Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Sharing a meal with a crowd shouldn’t leave you feeling stressed out from the challenge of cooking. While operating a grill can help you put out plenty of food over the course of an afternoon, it also leaves you tied to one place.

Crockpot BBQ chicken is a great way to cook up plenty of protein for everyone to enjoy while being free to mingle and entertain your guests. It’s also a fun way to bulk cook chicken for meal prepping. Get great results by choosing the right barbecue sauce and type of chicken to start with.

What Kind of Chicken to Use

Most people prefer the texture and flavor of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. If you want the extra flavor and juiciness offered by chicken thighs, they also work well with a little extra trimming to remove any solid fat along the edges.

Avoid bone-in cuts of chicken. While they’ll have a deeper flavor, they’re less likely to cook evenly and will require a lot more barbecue sauce to keep them covered.

What Kind of BBQ Sauce to Use

It’s a common mistake to simply add a bottle of barbecue sauce straight off the shelf to the crock pot along with the chicken. The results are better if you add a few more ingredients to make a simmering sauce with extra moisture in it. The sauce cooks down and thickens over time.

If you start with a bottled barbecue sauce that’s already quite thick, it can become too thick and cook the meat unevenly or even burn before the dish is done. If you prefer a homemade watery barbecue sauce that thickens during cooking anyway, you can use it without adjustments in this recipe.

Recipe Variations

Swap the barbecue sauce for a combination of soy sauce, honey, chicken broth, garlic, and apple cider vinegar for a tangy dish that tastes great over rice or in sandwiches. If you like creamy and cheesy dishes, cook the chicken in heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh basil for a perfect topping for pasta. Your crock pot can produce a wide range of shredded chicken dishes with only a few changes to the ingredients you use to make a sauce.

Tips and Tricks

• Use a slow cooker liner for easier clean up. The barbecue sauce often sticks to the sides and requires hard scrubbing.
• Shred the chicken in the crock pot about 30 minutes before the dish is done so the sauce has time to mix with all of the meat. You can also leave them whole if that’s preferred.
• If you’re using a no-sugar or low-sugar barbecue sauce, consider a different recipe. The long exposure to heat can make the artificial sweeteners in these products take on a bitter and unpleasant taste.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
• 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1/8th cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/8th cup of olive oil
• 1/4th cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the vinegar, oil, water, and spices with your barbecue sauce. Taste the mixture and adjust it as necessary. Omit the dark brown sugar if don’t want the extra sweetness in your finished BBQ chicken.

2. Coat the chicken breasts or thighs with a little salt and pepper. Leave them whole. Place a little sauce in the crock pot, then add the meat. Try to keep everything in one layer. Add the rest of the sauce to cover, including up to another 1/4th cup of water if necessary.

3. Cook for 3 to 4 hours on high. If preferred, shred the meat about 30 minutes before the cooking time is complete. Keep warm on low while serving.

Notes

• If you want to cook the dish a little slower, try 6 hours of medium and shred the meat halfway through the cooking time so it doesn’t toughen up.
• The olive oil can be swapped for canola or another other neutral flavored oil you prefer.

What to Serve With Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

Most people prefer to pile the shredded BBQ chicken on buns and enjoy them with classic picnic side dishes like coleslaw and potato salad. You can also mix up your Taco Tuesday routine by replacing your ground beef with this juicy shredded chicken. Don’t forget wraps made with tortillas or lettuce leaves.

Conclusion

Keep the ingredients on hand for this crockpot BBQ chicken recipe and you can whip up enough food for a whole crowd in just a few hours. It’s a great hands-off way to prepare for any kind of game day celebration or family gathering.