Make easy and flavorful Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken with just a few simple ingredients. Tender chicken, your favorite barbecue sauce, and a slow cooker—dinner couldn't be easier!
If you’re looking for a dinner that’s as simple as it is delicious, Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken is the answer. This recipe is one of those perfect “set it and forget it” meals—no complicated prep work, just a handful of ingredients and a slow cooker doing all the work. The chicken comes out juicy, tender, and full of flavor, and best of all, you can make it with just some spices and your favorite barbecue sauce.
This recipe is incredibly versatile too. You can serve the pulled chicken on buns for a classic BBQ sandwich, pile it on a salad, or even use it as a topping for baked potatoes or tacos. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or looking for a simple weeknight dinner, this slow cooker pulled chicken will quickly become a go-to. Plus, you can use homemade barbecue sauce, or opt for a bottled version for convenience—either way, the results are fantastic!
The beauty of this dish is that there’s no need to sauté, brown, or do anything complicated. It’s a true "dump-and-go" recipe, making it perfect for busy days when you just want a satisfying meal with minimal effort.
Ingredients:
2 lbs, boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 ¾ - 2 cups barbecue sauce
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
½ teaspoon Paprika (I used smoked paprika)
¼ teaspoon Chipotle chili pepper (or cayenne pepper)
½ - 1 teaspoon chili powder
½ - ¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
How To Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Trim the chicken thighs from any extra fat. You can use chicken breast, but I would be very careful not to overcook it, since it can dry out very easily. You can't overcook chicken thighs, so it's the best option for this dish.
Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl and mix. You can omit any of the spices or even add other spices that you like. This is a matter of taste, just make sure that the chicken is seasoned, at least with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken and make sure it's all coated. 
Pour ½ cup of barbecue sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker, place the chicken on top and pour another ½ cup of barbecue sauce on top of the chicken. 
Spread out the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours. The chicken will be very tender and falling apart at this point.
Take the chicken out of the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken into pieces with a fork. 
Heat up the remaining barbecue sauce and add it to the chicken. You can add a bit of the cooking liquid to the chicken to make it even juicier. 
You can add as much or as little sauce as you like. Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. Another very classic way of serving it, is to make sandwiches with it.
Toast some kaiser rolls; I usually use my oven. Place the pulled chicken on top of the roll, place some shredded cheese of your choice on top of the chicken and broil for just a few minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve the sandwich with your choice of toppings. I used pickles, but you can also use roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions, coleslaw, lettuce or sautéed peppers. 
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ¾ - 2 cups barbecue sauce
- 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Paprika I used smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Chipotle chili pepper or cayenne pepper
- ½ - 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ - ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Trim the chicken thighs from any extra fat. You can use chicken breast, but I would be very careful not to overcook it, since it can dry out very easily. You can't overcook chicken thighs, so it's the best option for this dish.
- Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl and mix. You can omit any of the spices or even add other spices that you like. This is a matter of taste, just make sure that the chicken is seasoned, at least with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken and make sure it's all coated.
- Pour ½ cup of barbecue sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker, place the chicken on top and pour another ½ cup of barbecue sauce on top of the chicken.
- Spread out the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours. The chicken will be very tender and falling apart at this point.
- Take the chicken out of the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken into pieces with a fork.
- Heat up the remaining barbecue sauce and add it to the chicken. You can add a bit of the cooking liquid to the chicken to make it even juicier. You can add as much or as little sauce as you like. Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, rice or pasta.
Another very classic way of serving it, is to make sandwiches with it.
- Toast some kaiser rolls; I usually use my oven.
- Place the pulled chicken on top of the roll, place some shredded cheese of your choice on top of the chicken and broil for just a few minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Serve the sandwich with your choice of toppings. I used pickles, but you can also use roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions, coleslaw, lettuce or sautéed peppers.
Very forgiving recipe. I had a little less than 2 pounds of chicken, left out a couple of the spices, accidentally added all the barbecue sauce to the crockpot from the beginning, and cooked it on high instead of low for six hours, and it was still delicious. I drained off the extra sauce to shred the chicken and added it back in before eating. Yum.
Hello Olga! How can I make bbq pulled chicken without slow cooker? I don’t have one. Thank you!
You can cook it on the stove or in the oven, Ana.
Olga,
Once I cook the meat & shread it, may I put it back in the pot & keep it on low for another 2-3 hrs? I'd like to keep it warm for a pot luck. Thanks!
Hi olga, I was wondering what kind of crock pot do u use?
I have a very simple model that I bought from Target many years ago. It only has an on button, high, low and warm:). The brand is Rival Crock Pot.
Wondering if cooking it on high would still be as good, and how long would it take to cook it on high?
I don't usually cook it on high, so I don't know the time of it, Olga.
Loved it! do you happen to have any other easy recipes for crock pot???
Thank you
What kind of beef do you use?
I don't use beef for this recipe, Oksana. If I was going to make Beef in the Slow Cooker, I would use another recipe. I suggest using chuck.
Thank you, Olga.
Hello Olga, can I do beef instead of chicken with this recepie
Hi Oksana,
If you want to use beef, you will need to cook it much longer. I would also sear the beef first, before cooking it in the slow cooker.
Hey olga, so I've tried making pulled chicken from another recipe. Totally did not work out. So, attempt #2 will be with your recipe, wish me luck!!!! Thank you for posting.
I hope you enjoy it, Anya.
Olga, can you please share what type of crock pot you used and what size or how much qt it is?
I can't really tell from the pictures. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
This will be my 1st recipe I try using Crock pot! I hope its as simple as it sounds...lol
Looks like a great recipe. I will put in on my menu for next week. Btw I have same crock pot. I love it! It's very small, but perfect size for my family, also cooks pretty good. I didn't know it was a good one till I tried couple of different ones.
That's awesome, Inna! I would love to know what you think once you make it.
Love this recipe Olga! Pinned!
Thank you, Valya.