The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
This juicy, fall-apart-tender pulled chicken is slow-cooked in a smoky, tangy BBQ sauce. It’s perfect for sandwiches, tacos, meal prep, or served over rice for an easy, hands-off weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 lbsboneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 ½ cupsbbq sauce (your favorite brand or homemade)
- ½ cupchicken broth
- 1 tablespoonbrown sugar (optional, for extra sweetness)
- 1 tablespoonapple cider vinegar (for tanginess)
- 1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
- 1 teaspoongarlic powder
- ½ teaspoononion powder
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ½ teaspoonsalt
- ¼ teaspooncayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Directions
- 1
Prepare the slow cooker Place the chicken breasts or thighs at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- 2
Make the sauce In a medium bowl, mix together the BBQ sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- 3
Cook the chicken Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are coated.
- 4
Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- 5
Shred the chicken Once cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks.
- 6
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix it into the sauce. Let it cook on low for another 15–20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- 7
Serve Serve the pulled chicken on burger buns, in tacos, over rice, or with a fresh coleslaw for a crunchy contrast.