The Easiest Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

This easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken comes out so tender. It makes the most delicious sandwiches! It’s a great crockpot recipe for all year round!

It seems silly to write this up as a recipe, but it’s one that’s worth adding to your repertoire for the busy summer months and even the cooler winter months when you need a simple, straight forward recipe.

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This recipe for slow cooker bbq chicken is great for potlucks, parties, anytime you’re hosting a crowd too!

It’s easy enough to double or triple, so you can make enough for your family and bring a meal to a friend in need. It can be made a little healthier, a little less expensive, or gluten-free, depending on your needs too!

You can use this same recipe for pork or beef instead of chicken, whatever you have on hand, and it’s super-quick. One of the best things about this recipe is how simple it is! I love it!

This is a version of “lazy chicken,” the easiest bbq chicken that everyone will devour.

How to serve BBQ chicken?

My kids like to keep it simple, so I just use hamburger buns. This dinner is easy whether you’re using gluten-free buns, whole wheat buns, or even a tortilla for a wrap sandwich.

You can also dress it up like this pulled pork sandwich, with cole slaw and homemade BBQ sauce.

What do I need to make slow cooker BBQ chicken?

This recipe is stupid easy. I’m not kidding. This recipe uses just three ingreidents. You will need boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, bottled BBQ sauce, and buns or wraps!

The buns and wraps are just for serving and you can use whatever kind of chicken you have on hand.

How to make BBQ chicken in the Crockpot:

Place chicken and BBQ sauce in a crockpot and turn to coat.

Cook on Low for 4-6 hours for thawed chicken, 8-10 hours if frozen.

Chicken is done when cooked through and easy to shred. Remove to a cutting board and shred, then add back to the crock to stir and fully coat with sauce.

If you want to make it really easy just throw it all back into the empty crockpot and use a hand mixer to shred up the chicken breasts! Trust me, the mixer makes quick work of perfectly shredding the chicken!

Can I make this recipe with frozen chicken?

You can definitely make this bbq shredded chicken with frozen chicken. Just increase the cook time to 8-10 hours depending on how much chicken you are using and if it’s breasts or thighs.

What’s the different between bbq chicken thighs and bbq chicken breasts?

Thighs are more juicy and flavorful but chicken breasts are easier for shredding and are leaner!

Sometimes I like to make bbq shredded chicken sandwiches that are healthier and then I’ll use breasts (they’re great for Weight Watchers) but if I have thighs on hand I’ll use them for this bbq shredded chicken recipe.

Thighs are sometimes cheaper too so if I’m really watching our grocery budget I’ll just swap those in if they’re on a good sale!

Both types have their benefits but each will yield a delicious final result.

What to serve with BBQ chicken made in the Crockpot:

I usually serve BBQ chicken with broccoli slaw because I like the crunch and tang along with the sweet, savory chicken.

For an easy broccoli slaw, just toss a bag of broccoli slaw (found in the produce section) with 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup canola oil, and 1/3 cup sugar!

Looking for a way to serve this chicken that is lighter and healthier? Use a sugar free bbq sauce when you make the recipe and then serve it over salads! It’s perfect as a healthy meal prep!

If you like to meal prep but don’t want to deal with complicated recipes you need to try this chicken. It’s simple, straightforward, and uses just three easy ingredients. They can all be kept on hand too, the chicken in the freezer, bbq sauce in the pantry, it’s a win win!

Looking for more delicious slow cooker recipes?

If you like using the slow cooker to make easy meals for the whole family you’ll love some of these other delicious Crockpot meals. Try out some of our favorites today and see which ones your family enjoys most!

The great thing about using the Crockpot is that you don’t have to worry about hovering over things in the kitchen. The slow cooker does all the hard work and you can do other things. That’s just one of the many reasons why these recipes will be an excellent addition to your meal plans.

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