If you are getting sick of barbecuing in the rain, you will love this Slow Cooker BBQ chicken recipe.
It’s easy to make and you can leave it in the slow cooker and get on with your day. You can easily scale it up if you have guests or just keep it as is for 2-4 servings.
Serve it with in buns with fries, mashed potatoes or other delicious sides for BBQ chicken.
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe
- Is it OK to put Raw Chicken in Slow Cooker?
- Should Chicken be Covered in Slow Cooker?
- Is it Better to Cook Chicken Breasts on Low or High in Slow Cooker?
- Is 4 hours Long Enough to Slow Cook Chicken?
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Southern Pulled Chicken Slow Cooker
- Pulled Chicken Slow Cooker Mexican
- Healthy Pulled Chicken Recipe Slow Cooker
- How to Make Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe
Is it OK to put Raw Chicken in Slow Cooker?
Yes it is OK because the chicken is going to be in there for a long time cooking. Some people like to brown the meat first for extra flavour but this isn’t strictly necessary. Most slow cooker recipes aim to slowly break down the protein so you don’t normally need to brown it first.
Should Chicken be Covered in Slow Cooker?
Yes, covering chicken in a slow cooker is highly recommended for best results. When using a slow cooker, keeping the chicken covered helps retain moisture and tenderness in the meat.
By trapping the steam and juices within the pot, the chicken cooks evenly and becomes more flavourful, ensuring it doesn’t dry out. Just make sure you don’t add too much liquid as chicken in particular can become mushy – bringing the liquid content up to around 1/2 is usually optimum.
Is it Better to Cook Chicken Breasts on Low or High in Slow Cooker?
Whether you cook chicken breasts on low or high in the slow cooker depends on the dish you are making and when you want to serve it.
If you are aiming to leave it for 6 or so hours while you go to work or go about your day then low is best. A curry or stew would benefit from leaving chicken breasts in for longer to infuse flavour on a low setting. If you want to serve the chicken within 3-4 hours then cook them on high. The longer the chicken is cooked the more it will break down and take on flavour.
Is 4 hours Long Enough to Slow Cook Chicken?
Four hours is generally long enough to slow cook chicken, but it depends on the specific cooking method and temperature you’re using.
When using a slow cooker (crockpot), chicken can be cooked for 4 to 6 hours on the low setting or 2 to 3 hours on the high setting, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces. You can make sure the chicken is cooked by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – it should read 165F or 74C to be safe to eat.
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
You can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you like for similar results. Chicken thighs are cheaper cuts of meat than breasts, but it’s worth considering that thighs are a darker, more moist cut of chicken and they don’t appeal to everyone.
Southern Pulled Chicken Slow Cooker
If you would like your pulled chicken to be more Southern style, consider using a BBQ sauce such as a Kansas City style sauce which is a thick sweet tomato-based BBQ sauce. You could also try a Carolina BBQ sauce which is more vinegary and tangy, depending on your tastes.
If you would like a thorough and informative article on Southern style pulled chicken try below
https://thesoulfoodpot.com/southern-pulled-bbq-chicken/
Pulled Chicken Slow Cooker Mexican
If you want to make Mexican style pulled chicken in your slow cooker, you could consider adding classic Mexican flavours such as lime, chilli peppers, cumin, fresh cilantro (coriander) and smoked paprika. You could also add a salsa and serve it in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas or quesadillas.
Try this great Mexican pulled chicken recipe below.
Healthy Pulled Chicken Recipe Slow Cooker
If you are trying to lose weight or generally be healthier try a low calorie sugar free BBQ sauce for your pulled chicken. You could also serve your pulled chicken in Keto buns which are low carb and made with almound flour.
An example of sugar free BBQ sauce would be Skinny Co Sugar Free BBQ Sauce. This Low Carb Keto Bun Mix is worth a look too.
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sliders Recipe
Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken (Pulled Chicken) in Buns With Coleslaw
- Slow Cooker
- 1/2 white onion grated
- 3-4 cloves of garlic grated (or minced)
- Handful fresh thyme
- 150 ml chicken broth (stock)
- Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
- Splash of Worcestershire Sauce (e.g. Lea & Perrins)
- Your Fave BBQ Rub – We like Meat Church All Purpose Gospel Rub
- 1 Cup of Your Fave BBQ Sauce
- 1 large chicken breast
- 4 Brioche Buns
- Coleslaw to serve
- Arugula (Rocket) (or green salad of choice to serve)
- Grate the onion and garlic straight into the slow cooker (alternatively finely chop)
- Add 1 cup BBQ sauce, chicken broth (stock), vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme
- Place your whole chicken breast into the slow cooker
- Dust chicken liberally with BBQ rub on both sides
- Close the lid and cook on Low setting for 4-6 hours or High for 3-4 hours
- Remove chicken breast from the slow cooker and shred with a fork
- Place the shredded chicken back into the Crockpot and coat with the sauce – let it cook for a few minutes while you toast the buns
- Toast the brioche buns at a low heat in your toaster
- Build your Slow Cooker BBQ chicken slider – place the rocket on the bottom of toasted brioche bun, add some shredded BBQ chicken with a little of the sauce, place some coleslaw on the top and then put the other half of the toasted bun on top
- Enjoy but expect messiness!
Recommendations for BBQ Sauce & Rub – Heinz Kansas City Sauce and Meat Church Gospel All Purpose Rub.
Watch the whole process on our Instagram video below.
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