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Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is a hands-off main dish where chicken breasts simmer in a tangy, smoky BBQ sauce until very tender and shred easily. Serve it piled on toasted brioche buns with coleslaw and extra sauce for classic American sandwich flavor.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 cup BBQ sauce
BBQ sauce flavoring
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Serving
  • 1 brioche buns
  • 1 coleslaw

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and pepper until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken so the breasts are evenly coated.
  4. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
Shred and coat
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks until it breaks into strands.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss with the BBQ sauce until well coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the BBQ chicken on toasted brioche buns with coleslaw.

Notes

For the best shredding, cook until the chicken pulls apart easily with forks. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of sauce. Freezing works well for up to 3 months—thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm. To make it lower-sugar, use a no-sugar-added BBQ sauce and keep the brown sugar the same or reduce slightly to taste.