BBQ Pulled Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

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Quick and Easy Pulled Chicken Crock Pot recipe is super easy and tasty! Makes the perfect weeknight dinner meal and is kid-friendly. This easy pulled BBQ chicken can be served on hamburger buns or lettuce leaves and top with some delicious homemade (or store-bought) coleslaw.

Yum. This recipe is low carb and keto-friendly too! Perfect if you have a variety of dietary needs in your house.

Watch how to make Crock Pot Pulled Chicken

Why you will love this BBQ Pulled Chicken Crock Pot recipe

Perfect For Everyone

This pulled BBQ chicken recipe is perfect of you have a family with different dietary needs in your house. Serve on lettuce leaves for the low-carb and keto followers (using sugar-free BBQ sauce) and regular buns for the others.

Best Pulled BBQ Chicken Recipe

I'm not partial or anything, but my family LOVES this recipe. If my family loves it - I think it's the BEST! 🙂 This recipe has gotten a lot of positive feedback over the years and I wanted to share with you! My favorite way to make this is with chicken thighs. They add such good moisture and depth to this recipe.

Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

Who doesn't love a dump and go recipe? When I used to work full time outside the house I would literally make this before running out the door in the morning - super easy. I loved coming home to a finished recipe in the evening. Such a lifesaver when you and your family are busy.

Can Easily Serve A Crowd

Need an easy recipe that serves a crowd. This is perfect. Simply double or triple the recipe and voila - food for a crowd.

Low Carb and Keto Slow Cooker Chicken

Both my husband and I are low carb followers, but our kids are not. To accommodate everyone I came up with my own sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe that everyone in my house loved. I then serve this with buns for the kids and lettuce leaves for my husband and I.

Other favorite low carb/keto BBQ sauce brands that you might like:

Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce (unsweetened). This sauce is on the spicy side and is unsweetened. Unfortunately, when I last checked Amazon it was almost $10 a bottle. You may be able to get it from Thrive Market or your grocery store for cheaper!
G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce (Original Flavor) 18 oz bottle

Crockpot Pulled Chicken Ingredients

Here are the ingredients and tools you'll need to make pulled chicken in your crockpot:

Ingredients

Onion
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts
Garlic Cloves
Regular or Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Liquid Smoke
Salt and Pepper
Optional: hot sauce

What to serve with this Pulled BBQ Chicken Crock Pot recipe

Lot's of things go with shredded BBQ chicken! My favorite thing is to serve the shredded BBQ chicken on a hamburger bun, then top with coleslaw and serve a side of baked beans.

Serve pulled chicken on hamburger buns or toasted garlic bread.
Low carb/keto serve on lettuce leaves or a basic chaffle. The chaffle idea is AMAZING!! Here's our recipe: 20+ Best Chaffles To Make (Keto Waffle Recipes)
Top with coleslaw - here is our recipe (you will LOVE): Dill Pickle Slaw
If you don't like coleslaw try our easy Overnight Layered Salad. You can make this ahead of time and eat on it over a few days at a time. It's also literally the perfect salad to serve a crowd. It's one of our most popular recipes on the blog!

How to store Crockpot Pulled Chicken

Store crockpot pulled chicken in an airtight container after it has cooled completely. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 4 months.

How to make this Pulled Chicken Crock Pot recipe

Spray crockpot with nonstick spray. Add onions, chicken, garlic, 1/2 of the bottle of BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, and liquid smoke to the slow cooker (#1 & #2).

Cover, cook on Low 4 to 6 hours or until chicken easily shreds (#3). Remove chicken from the crock.

In a separate bowl shred, then add some of the juices from the slow cooker, remaining BBQ sauce, and hot sauce if desired. Mix all together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (#4). Mix with sauce.

Pulled Chicken in Crock Pot FAQs

Can you overcook chicken in a crock pot?

Yes, you can overcook chicken in a crock pot. If it is cooked too long it will become dry and tough, instead of tender. Chicken breasts will dry out faster that chicken thighs due to the higher fat content in the thighs.

How do you cook chicken so it falls apart?

Cooking chicken until if falls apart means that you can easily pull it apart with a fork. Boneless chicken can will usually fall apart easily after 4 to 6 hours depending upon the thickness of the chicken and the type (chicken breast or thigh). Bone-in chicken will take a little longer.

How do I keep chicken from drying out in the crockpot?

The best way to keep chicken from drying out in the crockpot is to not overcook it. Chicken will typically cook in 4 to 6 hours depending upon the type of chicken and whether it is boneless or bone-in. The safe internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low?

Yes and no. 4 hours on high is usually the same as 8 hours on low, but not always. There are a lot of factors - the power of the crockpot, how full the crockpot is, if the meat is boneless or bone-in, how large the pieces of meat are, etc.

Can you put raw chicken in slow cooker?

Yes, you can put raw meat in the slow cooker. Slow cookers are intended to cook meat from raw. Follow the recipe instructions for temperature setting and ingredients.

How long should you cook chicken in the crockpot?

Chicken is usually cooked in a crockpot for 4 to 6 hours and should reach a temperature of 165 degrees. While many recipes state an 8 hour cooking time, I always start to checking once an hour starting at 4 hours. Chicken should be cooked to a temperature of 165 USDA Minimum Internal Temperature Chart

Does meat need to be submerged in slow cooker?

Your meat does not need to be submerged in a slow cooker. The coils of the slow cooker maintain a steady heat and the juices are released from the meat itself, and juices from condensation will build within the crockpot keeping the meat moist.

Should you flip chicken in slow cooker?

You do not need to flip chicken in slow cooker. It is best to leave the lid on and only remove if you need to add an ingredient per recipe instruction, or to check the doneness of your meat.

Do you put water in bottom of slow cooker?

You do not need to put water in the bottom of a slow cooker. The juices are released from the meat itself, and juices from condensation will build within the crockpot keeping the meat moist.

Is pulled chicken the same as shredded chicken?

The two terms are used interchangeably as the technique of pulling the meat apart is usually done with two forks (although there are other methods). Using the method of pulling the chicken apart - it is very common to call slow cooked chicken pulled chicken. While the chicken is cooked with other methods, the term shredded is often used.

Why is my crockpot shredded chicken tough?

The most common reason that your shredded chicken is tough is that it was overcooked. Sometimes after shredding, the chicken can dry out from a lack of moisture. Add in a little broth, a sauce (like BBQ), and a little butter, or olive oil to remedy this.

Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in crockpot?

You can get the same results using low or high heat - so neither is better than the other. If you need to cook the chicken faster use high heat setting, slower use low. The end result is to remove the chicken as soon as it is done at 165 degrees F and it will cook faster on high heat. Keep in mind that chicken breasts will dry out much quicker than chicken thighs. Use high heat if you will be around to check the chicken after a couple of hours. If not, go with low heat.

If you tried this recipe, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give the recipe a 5 star rating and leave a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Subscribe to my newsletter to get healthy fresh recipe ideas every week!

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Pulled BBQ Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Watch how to make Crock Pot Pulled Chicken