Description
Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken – Tender chicken cooked low and slow in a smoky barbecue sauce, perfect for a comforting and easy crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup (240ml) BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients Begin by gathering all ingredients to streamline the cooking process. Trim any excess fat from your chicken breasts or thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. This ensures better flavor absorption and prevents excess liquid in your crockpot.
- Step 2: Create Your Sauce Base In your slow cooker, combine 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce (reserving the other half for later), chicken broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined to create a smooth, flavorful cooking liquid that will infuse your chicken.
- Step 3: Add Chicken and Cook Place the chicken pieces into the sauce mixture, turning to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover the slow cooker and set to low heat for 6-7 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. The chicken is ready when it easily shreds with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Step 4: Shred and Sauce Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the cooking liquid in the crockpot. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces – it should pull apart effortlessly. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Stir well to combine, ensuring every piece of chicken is coated in the rich sauce.
- Step 5: Final Simmer and Serve Cover and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes on low to allow the chicken to absorb the fresh BBQ sauce. This brief final cooking step makes all the difference in developing that perfect sticky-sweet glaze on your Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken. Give it one last stir before serving on buns, over rice, or however you prefer!
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300 calories per serving
- Sugar: 15 grams
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 8 grams
- Saturated Fat: 2 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 20 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 30 grams
- Cholesterol: 100 mg