These slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs are the best way to enjoy the smoky, summery flavors all year round. Forget pulling out the grill, our crockpot version is just as delicious and also takes minimal effort. My kids love this chicken served over mashed potatoes or paired alongside macaroni and cheese.
When it comes to leftovers, I love to shred some of the meat to top a salad or baked potato for lunch the next day. It’s a recipe that uses all pantry ingredients, including the homemade BBQ sauce. After making this countless times for my family, I know it will become a classic weeknight dinner recipe that your family will love too.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Full of flavor with less than 10 ingredients. Even when making the BBQ sauce from scratch, our slow cooker barbecue chicken recipe uses only a handful of basic ingredients keeping the prep simple.
- Easy to pair with any side dish. This chicken is so versatile. We serve it with vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes – truly the options are endless.
- Moist and juicy chicken every time. The best part about using the crock pot to cook chicken is that you don’t risk having dry or overcooked meat. It cooks the protein at a low temperature, very slowly so each bite melts in your mouth.
Tips for Busy Cooks
When it comes to making meal prep easier for me, I like to make a double or triple batch of both the sauce and the rub to keep in my kitchen. It helps me make dinner quickly at a moments notice, plus my kids love to use the sauce on all different proteins and veggies.
Key Ingredient Notes
For the Chicken:
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – Our favorite cut of chicken for the slow cooker. The meat cooks down until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender.
BBQ Rub:
- Brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness to complement the smoky flavors.
- Smoked paprika gives the smoky taste that’s key to barbecue chicken.
- Garlic powder infuses every bite with garlicky flavor.
- Onion powder – The key to adding concentrated sweet onion flavor to the rub.
- Salt – Necessary to bring out all of the other flavors in the chicken.
- Black pepper adds a bit of spiciness to the rub.
Homemade BBQ Sauce:
- Ketchup – The sweet tomato base to any delicious barbecue sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – The vinegar that adds tang to balance the sweet ketchup.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark both work well. A little bit goes a long way for added sweetness. Also gives a hint of molasses in the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – A little dash adds lots of umami and richness that helps to balance all of the flavors.
- Garlic powder and onion powder – Another hint garlic and onion that is a key flavor in barbecue chicken.
Optional Flavor Boosters:
- Thyme or oregano – Add herbs if you desire a warm flavor in the sauce.
- Fruit preserves or jam – Apricot, peach, or cherry can be a fun alternative flavor to add into the sauce.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Optional unless you like a little bit of heat, then add a pinch!
How to make slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs
Pat chicken thighs dry. Sprinkle the BBQ rub evenly over all sides, pressing gently to help it stick.
Place the chicken thighs skin-side up in the crockpot. Drizzle ⅓ cup of BBQ Sauce over the chicken. If using optional flavor boosters, sprinkle herbs, preserves, or red pepper flakes on top.
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
When done, transfer the chicken skin-side up to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with additional BBQ sauce (or sauce mixed with preserves if using).
Broil 2–3 minutes until skin is nicely caramelized. Serve whole or shred for sandwiches, tacos, or salads.
Expert Tips:
- Make a double or even triple batch of both the sauce and the rub. Both are great to use on other proteins as well as roasted vegetables throughout the week.
- If you want even more flavor in the chicken, you can sear the thighs on the stovetop before adding them into the slow cooker. This is totally optional, but if I have an extra 5 to 10 minutes, then I love to quick sear the thighs for a richer taste.
- Add a spoonful of jam or preserves to add hint of sweetness. I’ve tried apricot, peach, as well as cherry for a fun hint of fruity flavor.
- Experiment with adding herbs to the sauce as desired, like thyme or oregano to make the flavors warm and even more complex.
- If you would rather use boneless chicken thighs, that’s totally fine. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time to 2 1/2 hours in the crock pot.
- Broil the thighs for a couple of minutes after slow cooking. This will make the top of the chicken nicely glazed and so delicious.
What to serve with slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs
The options are endless whether you are pairing the chicken thighs with a side dish or serving them on top or in something else. Here are some ideas that we’ve tried:
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or in a skillet until warmed through.
Freezing the BBQ chicken thighs always works nicely. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container to freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
FAQs
Simply add the thighs with the sauce and any seasonings to a crockpot and cook on high for 3 hours until the chicken is tender and registers 165ºF on a meat thermometer.
Yes, of course! They will cook low and slow until juicy and tender in the sauce.
No, they can be just partly covered with liquid to allow the meat to fully cook through until moist and tender.
More easy slow cooker recipes
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2.25 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons Busy Cooks BBQ Rub recipe below
- ⅓ cup Busy Cooks Simple BBQ Sauce recipe below
Simple BBQ Rub:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Simple BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Optional Flavor Boosters:
- 1 teaspoon thymeor oregano
- 1–2 teaspoon fruit preserves or jam apricot, peach, or cherry
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry. Sprinkle Simple BBQ Rub evenly over all sides, pressing gently so it sticks.
- Place the chicken thighs skin-side up in the crockpot. Drizzle ⅓ cup Simple BBQ Sauce over the chicken. If using any optional flavor boosters, sprinkle herbs, preserves, or red pepper flakes over the top.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
- When done, transfer the chicken skin-side up to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with additional BBQ sauce (or sauce mixed with preserves if using) and broil 2–3 minutes until skin is nicely caramelized.
- Serve whole or shred for sandwiches, tacos, or salads.
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Notes
– Sear the chicken if desired before adding it to the slow cooker for added flavor.
– Try adding a spoonful of jam to the sauce for a hint of sweetness.
– Add an herb like dried thyme or oregano for a warm flavor.
– Don’t skip broiling the thighs at the end, it caramelizes the sauce nicely. Storing Tips:
– Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
– Reheat in the microwave, oven, or in a skillet until warmed through.
– To freeze the thighs, allow them to cool to room temperature, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container to freeze for up to 2 months.
– When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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