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The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Slow cooker chicken gets tender and easy to shred in this crockpot BBQ chicken recipe. Cook chicken in a sweet-savory BBQ sauce until it falls apart, then mix and serve on hamburger buns.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crockpot BBQ chicken base
  • 3 lb chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 cup BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 salt and pepper Use to taste; season the chicken.
  • 8 hamburger buns for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season and sauce
  1. Place chicken into the slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Mix BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the chicken so it’s evenly coated.
Slow cook and shred
  1. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily (start checking at the earliest time).
  2. Shred the chicken with two forks and mix it into the sauce until glossy and evenly coated.
Serve
  1. Serve pulled BBQ chicken on hamburger buns while hot.

Notes

For the best shredding, avoid stirring for the first hour so the chicken stays intact while it heats through, then shred and mix only after cooking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of sauce. Freezing is yes—freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat until steaming. For a lower-sugar option, choose a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and keep the brown sugar the same or reduce to 1 tbsp.