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Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Baby Ray's crockpot chicken turns boneless thighs into very tender, shred-ready meat coated in a sticky mahogany BBQ sauce. Slow-cooked low and shredded for easy sloppy-joes-style sandwiches, it’s perfect for serving on toasted brioche buns.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and BBQ sauce base
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Use thighs for the best shred and moisture.
  • 18 oz Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 toasted brioche buns For serving.
  • 1 pickles For serving.
  • 1 white rice Optional serving over rice.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken so the thighs are coated.
  4. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart.
Shred and coat in sauce
  1. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce until glossy and evenly coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the BBQ shredded chicken on toasted brioche buns with pickles, or over white rice.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sauce seems thin after shredding, keep it on the warm setting for 10–15 minutes to thicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat until steaming. Freezing is yes—freeze shredded chicken with sauce for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-sugar BBQ sauce and reduce the brown sugar to 2 tbsp to keep the flavor profile while cutting sweetness.