Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

By Ali Slagle

Updated July 11, 2024

Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
About 3 ½ hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
3 ½ hours
Rating
5(1,476)
Comments
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This hands-off path to pulled chicken results in a juicy, saucy tangle of meat for a crowd. The combination of boneless chicken thighs and breasts creates a mix of feathery and hearty shreds, while cooking the meat slowly in barbecue sauce ensures it won’t dry out. To emulate some of the smoke and savoriness created by cooking meat over smoldering coals, chipotle chiles in adobo, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder are also added. Serve the pulled chicken between buns with pickles and slaw, or make a barbecue chicken pizza; leftovers keep well for a few days in the fridge.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 1½ cups tomato-based barbecue sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1 to 2chipotle chiles in adobo (depending on heat tolerance), plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 2tablespoons Worcestershire or soy sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons onion powder
  • 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt and black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

338 calories; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 1058 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, stir together 1 cup barbecue sauce, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low until the chicken shreds easily when pulled with a fork, 3 to 5 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Working right in the slow cooker, use two forks to shred the meat into large, bite-size pieces. Stir in the remaining ½ cup barbecue sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,476 user ratings
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Comments

Humbug311

To pressure cook in the Instant Pot, you need to add liquid to the recipe so the tomato-based BBQ sauce doesn't give you a burn error. Start with 1/2 cup of chicken broth then add all the ingredients other than the BBQ sauce and stir. Pour 1 cup of the BBQ sauce on top of the chicken and don't stir. Use poultry setting or 15 minutes HIGH. Natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Shred, saute on high (while stirring) to reduce excess liquid, then add the remaining BBQ sauce.

Pauline Rogers

This is delicious! I used only chicken thighs since I thought the breasts might be tough. I used the included recipe for homemade barbecue sauce. To cut down on the amount of liquid left at the end, I put the cooked thighs in a bowl and put the sauce from the crockpot into a saucepan, boiled it until reduced by half (about 10-15 mins) and returned it to the shredded thighs. Perfect!

ColleenM

I'm curious how even the comment section on a cooking site could devolve into name calling. What exactly have we become as a community? And I also respect myself as well as my my fellow readers!

Jess

Thanks for this recipe! I’m a novice and was so easy. I also added a bunch of grated carrots and cauliflower to hide some veggies / nutrition for my kids. Couldn’t even tell.

3 Boys

I make something similar - but I first cook the chicken breasts in chicken broth until pretty much cooked. I then drain chicken broth, shred chicken then add other ingredients, and finish cooking. It also makes for an easier clean up where the BBQ is not quite as baked on.

Hobbes

I have been doing something like this for years, but I appreciate the additional ingredients that improve the flavor (Worcestershire, onion powder and chipotle in adobo). It works great with a pork roast or beef roast for pulled pork or beef. A great recipe for a family dinner with great leftovers.

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