A simple recipe for how to make BBQ pulled chicken in your slow cooker using your favorite bottled BBQ sauce. Just toss everything in the Crock Pot and let it cook until the chicken is fall-apart tender. It’s a quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for sandwiches, rice bowls, or noodles—and great for parties, potlucks, or busy weeknights!
So Simple Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
If you’re looking for an easy and flavorful dinner, this Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken is a family favorite we make on repeat. Made with boneless chicken breasts and your favorite BBQ sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s), it’s a low-effort, high-reward slow cooker meal that’s perfect for summer or anytime you’re craving something cozy and satisfying. We love piling it onto sandwich rolls with half sour pickles for pulled chicken sandwiches that taste like a backyard BBQ—especially when served with crispy roasted Parmesan potatoes on the side.
Lately, we’ve also been serving this BBQ pulled chicken over rice bowls loaded with all our favorite toppings—black beans, fresh corn off the cob, arugula, chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, and a little shredded cheese. It’s become a go-to meal because everyone can customize their own bowl just how they like it (and yes, the kids have a blast with this part). Whether you serve it on a sandwich or in a bowl, this slow cooker BBQ chicken is always a hit!
Tips to BBQ Chicken in Slow Cooker
- Use a thick BBQ sauce. Thicker sauces (like Sweet Baby Ray’s) work best in the slow cooker—they cling to the chicken and create that rich, sticky coating.
- Shred before it’s done. Shred the chicken with about 1 hour of cook time left and let it simmer in the sauce. This helps it soak up all the flavor.
- Low vs. High setting. Use LOW for juicier chicken if you have the time (7 hours), or HIGH for a quicker cook (4 hours)—both work great.
- Double the batch. This recipe doubles easily and freezes well. Store extras in freezer bags for quick future meals.
How to Make BBQ in the Slow Cooker
Place chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Make sure they are not frozen.
In a small bowl mix up the bbq sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika together. Choose a BBQ sauce that you know tastes good and is a favorite, for us it’s either homemade BBQ sauce or Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Place sauce mixture on top of chicken in slow cooker.
Cook until chicken is fully cooked, either HIGH for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
My tip is whatever you choose, shred the chicken up with 1 hour left – this allows it to soak up all the bbq flavor.
Serve and enjoy this delicoius bbq chicken!
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Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
PrintIngredients
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups bbq sauce (pick your fav, I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Place chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl mix bbq sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika together. Pour this mixture on top of the chicken breasts slow cooker, making sure to cover them.
- Close the lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7 hours. About an hour before it's done, shred the chicken and let it finish cooking in the sauce so it can soak up all that BBQ flavor. Serve this BBQ chicken a few different ways: add it to sandwich rolls for pulled chicken sandwiches, spoon it over rice for easy BBQ chicken bowls, or serve on top of egg noodles for a quick dinner.
Kym says
When it’s even too hot to stand over a grill, this is my go-to recipe and the fam absolutely loves it! The leftovers? Even better!
Pamela Reed says
Totally agree! I made some leftovers for my husband on a tortilla with a little shredded cabbage and cheese — chef’s kiss!
Andrea says
This recipe was SO EASY to make, especially for a crowd! I love how versatile it is that I can use leftovers for different recipes! Even the kids were asking when I’d make it again!