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Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Baby Ray's crockpot chicken is set-and-forget slow cooker BBQ chicken with pull-apart tender shredded chicken soaked in a thick, smoky sauce. The sauce simmers into a dark, sticky glaze so every shred glistens and clings.
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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
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
BBQ sauce mixture
  • 1 bottle (18 oz) Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 6 brioche buns
  • 1 coleslaw

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season and mix
  1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated, using the spices as the only seasoning layer.
  2. Mix Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
Slow cook
  1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the top so most of the chicken is submerged.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours) until the chicken is completely tender and releases easily when pressed.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks, then stir the shredded meat back into the sauce so it absorbs the dark glaze.
  2. Serve the shredded BBQ chicken on brioche buns topped with coleslaw and extra BBQ sauce, with the sauce visibly thick and glossy on the chicken.

Notes

For the best clingy glaze, avoid lifting the lid during cooking and stir only after shredding so the sauce can caramelize slightly in the slow cooker. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use chicken breast and reduce the brown sugar to 2 tbsp while keeping the vinegar and spices the same.