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Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Crockpot BBQ chicken made with a sweet-savory sauce that clings to tender, shred-able thighs. Cook low and slow until the chicken pulls apart, then stir it back into the sauce for a sticky finish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
bbq sauce
  • 1.5 cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
serving
  • 1 toasted brioche buns
  • 1 pickles
  • 1 coleslaw

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Mix together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker so the thighs are coated.
  4. Cook on low for 6–7 hours (or high for 3–4 hours) until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily, with visible bubbling and sauce thickening at the edges.
Shred and finish
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the sauce until evenly coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the shredded BBQ chicken on toasted brioche buns with pickles, coleslaw, and extra BBQ sauce for drizzling.

Notes

For best flavor, let the chicken sit in the hot slow cooker sauce 10 minutes after shredding so it absorbs the smoky-sweet glaze. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze in portions up to 3 months. To make it lighter, use reduced-sugar BBQ sauce or swap in a no-sugar-added version without changing the cooking method.