The Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken is your new weeknight hero, delivering tender, flavorful shredded chicken with minimal effort. This recipe is incredibly useful for busy families, busy professionals, or anyone who craves delicious, homemade BBQ flavor without the fuss.
Key Ingredients for Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped onion for added flavor
How to Make Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Get ready for an incredibly easy and satisfying meal! This Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken boasts tender, fall-apart chicken bathed in a rich, savory BBQ sauce. The preparation time is a mere 10 minutes, making it perfect for hectic evenings, with the slow cooker doing all the hard work for a deeply flavorful result.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker. If you’re using chopped onion, scatter it over the chicken.
- Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add Sauce to Crockpot: Pour the prepared BBQ sauce mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Ensure all the chicken is coated.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred easily with two forks. Cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker and the thickness of the chicken.
- Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine and Finalize: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with the remaining BBQ sauce. Stir to combine, ensuring all the chicken is coated in the sauce. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes on the warm setting (if available) or just let it meld together off the heat. This allows the flavors to fully integrate.
- Serve: Serve your Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken warm. It’s fantastic on buns for sandwiches, over rice, in wraps, or as a topping for salads.
Why You’ll Love This Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Prepare to be amazed by the sheer simplicity and incredible flavor of this Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken. The star attraction is the incredibly tender, fall-apart chicken, infused with that classic, comforting BBQ taste. It’s a phenomenal cost-saver compared to takeout BBQ, transforming budget-friendly chicken into a gourmet-tasting meal right in your own kitchen. The balance of sweet brown sugar, tangy vinegar, and smoky spices creates a sauce that’s utterly irresistible, making it a definite step up from basic baked chicken.
Unlike a complex, multi-step BBQ recipe that might require hours over a grill, this crockpot version delivers all the rich, smoky sweetness with virtually no hands-on effort. Imagine sinking your teeth into that juicy, saucy chicken after a long day – pure bliss! Ready to make your weeknights more delicious and a whole lot easier? Give this Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken a try; your taste buds (and your schedule) will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Proper storage will ensure your delicious Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken remains a treat for days to come.
- Refrigeration: Allow the cooked BBQ chicken to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, cool the shredded chicken and sauce, then place it in freezer-safe bags or containers. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the chicken in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until hot. If reheating from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight first, then reheat as directed. You may need to add a splash of water or extra BBQ sauce if the chicken seems a little dry after reheating.
Final Thoughts
The Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken is a testament to how effortless deliciousness can be. Give it a try for a stress-free meal that’s bursting with flavor. You’ll be reaching for this recipe again and again!
Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker. If you’re using chopped onion, scatter it over the chicken.2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, 1/4 cup chopped onion
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pour the prepared BBQ sauce mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Ensure all the chicken is coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred easily with two forks. Cooking time may vary depending on your slow cooker and the thickness of the chicken.
- Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with the remaining BBQ sauce. Stir to combine, ensuring all the chicken is coated in the sauce. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes on the warm setting (if available) or just let it meld together off the heat. This allows the flavors to fully integrate.
- Serve your Seriously Simple Crockpot BBQ Chicken warm. It’s fantastic on buns for sandwiches, over rice, in wraps, or as a topping for salads.