A delicious and easy slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken made with a simple homemade BBQ sauce.
With just a few everyday ingredients and some patience, you’ll have tender, flavorful slow cooker pulled chicken ready to serve for family dinners, gatherings, or meal prep.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or making a quick weeknight meal, this pulled chicken is versatile and crowd-pleasing. Try it in buns, wraps, tacos or served with wedges and coleslaw.
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✔️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple, hands-off cooking in the slow cooker—mix the sauce, add the chicken and let it cook low and slow.
- Uses just a few pantry-friendly ingredients, including boneless, skinless chicken and an easy homemade BBQ sauce.
- Long, low cooking makes the chicken exceptionally tender and easy to shred.
- Extremely versatile—serve in rolls, wraps, flatbreads, tacos, or alongside potato wedges and coleslaw.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Chicken — Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well and stay juicy when slow-cooked; you can also use boneless thighs for richer flavour.
Tomato ketchup — Forms the base of the BBQ sauce, giving body and sweetness.
Dijon mustard — Adds tang and a mild bite that balances the sweetness.
Garlic powder — Convenient and aromatic, it gives that garlic flavour without extra prep.
Honey — Sweetens and gives the sauce a glossy finish; use runny honey for easy mixing.
Worcestershire sauce — Adds depth and umami for a more complex BBQ flavour.
Cayenne — A small pinch adds warmth; increase for more heat.
Salt & pepper — Basic seasoning to taste.
🔪 Instructions
One: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Two: Whisk together the BBQ sauce ingredients in a jug, then pour evenly over the chicken.
Three: Cook on low for 6–7 hours. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks, then return to the sauce and stir to coat before serving.
Top Tips
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Avoid bone-in pieces for this recipe.
- Cook on low rather than high to keep the chicken moist and tender—6–7 hours on low is ideal.
- After shredding, let the chicken sit in the sauce for a while to absorb more flavour.
- Adjust the sauce to your taste: more honey for sweetness, more mustard or vinegar for tang, or extra cayenne for heat.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the pulled chicken on soft buns for classic BBQ sandwiches. Flatbreads and wraps work just as well.
Add a crisp coleslaw for contrast and texture. Baked beans and chips or wedges make hearty sides.
It also works great in tacos, burritos, and nachos—use the pulled chicken as a tasty filling or topping.
📖 Variations
- Replace chicken with pork shoulder—allow extra cooking time until tender.
- Try beef brisket for a bolder, richer version (longer cook time required).
- Swap breasts for boneless chicken thighs for more fat and flavour.
- Spice it up: add more cayenne, hot sauce, or chopped jalapeños to the sauce.
🥡 Storage
Store: Cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat gently to preserve moisture — microwave, oven or stovetop all work:
- Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat until warmed through.
- Oven: Preheat to 180°C (350°F), place in an oven-safe dish covered with foil and bake 10–15 minutes until hot.
- Stovetop: Warm in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes—use about 375 ml of a ready-made sauce if you prefer to skip the homemade version.
Yes. Prepare in advance and refrigerate overnight, then reheat before serving.
Yes. In a pressure cooker, cook the chicken with the sauce for about 20–25 minutes on high pressure, then shred.
Yes, raw chicken can be cooked directly in the slow cooker—just ensure it reaches a safe internal temperature (75°C / 165°F).
😋 More slow cooker recipes
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Slow Cooker Roast Beef
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Slow Cooker Stewed Apples
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Slow Cooker Apple Crumble
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Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes
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Recipe
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken (Easy Pulled Chicken Recipe)
The ultimate slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken made with boneless chicken breasts and a simple homemade BBQ sauce. Perfect for gatherings and weeknight meals.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 250 ml tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 125 ml honey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker basin.
- In a jug, whisk together the ketchup, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, honey, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cook on low for 6–7 hours. Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve warm.
Notes
Expert tips:
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for ease and consistent results.
- Cook on low to avoid dry meat—high heat can dry out chicken breasts.
- Let shredded chicken sit in the sauce for a few minutes to absorb extra flavour.
- Adjust the sauce to suit your preferences—sweet, tangy or spicy.
Storage: Cool before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Carbohydrates: 38 g |
Protein: 33 g |
Fat: 4 g |
Sugar: 34 g