Juicy Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
This easy slow-cooked chicken is tender, well-seasoned, and packed with bold barbecue flavor. It’s perfect for piling onto buns for a hearty sandwich meal, and it relies on simple spices and ready-made sauces to keep prep quick.
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Servings: 8
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Ingredients
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3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
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1 1/2 tsp chili powder
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1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
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1/2 tsp garlic powder
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1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
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1/2 tsp salt, plus more as needed
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1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 cup grated yellow onion
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1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce (Bullseye original recommended), divided
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2 Tbsp steak sauce (A1 recommended)
- 8 hamburger buns
- Place the chicken thighs in a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.
- Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the spice blend over the chicken and add the grated onion. Toss everything together so the chicken is coated evenly.
- Pour 3/4 cup of the BBQ sauce over the chicken.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4–6 hours, or until the chicken is tender, shreds easily, and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Move the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Save the cooking liquid left behind, skimming off and discarding any fat.
- Shred the chicken with two forks—leaving the pieces slightly larger is fine since they’ll break down a bit more when mixed later.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Warm the remaining 3/4 cup BBQ sauce and the steak sauce in the microwave for 1–2 minutes.
- Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid along with the warmed sauce mixture back into the slow cooker. Toss the chicken until it’s well coated. If the mixture seems dry, add a little extra liquid or more BBQ sauce. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Serve the BBQ pulled chicken on hamburger buns. (Optional: add coleslaw—blue cheese slaw is also great.)