Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken

This slow cooker shredded bbq chicken recipe is packed with flavor and super easy to make. It results in tender, fall-apart chicken that’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, tacos, salads and more.

It’s that time of year where all I want to make are slow cooker meals! I love making soups for dinner (like my chicken wild rice soup and chicken fajita soup) and shredded chicken for meal prep. I usually make plain shredded chicken for protein salads like my Sonoma chicken salad, but lately my whole family has been obsessed with this shredded BBQ chicken!

It’s so easy to make… just toss your chicken breasts and homemade BBQ sauce ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning and you’ll have a delicious, flavor-packed meal ready to go for dinner! We usually serve it as a sandwich with coleslaw and the combo is SO good! I’ve been working on a greek yogurt coleslaw (recipe coming soon!), but it’s also delicious with my vinegar coleslaw.

A slow cooker pot full of bbq shredded chicken.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hands-Off – This recipe is perfect for busy days when you want a comforting meal but don’t have time to spend in the kitchen. Just toss everything into your slow cooker and let it do the work!
Great for Meal Prep – This BBQ chicken is perfect for meal prep. Make a big batch to use in sandwiches, salads or even on top of a baked potato (or my personal fave… a baked sweet potato) throughout the week.
Flavorful – This shredded BBQ chicken is jam-packed with sweet and smoky flavors thanks to the homemade BBQ sauce. It’s SO good!

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients measured out to make Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken: tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, paprika, onion, chili powder, pepper, molasses, chicken, tamari, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, mustard and sea salt.

chicken breast – I like using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a lean option.
onion and garlic – adds flavor and depth to the BBQ sauce as it cooks.
tomato sauce – this forms the base of the BBQ sauce. Make sure to use plain tomato sauce (not marinara) for the best results.
tomato paste – adds richness and helps to thicken the sauce.
brown sugar or coconut sugar – a lot of store-bought BBQ sauces use corn syrup or white sugar as the sweetener, but for this recipe I went with coconut sugar or brown sugar, which adds the perfect caramelized flavor, IMO!
molasses – this adds depth and a smoky sweetness to the sauce, giving it that classic BBQ flavor.
apple cider vinegar – provides the tangy element to balance the sweetness in the sauce.
tamari or soy sauce and worcestershire sauce – these add a nice umami boost and salty flavor to the homemade sauce.
mustard – regular yellow mustard works well here, adding a bit of tang to the sauce.
spices – you’ll need sea salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder for this homemade sauce.

How to Make Shredded BBQ Chicken

Many spices, tomato paste, bbq sauce, and diced onion in a slow cooker.

Step 1: Add all your sauce ingredients to your slow cooker.

Three raw chicken breasts in a slow cooker with bbq sauce and spices.

Step 2: Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

BBQ chicken breasts are being shredded in a bowl with two forks.

Step 3: Use two forks to shred the chicken once it’s cooked.

A slow cooker full of BBQ shredded chicken.

Step 4: Place the chicken back in the slow cooker, mix well, and serve as desired or store for later in the fridge.

Brittany’s Tip!

When it comes to shredding your chicken I recommend doing it while the chicken is still warm because it’s much easier than shredding cold meat. You can shred your chicken with two forks, a hand or stand mixer or my personal favorite this handy dandy meat chopper! It’s a game changer!

A BBQ shredded chicken sandwich on parchment paper.

How to Serve Shredded BBQ Chicken

We love eating this BBQ chicken on a bun with coleslaw, pickles and/or pickled onions served with a side of beans or mac and cheese (I love this baked mac and cheese), but here are some other delicious ways to serve this chicken:

On a salad – Serve this chicken over a bed of greens with your favorite veggies and dressing or more BBQ sauce. It would be delicious with this apple cider vinaigrette.
On nachos – Amp up your nacho game by topping tortilla chips with this shredded chicken, lettuce and cabbage. You could also add this chicken to my sweet potato nachos or cauliflower nachos and serve it up for game day!
In a taco – Switch up taco night and make BBQ chicken tacos instead. I’d recommend serving this chicken with hard shell tacos and topping it with shredded cheese. So good!
In a quesadilla – Fill a tortilla with chicken and shredded cheese then toast it in a skillet until the cheese melts.
As a stuffed sweet potato – Make a BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potato!
In a grain bowl – Make a BBQ chicken grain bowl by serving this chicken over your favorite grain and roasted veggies!

A large bowl full of BBQ shredded chicken.

How to Store Leftovers

This shredded chicken is perfect for meal prep! After cooking and shredding the chicken, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It’s perfect for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week.

This shredded chicken is also freezer-friendly! Just make sure it’s completely cooled then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.

To reheat: You can easily reheat this chicken in a skillet over the stove or in the microwave. If you go the stovetop route, you might want to add a little water to add moisture as it heats up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes! Chicken thighs work just as well, if not better, in slow cooker recipes. They tend to be juicier and more forgiving if cooked longer. Just swap them in at the same quantity and follow the same instructions.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Definitely! You can prep all the ingredients the night before, store them in the fridge, and then toss everything into the slow cooker in the morning. It’s also great for meal prep, as the chicken keeps well in the fridge for a few days or can be frozen for later.

Can I make this recipe in the Instant Pot?

I haven’t tried this recipe in my Instant Pot, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t turn out! I would follow the recipe for my Instant Pot shredded chicken as far as cook time goes.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Be sure to check out all of my chicken recipes as well as the full collection of slow cooker recipes on EBF!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Shred chicken, toss back in slow cooker and combine.
Serve on burger buns with slaw. Drizzle extra sauce on if desired.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.