Description
This Crockpot BBQ Chicken is the perfect weeknight meal that combines simplicity with deep flavor, making it a family favorite for sandwiches, tacos, or pizza toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) chicken thighs, bone-in or boneless
- 360 ml (1½ cups) BBQ sauce
- 240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 50 g (¼ cup, packed) brown sugar
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
- 5 g (1 tsp) smoked paprika
- 2.5 g (½ tsp) garlic powder
- 2.5 g (½ tsp) onion powder
- 9 g (1½ tsp) kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 15–30 ml (1–2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, or extra BBQ sauce for finishing
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken (optional): Heat oil in a skillet and brown the chicken thighs for 2–3 minutes per side.
- Make the cooking sauce: In a bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, chicken stock, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Combine and cook: Pour the sauce over the chicken in the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.
- Shred and finish the sauce: Remove chicken, shred, and return to the crockpot, adding lemon juice or vinegar to taste.
- Serve or hold warm: Garnish and serve immediately, or hold on LOW for up to 1 hour.
Notes
For best results, always dry the chicken before browning. You can make this recipe ahead and refrigerate or freeze for future meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 95mg