Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Recipe

close up shot of pulled bbq chicken in a slow cooker with a piece picked up with tongs

5 from 11 votes

A simple recipe, this slow cooker pulled BBQ chicken is a family favorite for summer dinners on the deck or melt in your mouth pulled chicken sandwiches any time of year!

Prep Time10

Cook Time7

Total Time7 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 186kcal

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
18 ounces Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar Barbeque Sauce
⅓ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

Instructions

Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Turn the heat to low.
In a separate bowl, combine Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, and ground white pepper. Use a whisk to stir and combine.
Pour the barbecue sauce mixture into the slow cooker with the chicken breasts. Use a spoon to stir and coat all the chicken with the barbecue sauce mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours.
When the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork, it is ready to be shredded.
Using two forks, shred chicken while still in the slow cooker. Mix the chicken and barbecue sauce together until well coated.
Serve on buttered and toasted hamburger buns.

Video

Notes

If your chicken breasts are on the smaller side, use four instead of three for this recipe.
Do not cook chicken from frozen. Make sure the chicken is fully thawed before adding it to the crockpot.
Make sure your chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Don’t overcook the chicken. If your slow cooker has a ‘warm’ setting, switch to this once it’s done to prevent it from continuing to cook in the sauce.

Nutrition