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Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Crockpot BBQ chicken with tender, pull-apart chicken thighs cooked low and slow in a smoky-sweet sauce. The sauce thickens as it simmers in the slow cooker, making it perfect for sticky sandwiches 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and BBQ sauce
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
Serving
  • toasted brioche buns
  • pickles
  • coleslaw
  • extra BBQ sauce

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer.
  2. Mix the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken so the thighs are well coated.
  4. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily, or cook on high for 3–4 hours if you’re short on time.
Shred and thicken
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the sauce until evenly coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the BBQ chicken on toasted brioche buns with pickles, coleslaw, and extra BBQ sauce.

Notes

For extra sticky texture, stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and let it sit on warm for 10–15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and keep the seasonings the same.