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{Today I’m partnering with Dixie to bring you this easy slow cooker BBQ chicken, it’s my family’s favorite!}

Slow Cooker. BBQ. Chicken. Meaning… no oven – no fuss. Yes, please.

The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Happy Saturday everyone! Seeing that we are at the height of BBQ season, I wanted to share a special post with you all today. This is one of my family’s favorite BBQ recipes. If any of you happen to know about my family even a little, than you know we have some of the pickiest eaters around as part of our clan. My younger brother, Kai has gone twenty-one years without eating a fresh peach slice or wedge of watermelon, and my mother will not go anywhere near fish (neither will Creighton, Trevor, Kai, or Asher…). So you see, I have some seriously picky eaters to deal with.

When I make a simple (but still delicious) meal like this BBQ chicken all of my family is suddenly at my house and ready to eat. It’s like they the know the days I am cooking “their” kind of food. And when I make cocktails? I swear some of them have a cocktail radar on me. They just know what’s happening down at the barn and the second I finish up shooting, ah wait, scratch that…they’re here long before I finish shooting, just frothing at the mouth, waiting for their drinks. <–yep, my family everyone.

Anyway, on days when the entire family (and friends) show up, that’s when I break out my Dixie Ultra Strong paper plates. Not going to lie, I hate doing dishes like no other, and my Ultra Strong Dixie plates save the day for big summertime family meals outside, and summer BBQ’s with friends. They work especially well when serving up extra saucy foods like this BBQ chicken. Because let’s be real, no one wants to clean twenty plus plates that have been piled high with extra saucy BBQ chicken, slaw, corn, bread, etc.

I mean, right? Ah yeah, most definitely.

The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

This is one of those recipes that I’ve been wanting to share with you guys for some time now, but just haven’t had the chance. It’s a recipe I make at least once a month, one because everyone loves it, and two, because it’s so simple and easy to throw together. While I do make this chicken all year round, I especially love it in the summer months. I know grilling is huge right now, but sometimes I just need an easy dinner that won’t heat up my house and will be ready for eating after a long day hiking or being outside.

Plus, with our big fam, summer parties almost never leave enough room on the grill. Cooking the chicken in the crockpot frees up space for corn, veggies, or whatever else I might be grilling. Love this!

The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

OKok. So I think we all get why a summer slow cooker recipe is a must, but let’s actually chat about why this chicken is SO good.

There are two very important key players to this BBQ chicken recipe.

Key player #1: Homemade BBQ sauce, YUM. But you guys, don’t worry it is so simple and easy. Just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and DONE. No cooking and almost no time involved. And the best part? It is 110% more delicious than anything you can buy in the store.

Trust me on this.

Key player #2: The spice rub…it’s essential. It’s a rough recipe handed down to me from one of my mom’s friends Mrs. Mooney (whom you may or may not remember from this gumbo). Her secret is using just a touch of cinnamon, which gives the otherwise spicy BBQ chicken a nice warmth that leaves everyone going back for more.

Again, just trust me, it’s delish.

And that’s it. Just toss the chicken in the spice rub, add the BBQ sauce, slow cook for a few hours and you’ll have the most perfect, moist, tender, and extra saucy BBQ chicken.

You can use the shredded chicken to make sandwiches or tacos or spoon the chicken over rice or polenta (my mom’s personal favorite). You can even use the chicken as a topping for pizza and flatbread. Really…the options are endless.

Oh, and a side of grilled corn is kind of a must if you ask me. Just sayin’.

PS. Be sure to check out the #RaisingTheBBQ event today in Kansas city or tune in on Dixie’s Facebook Live feed.

Have a great Saturday!

The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

The Best Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories Per Serving: 278 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

BBQ Sauce

BBQ Chicken

Instructions

  • 1. To make the BBQ sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months. 
    2. To make the chicken. Place the chicken in the bowl of a crockpot. Add the honey, smoked paprika, chipotle chile powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the chicken. Pour in half of the BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-6 hours. 
    3. Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the sauce and shred with two forks, return the chicken to the sauce and toss, adding more of the reserved sauce as desired. Serve over rice or as sandwiches alongside your favorite sides. 

Notes

*4-8 hours cooking time required (depends on settings)
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{This post is sponsored by Dixie. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!!}

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is a hit! So easy to throw together for a weeknight dinner. And all the ingredients are pantry staples I already had—WIN!

    Question: my family loved the BBQ sauce, can I just whip it together as instructed above to use for dipping or topping other food? Or do I need to cook it down on the stovetop?

    Thanks for creating such a yummy recipe!

    1. Hi Jenn,
      Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) I would cook the bbq sauce down on the stove top! xx

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Tieghan 😌 hope you are well. I just made this recipe tonight for dinner and oh my goodness it was amazing. My family loved it. Will definitely be making this again the cinnamon was so good in this recipe. The sauce had a nice sweetness to it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will be making your Mac and cheese recipe for thanksgiving 😌 Happy Thanksgiving 😌

    1. Hey Lisa,
      Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

  3. 5 stars
    This was wonderful! It IS the best slow cooker BBQ chicken we’ve ever had! Although no fresh corn is available, we had German potato salad and some homemade sweet jalapeño relish and extra sauce on our sandwiches. A perfect cozy and delicious meal for a rainy / potentially snowy evening. Delicious!

    1. Hey Lucy,
      Happy Tuesday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it turned out tasty for you! xT

  4. 5 stars
    I made this for a large crowd using only chicken breast. Rave reviews! A friend told me to shred the chicken in my Kitchen-aide mixer with the regular beater. Worked like a charm! Will definitely make this again!

    1. Hey Beth,
      Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:)

    1. Hi Hillari,
      Totally, pork would be a great idea! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

  5. 3 stars
    Too sweet for my taste but easy to adjust if I decide to make it again. I’m new to this site and am going to be trying many more of your recipes. Thank you.

  6. 5 stars
    Hi, Tiegen! I’m obsessed with your incredible food! Just wondering on the bbq chicken where you include ‘chipotle chili powder’ but then link to Thrive Market’s plain chili powder in the recipe. Is it an either/or option or personal taste?

    1. Hi Jennifer,
      Either one will work just fine for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan