One of my favorite crock pot barbecue chicken recipes is this easy crock pot pulled chicken recipe. 5 simple ingredients is all you need to make a delicious pulled chicken sandwich or sliders.
Crock Pot Pulled Chicken is one very easy crock pot chicken recipe that is perfect during the hot summer months and is perfect for the 4th of July.
Pulled chicken is a great weekend recipe. Just toss the 5 ingredients in the crock pot and spend some time hanging out with the family.
As much as I love my Crock Pot Pulled Pork recipe I love this pulled chicken recipe also. It depends on what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes it will be pulled pork and sometimes it will be pulled chicken.
Ingredients to make the recipe
This easy pulled chicken recipe uses only 5 ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts.
- chicken: boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs
- sauce: bottled BBQ Sauce
- seasonings: mustard powder and garlic powder
- brown sugar
- rolls or buns
Step by step directions
Step 1: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in a large crock pot.
Step 2: Pour the bottle of BBQ sauce over the chicken in the crock pot.
Step 3: Add seasonings and brown sugar to the crock pot.
Step 4: Mix the ingredients to cover the chicken with the barbecue sauce ingredients.
Step 5: Cook on high for 3 hours or low for about 5 hours. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a thermometer.
Do not over cook the chicken or it will be dry.
Step 6: Use two forks to pull the chicken apart, shredding the chicken meat into bite size pieces.
Step 7: Dump the shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir the pulled chicken and bbq sauce together.
Step 8: Serve on hamburger buns or slider buns with a side of homemade coleslaw and a pasta salad or potato salad.
Recipe FAQS
It is easier to shred cooked chicken after the chicken is cooked and has rested for about 5 minutes. It is impossible to shred uncooked chicken meat.
Yes, you can over cook chicken when cooking it in a slow cooker. Chicken is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 165 F. degrees. Use an instant read thermometer to check the chicken after 2 or 3 hours of cooking.
Pulled chicken can be used to make bbq pulled chicken sandwiches, tacos, chicken sliders, and Quesadillas.
Recipe Expert Tips
- chicken: I used chicken breasts but you can also use chicken thighs.
- barbecue sauce: I like sweet baby rays barbecue sauce but you can use your favorite bbq sauce brand.
- mustard: I like to use ground mustard powder but in a pinch you can use a squirt of yellow mustard instead.
- garlic powder: I've used dried garlic powder but you could also use a tablespoon of finely minced garlic.
- brown sugar: dark brown sugar is made with more molasses than light brown sugar. The deep rich flavor of dark brown sugar gives pulled chicken a richer flavor.
- cook time: how long to cook the pulled chicken will depend on a few things. if using similar sized pieces of chicken as I have used it will take 3 hours to cook on high and about 5 hours to cook on low. smaller pieces of chicken will cook faster.
- when is the chicken done?: the barbecued chicken is done when the thickest piece has reach 165 F. degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- rolls or buns: you will need hamburger bun or slider rolls to make pulled chicken sandwiches.
What to make with pulled chicken?
You can use this pulled chicken recipe to make many different meals that are perfect for lunch or dinner.
- Pulled chicken sandwiches
- Pulled chicken sliders
- Pulled chicken tacos
- Pulled chicken quesadillas
- Pulled chicken nachos
Barbecue side dish recipes you'll love
Here are four perfect side dish recipes for your barbecued chicken meal.
Summer barbecue drinks you'll love
Sip on one of these perfect summer drinks at your next barbecue.
Print the Easy Crock Pot Pulled Chicken Recipe below
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Easy Crock Pot Pulled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 large boneless breasts)
- 16 oz. bottle sweet BBQ Sauce (or favorite bbq sauce)
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon ground garlic powder
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 8 medium Bolillo rolls or hamburger buns
Instructions
- Place the chicken into a large crock pot. Combine the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard and garlic powder in a crock pot.
- Add the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard and garlic powder.
- Mix to cover the chicken with the barbecue sauce, brown sugar and spices.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours or until the center of the thickest piece is 165 F. degrees.
- When the chicken is done cooking transfer the pieces to a bowl and let rest about 5 minutes. Leave the sauce in the crock pot.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken meat apart.
- Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot and toss to cover with BBQ sauce.
- Serve on buns with a your favorite bbq side dish.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- BBQ Side dishes: Serve with my homemade coleslaw, garlic potatoes, or potato salad.
- chicken: I used chicken breasts but you can also use chicken thighs.
- barbecue sauce: I like sweet baby rays barbecue sauce but you can use your favorite bbq sauce brand.
- mustard: I like to use ground mustard powder but in a pinch you can use a squirt of yellow mustard instead.
- garlic powder: I've used dried garlic powder but you could also use a tablespoon of finely minced garlic.
- brown sugar: dark brown sugar is made with more molasses than light brown sugar. The deep rich flavor of dark brown sugar gives pulled chicken a richer flavor.
- cook time: how long to cook the pulled chicken will depend on a few things. if using similar sized pieces of chicken as I have used it will take 3 hours to cook on high and about 5 hours to cook on low. smaller pieces of chicken will cook faster.
- when is the chicken done?: the barbecued chicken is done when the thickest piece has reach 165 F. degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- rolls or buns: you will need hamburger bun or slider rolls to make pulled chicken sandwiches.
Nutrition
Did you try my easy Crock Pot Pulled Chicken recipe? Need a few more crock pot recipes up your sleeve? Check out the Crock Pot recipes over on my crock pot recipe page.
Karly
Incredible dinner idea! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
Arlene Mobley
Thank you Karly!
Miz Helen
Your Crock Pot Pulled Chicken looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great week!
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Arlene Mobley
Miz Helen thank you!
Antionette Blake
We don't eat pork but I love my crock pot so I would use beef for this recipe. Thank you for coming over to share with us at the #WWDParty - Happy Mother's Day Weekend!
Joanne T Ferguson
G'day! So warm and welcoming!
Viewed as part of the Tasty Breads from The Hearth and Soul Hop
Cheers! Joanne
Lori Hart
This looks amazing!! We love pulled pork. Found your recipe at Flour Me With Love. I am one of the hostesses of Tasty Tuesdays and would love you to stop by and link up this recipe if you have not yet already. Here is the link https://bit.ly/1g5mVQa
Lori
Ashley @ LeavingTheRut.com
This looks SOOO easy, and delicious too!! I have been looking for a new chicken crockpot recipe to add to my rotation. Pinned!!
Arlene Mobley
Ashley thank I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Renee
I really do need to try chicken in the slow-cooker. It's something I haven't done yet. And a simple BBQ sounds like a good one to start.
Dionne Baldwin
I can see myself using this on Sundays that are packed with fun things to do! It would be great to come home and find delicious chicken ready for dinner!
Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Oh my! I am commenting hungry and that is dangerous. I want to make this right now!!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
Pulled chicken bbq works for me!
Christy @ Confessions of a Culinary Diva
Wow. I would have never thought about pulled chicken. I can almost smell it through the computer - if only Emeril had been successful with that smell-o-vision!
Arlene Mobley
Christy LOL thanks for stopping by!
Shaina
I made chicken in the crockpot before and I couldn't believe how moist and tender it came, I didn't even intend for it to be "pulled chicken" but it was amazing. What a great recipe!
Arlene Mobley
Shaina
Thank you. I love chicken in the crock pot!
Soni
Love the idea of a pulled chicken!Such delicious flavors and super easy too 🙂
Arlene Mobley
Soni
Thank you!
Sarah
Yum! I love pulled ANYTHING
Jamie
Yum! Frozen chicken ok?
Arlene Mobley
Jamie
Yes frozen chicken works fine for this recipe.
Jen
Do you have an idea of what to adjust the cook time to for frozen chicken?
Arlene Mobley
Jen
No I have no idea I have never used frozen chicken in the crock pot. I would imagine it could be as much as 3 hours.
Shalisa
Looks delicious, I am going to make it for tonight! Do I need to cook the chicken first, or put it in the crockpot raw?
Katie
These look melt in your mouth delicious! Love it.
Arlene Mobley
Katie
Thank you!