Tender Slow-Cooked Pulled Chicken (Printable)

Tender slow-cooked chicken shredded and coated with tangy barbecue sauce for tasty meals or sandwiches.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3.3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

→ Sauce & Seasoning

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce (gluten-free if needed)
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Place chicken breasts in the base of a slow cooker; evenly distribute chopped onion and minced garlic over the top.
02 - In a mixing bowl, blend barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and optional chili powder until uniform.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and onions, ensuring all pieces are thoroughly coated.
04 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours until chicken is tender and shreds easily.
05 - Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks into bite-sized pieces.
06 - Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker; stir to mix with sauce evenly and heat through for 10 to 15 minutes.
07 - Present hot as a main course or piled onto sandwich buns.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender without any effort on your part once it hits the slow cooker.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which feels like a small miracle on busy weeknights.
  • It tastes like you spent hours tending a grill when really you just mixed some ingredients and walked away.
02 -
  • Don't skip the vinegar—it seems like a small detail, but it prevents the dish from tasting one-note and heavy.
  • If your chicken finishes early, you can safely hold it on warm for an extra hour without it drying out, thanks to the sauce.
03 -
  • A drop or two of liquid smoke added to the sauce gives it a grilled taste that people swear you achieved outdoors.
  • Chicken thighs work beautifully here and stay juicier than breasts if you want to trade tenderness for richness.
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