BBQ Pulled Chicken
Tender BBQ Pulled Chicken delivers big, bold, smoky flavors without taking up space on the grill or heating up the oven. It’s fantastic for meal prep and gatherings.
The Easiest, Most Tender BBQ Pulled Chicken
In these midwestern parts, the season has finagled its way from winter to suddenly summer. Each year, without fail, everyone is beyond ecstatic for warm, sunny days and campfire nights.
Like countless others, we’ll be firing up the grill for boldly flavorful burgers and everything else that comes with an outdoor barbecue splurge. Without missing a beat, this BBQ Pulled Chicken delivers all the flavor, with no need for grill space nor oven heat. You’ll find it refreshingly convenient that this barbecue pulled chicken only asks for a few hands-off hours in your slow cooker.
Round out your picnic, cookout, or family meal by serving up these super easy Brown Sugar Baked Beans and this fan-favorite Red Potato Salad Ranch Salad.
Make it in advance for meal prep
This Smoky BBQ Pulled Chicken is one of my favorite ways to add to any casual party, as well as weekly meal prep for the family. No oven and no competing for grill space. This pulled chicken, like our no-fail Perfect Pulled Pork, is fully done up in the slow cooker. It could not be easier.
Gather your ingredients. Toss it all in your slow cooke. Let it go…hands-free, carefree, and you’re set You’ll be rewarded with the most flavorful, tender, and juicy pulled chicken. All the Serve it in the bun, in a salad, or in a wrap.
For meal prep, make a big batch and separate into containers for the week. I often prep mine the night before, and just turn the slow cooker on the next morning.Then mix up your presentation each meal by serving it in buns, in a barbecue style salad, in a wrap, or even a bowl. It’s a winner no matter how you serve it up.
More to Cook and Eat:
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (L&L BBQ Copycat)
- Peach BBQ Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- General Tso’s BBQ Grilled Chicken
- BBQ Ribs (Oven Baked, Extra Tender)
- Sweet Korean BBQ Beef (Slow Cooker)
Try this Slow Cooker Pork Loin, Too:
Smoky BBQ Pulled Chicken
This slow cooker recipe results in superbly tender, juicy, and succulent pulled chicken with just the right amount of smoky flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 10 1x
Ingredients
- 4 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs (breasts can be mixed with thighs, but thighs turn out more tender)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp table salt (fine)
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 TB packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 TB worcestershire sauce
- 2+ cups Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ Sauce (my favorite choice; brand of sauce matters!)
- 1 – 1.5 TB liquid smoke
- Buns or sandwich rolls to serve
- Pickles to serve
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except chicken in a bowl. Mix sauce ingredients well. Sauce can be made well ahead of time and kept in fridge. Thoroughly dry chicken pieces with paper towels. Combine chicken with sauce and place in slow cooker.
- Cook on high about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Carefully remove chicken from slow cooker with tongs. Keep slow cooker lid on and keep sauce warm. Pull chicken apart/shred with forks. Return shredded chicken into slow cooker. Toss well to make sure chicken is fully coated in sauce. At this point, add bit more BBQ sauce if needed. Cook on high another 30-45 minutes. Turn down to warm setting, and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Toast buns or sandwich rolls and serve with pickles, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 24.3 g
- Sodium: 880.9 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12.5 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
- Category: Main Dish, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: slow cooker bbq pulled chicken
