Crock Pot Pulled Chicken

Mouthwatering, good pulled chicken made easy with six simple ingredients in the crock pot. Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw, or for a lower-carb version simply add the slaw to a layer of pulled chicken.

Course main meal chicken

Cuisine Southern

Keyword bbq pulled chicken, pulled chicken, pulled chicken sandwich, slow cooked pulled chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 10

Servings servings

Calories 270kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
2 cups Kansas City style barbecue sauce
1 medium onion minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Add barbecue sauce, onion, tomato paste, Worcestershire Sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to a small crock pot and stir to combine. I use a 3-quart crock pot.
Add chicken and spoon a little of the sauce over the top.
Cook on low for 2-2 1/2 hours or until it shreds easily with a couple of forks.
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Notes

The recipe calls for Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, but you can use a sweet barbecue sauce like Sweet Baby Rays. I love less sweet semi-spicy barbecue sauce with tons of flavor but use what makes you happy.
If your barbecue sauce is really sweet, skip the brown sugar and add a little lemon juice or lime juice.
Kick up the heat with a little cumin, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or minced jalapeno.
Making coleslaw with this is a must. I find that the crunchy broccoli slaw holds up better to the warmth and hardiness of this chicken. For extra flavor, toss in a few red onions.
I like to toast the buns right before I serve. Once I layer the chicken and the slaw on the buns, I serve immediately, as no one likes a soggy bun.
Chicken puts off moisture when it is slow-cooked, so use tongs to pull the chicken out of the slow cooker, or carefully drain a little of the moisture out and add another quarter cup of barbecue sauce or so!
Use the pulled chicken for nachos, quesadillas, soups, and casseroles.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power.
Double the recipe and freeze half of it for up to 2 months. Completely cool the dish and spoon it into a zipper freezer bag removing as much of the air as possible. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition