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Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Baby Ray's crockpot chicken delivers pull-apart tender shredded chicken soaked in a thick, smoky BBQ sauce that glazes as it slow cooks. Set-and-forget BBQ crockpot chicken results in every shred coated in dark, sticky BBQ goodness—great on buns with coleslaw.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and BBQ sauce
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 18 oz Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • brioche buns and coleslaw for serving
  • extra BBQ sauce

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season and mix
  1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Mix Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce looks smooth.
Slow cook
  1. Place the seasoned chicken in the slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the top, making sure most surfaces are coated.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce looks darker and slightly caramelized around the edges of the crock.
  3. If using HIGH, cook for 3-4 hours on HIGH until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has thickened and turned glossy.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks, then stir it into the sauce so every shred is coated.
  2. Serve the shredded BBQ chicken on brioche buns with coleslaw and extra BBQ sauce for a dark, sticky glaze on top.

Notes

For best pull-apart tenderness, keep the lid on during the first cook window so the slow cooker stays at temperature. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of BBQ sauce if it thickens too much. Freezing is yes—freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lower-sugar option, use an unsweetened or reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and reduce or omit the brown sugar to keep the texture thick without being as sweet.