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The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Slow cooker chicken made for pulled BBQ chicken: tender, shred-easy chicken simmered in BBQ sauce with brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire. This crockpot meal turns into effortless shredded chicken for sandwiches 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: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crockpot BBQ chicken
  • 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
  • 1 Salt and pepper
  • 1 Hamburger buns

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add chicken and season
  1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Spread the seasoning so it coats the chicken surfaces evenly.
  2. Mix BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl until the brown sugar dissolves. The sauce should look glossy and evenly colored.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Make sure most of the chicken is covered so it steams and tenderizes as it cooks.
Slow-cook until shreddable
  1. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. Look for a very tender texture and juices bubbling lightly around the edges.
  2. Alternatively, cook on high for 3-4 hours until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. You should see the chicken break apart with gentle pressure.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the chicken with two forks and mix it into the sauce until evenly coated. The mixture should look saucy and cohesive, not dry.
  2. Serve the pulled BBQ chicken on hamburger buns. Pile the chicken generously so the buns catch some sauce.

Notes

For best shredability, avoid opening the slow cooker during the last hour so the heat stays consistent. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. To make it lighter, use a lower-sugar BBQ sauce without changing the cooking method.