The Best Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Easy Pulled Chicken) Recipe
This easy Crockpot BBQ Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful pulled chicken with minimal effort, perfect for sandwiches, salads, tacos, and more. Made with simple pantry ingredients and cooked slowly to perfection, it’s a versatile and family-friendly meal solution.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (high) / 6 hours 10 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed off
BBQ Sauce Mixture
- 1 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ)
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (fat-free recommended)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (reduce to 1/8 cup or omit for less sweetness)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the crockpot: Liberally spray the inside of a large crockpot or slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray, or use a disposable liner to reduce cleanup.
- Season the chicken: Trim the fat off the chicken breasts, then season them generously with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place the seasoned chicken in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Mix the BBQ sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, light brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until fully combined.
- Cook the chicken: Pour the BBQ sauce mixture evenly over the chicken breasts. Cover with the crockpot lid and cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hours, or on low for 5 to 6 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Check for doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Shred the chicken: Once cooked, you can serve the chicken breasts whole or shred them directly in the crockpot using two forks to soak up the sauce.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve the pulled BBQ chicken on sandwich buns or use it as a topping for pizza, salads, tacos, nachos, over rice, or simply enjoy it on its own.
Notes
- For a less sweet dish, reduce brown sugar to 1/8 cup or omit entirely.
- Use fat-free Italian dressing to reduce calories and fat content.
- Disposable crockpot liners make cleanup faster and easier.
- Ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (~4 ounces)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Crockpot BBQ chicken, slow cooker pulled chicken, easy BBQ chicken recipe, shredded BBQ chicken, pulled chicken sandwiches
