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Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Baby Ray's crockpot chicken is set-and-forget slow cooker BBQ chicken with pull-apart tender shredded chicken soaked in a thick, smoky BBQ sauce. The sauce darkens and clings as it cooks, leaving every shred glossy and ready for brioche 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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • salt and pepper to taste
BBQ sauce mixture
  • 1 can (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
Serving
  • brioche buns and coleslaw for serving
  • extra BBQ sauce

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Toss until the spices are evenly distributed over the surface.
Mix the sauce
  1. Mix Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar together until the brown sugar dissolves. The mixture should look smooth and thick.
Slow cook
  1. Place the seasoned chicken in the slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the top. Make sure the chicken is coated as much as possible.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours until the chicken is completely tender. Visual cue: the sauce will darken and caramelize slightly, turning into a thick, glossy glaze.
  3. Alternatively, cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours until the chicken is completely tender. Visual cue: the sauce will still cling and thicken as the chicken finishes cooking.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks, then stir it into the sauce. Visual cue: every shred should glisten with the dark, sticky BBQ glaze.
  2. Serve the shredded BBQ chicken on brioche buns with coleslaw and extra BBQ sauce. Add an extra drizzle so the buns shine with sauce.

Notes

For best caramelized glaze, avoid lifting the lid during the first 4 hours on LOW. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of extra BBQ sauce to loosen. Freezing works—freeze shredded chicken and sauce in a sealed container up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot throughout. To make it slightly lighter, use a no-sugar-added BBQ sauce and keep the same vinegar and spices.