Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Two BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches on a wooden board.

4.75 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Tender, juicy chicken is simmered with barbecue sauce and served up on a soft bun with a refreshing, crunchy slaw. This dish is a definite crowd-pleaser!

Prep Time5

Cook Time3

Total Time3 5

Course: Main Course, Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Servings: sandwiches

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

Pulled Chicken:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce*** (for my homemade BBQ sauce recipe, see recipe card below)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 hamburger buns

Vegetable Slaw:

1 bag (10 ounces) coleslaw or vegetable slaw mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

Instructions

Place the chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker. Sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Pour the barbecue sauce and vinegar over the chicken so that it covers it completely.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or low heat for 6-7 hours.
Remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Shred the chicken using two forks. If the sauce is very watery, put the slow cooker in sauté mode and simmer it for several minutes to thicken it. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss it with the sauce.
To make sandwiches, serve the pulled chicken on rolls and top with desired toppings like vegetable slaw or pickles.
To make the vegetable slaw, mix the slaw, oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.

Notes

***Many store-bought brands of BBQ sauce have a lot of sugar. Choose a BBQ sauce that's lower in sugar (see "Low Sugar Barbecue Sauce" section on blog post). You can also make my delicious homemade bbq sauce (see recipe card below). Some of my favorite options are Stubb's original barbecue sauce, Annie's original barbecue sauce and Primal Kitchen classic barbecue sauce.

You can use chicken thighs or breast to make this pulled chicken burger. I prefer using thighs because they're more juicy, flavorful and cheaper.

If the sauce in the slow cooker is too thin when you take the chicken out, you can put the slow cooker in sauté mode and simmer it for several minutes to thicken it.

Besides sandwiches, you can also serve this healthy bbq pulled chicken in quesadillas, tacos, lettuce wraps, or on salads or rice bowls.

Leftover pulled chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrgierator for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition