce. Perfect for a hassle-free meal!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups (480 ml) barbecue sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Sauce Mixture In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper until well combined. The sauce should be smooth with the brown sugar fully dissolved. This creates your flavor base that will transform throughout the cooking process.
- Step 2: Prepare the Chicken Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the sauce adhere better to the meat. If your chicken breasts are particularly large, consider cutting them in half to ensure even cooking. Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker, arranging them in a single layer if possible.
- Step 3: Combine and Set Pour about two-thirds of the sauce mixture over the chicken, reserving the remainder for later. Using tongs, flip the chicken pieces to ensure they’re completely coated in the sauce. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The low setting is preferred for the most tender results.
- Step 4: Shred the Chicken Once the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to pull apart easily with two forks, transfer it to a clean cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. The chicken should pull apart effortlessly—if it doesn’t, it needs more cooking time.
- Step 5: Final Flavor Boost Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add the reserved barbecue sauce mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly, ensuring all the shredded chicken is coated in the sauce. Cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 120mg