Who can resist juicy, tender BBQ boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked with the ease of the slow cooker? Hands-off cooking has never been so easy or delicious! Coated with a simple rub then bathed in your favorite sauce with just a few tweaks, fabulous fall-apart BBQ chicken with layers of flavor is served.
Sometimes dinner has to find a way get on the table even when we are busy doing other things. Enter these easy BBQ chicken thighs. Super simple, but not short on flavor and definitely not short on family approval.
Related Recipes: Tender Roasted Buttermilk Chicken, Crispy Ranch Chicken Tenders
And everyone definitely knows when they’re on the menu too. It’s not long after the slow cooker lid is closed that rich, smoky flavors and simmering sauce waft through the house making tempting promises of the meal to come. One by one, family members drift in, “Are we having that BBQ chicken?”
Ingredients for Crock Pot BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- butter
- Worcestershire sauce
- dijon mustard
- favorite BBQ sauce (or this homemade recipe)
- salt, pepper, garlic, paprika
- crock pot/slow cooker
How to Make the Best Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
The Rub. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Rub on each chicken thigh. Place thighs in bottom of crock pot. Put 1/2 tablespoon pat of butter on each thigh.
The Sauce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix BBQ sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over thighs.
Slow Cooker Magic. Put on the lid and cook on high 3-4 hours.
Variations for this Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe
Sometimes, we like to mix it up sometimes by adding a little heat to our sauce. If you like a spicy kick, you could too! Here are 3 ways we amp it up depending on what we have on hand:
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes,
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce (like Tabasco),
- use this hot BBQ sauce from one of our Memphis favorites as our sauce base.
What to Serve With Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs
Any of these side dishes make a great meal when paired with this simple BBQ chicken recipe:
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Ultimate Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
- Hawaiian Baked Beans
- Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw
This easy Crock Pot Chicken recipe is a great way to gather your people around the table without a lot of fuss. Saucy grins and requests for seconds tell it all!
Other Easy Slow Cooker/ BBQ Recipes You’ll Love
- Cherry Cola BBQ Pulled Pork
- Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches
- Crock Pot BBQ Beef Pot Roast
- Whiskey Peach BBQ Meatballs
- BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
- BBQ Sheet Pan Nachos
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW!
RATE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT OR SNAP A PHOTO.
Easy Crock Pot BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 Tbsp butter FOR EACH THIGH
- 1 3/4 C BBQ sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Rub on each chicken thigh. Place thighs in bottom of crock pot. Put 1/2 Tbsp pat of butter on each thigh.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix BBQ sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over thighs.
- Cook on high 3-4 hours.
I love how easy and quick this easy. What made it for me was mixing the bbq sauce with the dijon mustard. Just enough tanginess for me. Delicious!
Hi, Karla!
I am just tickled that you loved this recipe! It is definitely a go-to for us. And I love jazzing up BBQ sauce for extra layer of flavor!
Would it be possible to double the recipe up the time also? Do you think it would cook fully?
Do you know how many calories you on 1 chicken thigh and is 1 thigh considered a serving?
Thank you
Hi, Terry! I am sorry, but I don’t have the caloric information as it would depend on which BBQ sauce you use in your dish. 1 chicken thigh is a serving size for me, but my husband and son eat two. Hope this helps!
I use a sugar free BBQ sauce. Makes it very low in calories.
Hi, Barbara! Absolutely! Great low carb, low calorie delicious recipe. Love that you are enjoying it!
Hi, Lisa! Yes, doubling the recipe works. I am not sure that you have to double the time though. It should cook the same regardless. Most importantly, chicken should have an internal temperature of 165F when fully cooked. If cooking it longer makes you feel more comfortable, try 6-8 hrs on low. It should be delish!
I made these BBQ boneless thighs last night cooked for 4 hours the best
The meat was so tender
Great little kick to the sauce
I served with roasted potato and a salad
Would definitely recommend trying this recipe
Hi, Terry!
This is awesome! I am just tickled that you loved this recipe! And the potatoes and salad sound like the perfect complements for this dish. Thanks so much!
Our new go-to chicken thigh recipe! Delicious!
Hi, Pam! Thank you for making my day! I’m so glad you love this recipe.
Do you know how much time I should add if I use bone-in thighs?
Hi, Bonnie! I would start with 4 hours, use a meat thermometer to test doneness and add extra time after if needed. Chicken should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.
Dose the chicken have to be on Fall before it goes into the Crock-Pot or can it be frozen?
Hi, Sasha! They can go in frozen. The cook time will be longer however. Look to add at least another hour or so.
I want to replace the Worstershire sauce with something else, any suggestions for a drop in replacement?
Hi, Paul! Do you have another savory sauce or marinade you would like to use? Maybe like Dale’s? (I’m not sure if that is sold in your area.) Honestly, I don’t have another suggestion. The Worcestershire is included to bring a solid umami background flavor to the sauce so that it doesn’t get to sweet, but has a round full flavor. If you have another sauce that is available to you in your area that you prefer and brings the same flavor, I would try that to see what you think!
Is it possible to cook this on low for 8-9 hours while at work or will the chicken come out over cooked? Thanks!
Hi, Sabrina! If needing that much time, I would suggest (1) using frozen thighs and (2) maybe adding a little water- maybe 1/2-1 C just to add a little more liquid. If you try it, let me know how it works out!
I was just wondering if I can replace the thighs with breast?
Hi, Jennifer! Yes, you can. Chicken breast is drier than thighs, so you might want to add 1/2 C water. Just to make sure the chicken stays nice and juicy. Let me know how it goes!
Ok. Thank you so much for responding. I am starting it now and I will let you know how it goes!
Can’t wait to hear about it! You could also do chicken broth/stock instead of water. Just to reinforce flavor.
Do you have an idea of how long to make this using an instant pot instead of a slow cooker?
Hi, Elizabeth! I have not cooked them in an instant pot, but I think I would try about 10 minutes for boneless thighs. Let me know how it goes!
I made these overnight in my crockpot…and just had a small thigh for breakfast (just the small thigh and a slice of rye bread-morning yumminess)! Tasty, juicy and flavorful. Thanks for this recipe. This is a keeper. Too bad I could not upload a photo.
Hi, Michelle! Oh, I wish you could have uploaded a photo too! I would have love to have seen it. If you do Instagram, you can upload and tag me there. What fun! Thank you so much for loving and making this recipe!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious!! I will have this on my rotation from now on. Some of the best I’ve ever had and so easy. I used the SBR no sugar added bbq sauce & I forgot to add the butter but OMG it was good!!
Hi, Marie! That is so awesome! It made my day to hear that you loved it so much. It is definitely a go-to around here!
This was so good…Thank you…Will share with family and friends
Hi, Rachelle! I am so glad you loved this recipe! It is so easy and convenient. Thank you so much!
Making this for the third time for my family! Absolutely love it great recipe! There are never leftovers!
Thanks, Scott! That is fantastic! I am just super tickled that your family loves these chicken thighs. Made my day!
I do t have Dijon mustard. Will it still work or can you suggest a replacement?
Hi, Laura! Regular mustard will definitely work too! Hope you love this easy dinner idea.
Wonderful! Only took about 2 1/2 hours on high in my crockpot. I think longer would dry out the meat. I did use boneless, skinless thighs. Will use again! Thanks.
Hi, Dorothy! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Made my day!
What is the point of the butter since there is already moisture (sauce) on the thighs?
Hi, Lisa! The point of the butter is not moisture, but flavor & texture. It adds a richness and roundness of flavor to the sauce and chicken, as well as keeping the thighs tender as they cook. Because it cooks for a long time, sometimes crock pot chicken can be rubbery in texture. It’s also important to note that this recipe uses real butter, not margarine. Margarine does not deliver the same results. Enjoy!
Made this last night, and good gravy is it ever good!!
Perfect marriage with the bar-b-q sauce and the dijon mustard!!!
Thanks so much for sharing.
My roommate and I loved it !
🙂
Wow, David! You are so very welcome! I am just tickled you loved this crock pot recipe! It’s a favorite go-to at our house!
Would it be ok to cook on low 6-7 hours?
Hi, Stephanie! Yes, that should work just fine! You may want to add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the recipe just to ensure there is enough liquid for the extra cooking time.
I made this tonight and loved it! I just used plain old Kraft BBQ sauce and cooked on high for a little over 4 hours. It came out perfect and not dry at all. This will be on my regular rotation now – thank you!
Hi, Laura! You are so welcome! It makes my day that you will make this recipe on the regular!
Can you use olive oil instead of butter?
Hi, Toni!
In my opinion, olive oil would not be a good substitute for the butter in this recipe for two reasons: taste and texture. Butter contains milk solids, proteins, salt and water in addition to fats while olive oil is only comprised of fats. All of the components of the butter work with the other ingredients to create a fuller bodied, creamy (vs. oily) sauce, in addition to creating just the right flavor profile. Olive oil can bring its own flavor to a dish (depending on which kind is used) and is not a 1:1 substitution, making it a tricky sub in lots of cases.
Was wondering if you can put the bbcue sauce in your recipe on top of the chicken as it is or if you need to cook the bbcue sauce first?
Hi, Helen!
If you would like to put this “doctored” BBQ sauce on top of your chicken after cooking the chicken in the sauce, I usually just use the extra sauce that is in the crock pot. If you would like to whip up this sauce to put it on top of something else, it does need to be cooked first, just to reduce the sauce a bit and let the flavors really come out.