Description
This Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe boasts tender, flavorful chicken breasts or thighs slow-cooked in a rich, homemade barbecue sauce enhanced with brown sugar, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of spice. Perfect for a hands-off meal, it delivers juicy, shredded BBQ chicken ideal for sandwiches, salads, or mains, making weeknight dinners effortless and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (about 4-5 breasts or 8-10 thighs)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Sauce
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts or thighs into a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor of the meat.
- Make the BBQ Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, cornstarch, finely minced garlic, onion powder, and red chili flakes. Stir well until the sauce is smooth and the cornstarch is fully incorporated.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours or on high heat for 2 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, indicating it is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred and Mix: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker carefully and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well to coat it thoroughly in the BBQ sauce.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the shredded chicken and sauce mixture and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Serve hot as a main dish, in sandwiches, or alongside your favorite sides.
Notes
- This recipe uses store-bought barbecue sauce for convenience but can be adapted with homemade sauce for a personal touch.
- You can use either chicken breasts or thighs depending on your texture preference; thighs tend to be juicier.
- Adjust the red chili flakes to make the dish spicier or milder according to your taste.
- Leftover BBQ chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use this shredded BBQ chicken in tacos, salads, or as a protein-packed sandwich filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 186 grams
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 649 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 121 mg
