Description
This Crockpot BBQ Chicken recipe is an easy and flavorful dish perfect for quick weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd. Juicy, tender chicken breasts are slow-cooked in a savory BBQ sauce mixture, resulting in shredded or whole chicken that can be served on buns, over rice, or in tacos. The combination of barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, and seasonings creates a deliciously moist and smoky flavor profile with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, with fat trimmed off
Sauce and Seasonings
- 1 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (e.g., Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ)
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (fat-free preferred)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the crockpot: Liberally spray the inside of a large crockpot with non-stick cooking spray or line it with a disposable crockpot liner to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Season the chicken: Season the trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Place them evenly in the bottom of the prepared crockpot.
- Make the sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, light brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until thoroughly combined.
- Add the sauce: Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the seasoned chicken breasts in the crockpot.
- Cook the chicken: Cover, and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Shred or serve whole: Use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness. Once cooked, you can serve the chicken whole or shred it directly in the crockpot with two forks for pulled chicken that soaks up the sauce beautifully.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve on buns for sandwiches, or as desired over rice, in tacos, on pizza, or in salads.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of brown sugar based on your sweetness preference.
- For a spicier version, add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
- Shredded chicken retains heat and moisture well, making it ideal for sandwiches and tacos.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled for larger groups; just ensure your crockpot is large enough.
- For extra smoky flavor, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or Liquid Smoke to the sauce mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup shredded chicken (approximately 120g)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
