Description
A stress-free, set-it-and-forget-it dinner solution featuring tender, shreddable chicken breasts cooked in a rich, sweet-and-smoky BBQ sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights and family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce (sweet-and-smoky style)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 to 10 brioche buns or potato rolls
Instructions
- Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Trim large fat caps and place in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker in a single layer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, ensuring every piece is coated. Do not add water.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours, checking at 3.5 hours).
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks or a hand mixer on low.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker pot and stir into the remaining sauce. Let sit on ‘Warm’ for 10-15 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Toast buns lightly in a skillet or toaster oven.
- Pile shredded chicken onto the bottom half of the bun. Top with coleslaw if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
[‘For best texture, cook on LOW rather than HIGH to prevent drying out.’, ‘Toast buns to prevent sogginess from the sauce.’, ‘Save the extra liquid from the pot to spoon over sandwiches for extra flavor.’, ‘Can be made in an Instant Pot: High Pressure for 12 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes.’, ‘Leftovers taste better the next day as the chicken absorbs more sauce.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich (1 bun an
- Calories: 450
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
Keywords: slow cooker, pulled chicken, BBQ chicken, easy dinner, weeknight meals, chicken sandwiches, family friendly