Who can resist juicy, tender southern BBQ chicken thighs cooked with the ease of a slow cooker? Coated with a simple rub, then bathed in your favorite barbecue sauce with a few secret upgrades, these chicken thighs are fabulously saucy, fall-apart delicious and perfect for dinner any day of the week.
More Ways to Prepare Chicken: Tender Roasted Buttermilk Chicken, Crispy Ranch Chicken Tenders, Crispy Southern Fried Chicken
Table of Contents
Hands Off Cooking At Its Best
Sometimes a home cooked meal has to find a way get on the table even when we are busy doing other things. Enter slow cooking and these saucy, juicy chicken thighs. Super simple, but never short on flavor and definitely not short on family approval.
And everyone definitely knows when they’re on the menu too. It’s not long after the slow cooker lid is closed that the rich, smoky flavors of 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?”
What To Know Before Getting Started
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- butter (salted)
- Worcestershire sauce
- dijon mustard
- your favorite BBQ sauce (or this homemade bbq sauce)
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
- crockpot/slow cooker
Substitutions/ Variations
Dark meat is full of flavor, tender and juicy, so it really creates great results for this recipe. If you aren’t a fan, chicken breasts can be as a substitute, but they are a naturally drier meat.
Don’t have dijon mustard? Feel free to use brown, spicy or yellow mustard instead.
Ways to Make This Recipe Spicy
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:
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes,
- 1-2 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco),
- use this hot BBQ sauce from one of our Memphis favorites as our sauce base.
How to Make Slow Cooker BBQ 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 ½ 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 or low for 5-6 hours.
Make Your Sauce Thicker
This takes an extra step but is totally worth it if you are looking for a more “sticky sauce” experience or are wanting a “gravy” for mashed potatoes or rice.
Remove the cooked chicken thighs from the sauce using a slotted spoon or tongs. Pour the sauce into a sauce pan. Place the sauce pan on the stove over medium heat until it reduces to the thickness you desire. Stir to keep it from sticking.
Storing and Reheating
Got leftovers? They can be stored with their sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the sauce in a sauce pan on the stove top. This will render way better results than the microwave. Make sure to have some buns waiting in the pantry. Leftovers make great sandwiches!
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
- Tasty, Easy Roasted Broccoli
- Southern Green Beans & New Potatoes
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Frito Corn Salad
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw
Other Southern BBQ Recipes You’ll Love
(The first 4 are slow cooker recipes!)
- 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
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!
Southern Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs (Crockpot)
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon butter FOR EACH THIGH
- 1 ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Rub on all sides of each chicken thigh. Place thighs in bottom of crock pot. Put ½ tablespoon pat of butter on top of each thigh.
- In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together BBQ sauce, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over thighs.
- Cook on high in your slow cooker for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
Originally published April 2020. Updated January 2026.
Janet
This recipe is delicious and so quick to make, people you have got to try it. Great recipe and I thank you for sharing it with us.
Hi, Janet! You are very welcome! And thanks a million! I am so tickled you loved this recipe!
Jeanie
I dice up a small onion and put in the very bottom of the crockpot before I add anything else…love it! I serve it with mashed potatoes and peas 😊
Hi, Jeanie! Thank you for making and loving this recipe! I am tickled you serve these BBQ chicken thighs with mashed potatoes. I love them like that- using the sauce as a little gravy!
Kat
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I serve the chicken over white or brown rice. I totally recommend.
Hi, Kat! Awesome! Thank you, thank you! I am so tickled you love these easy crockpot chicken thighs!
Terri Rohrback
My family loves this. Quick and easy with some steamed broccoli and rice.
Hi, Terri! I am so tickled to hear this! Thank you so much. Sounds like the perfect weeknight dinner!
Terry Progin
So good and easy’
Hi, Terry! Thank you so much!
CMBerman
Super simple. Done in no time. Served with yellow rice.
Love this! Thank you!
Kathy
This was amazing! I put regular mustard instead of Dijon by mistake and it still tasted delicious! I served it with rice and steamed mixed veggies. Has lots of sauce too which was nice. I wish I would have taken a pic though. Next time! I’ll definitely be making this again. Maybe I’ll serve them with mashed potatoes next time. Thanks for sharing your recipe. 👌🏻😋
Hi, Kathy! Awesome! I would love to see a pic! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I like lots of sauce too! So good over rice or potatoes served on the side. ❤️
Lily M
Absolutely delicious! Went very well with mashed potatoes and frozen peas & carrots. Simple and easy with great results.
Hi, Lily! Love it!! Thank you! I am so tickled you enjoyed this recipe!
Pat
excellent !!! easy I fixed this on a hot summer day for company and it was delish and did not heat up the kitchen.
Hi, Pat! Thank you so much!! Love this! And thank you for making it to share with company. That’s what good food is all about! ❤️
SonRay
These Chicken Thighs look delicious! I’m going to plan to make this weekend! Think I’ll cook them without the sauce and put bbq sauce on the side!
Dee
I just made this chicken today. Very easy and absolutely delicious! I love slow cooker meals like this! It pairs well with my spicy baked beans. This is the 1st recipe I have tried from your site…definitely won’t be my last! Thank you!!!
HI, Dee! Yay!! You are so welcome! This makes my day. ❤️ I can’t wait to hear more!
Dawn
can you cook in slow cooker for 6 hrs on low instead?
Hi, Dawn! Yes, you can! Let me know how it goes!
Dawn
Tried it yesterday for 6 hours in the crockpot on low, and it was perfect! The meat literally fell off the bone, we cut it with a fork! Served it with a rice pilaf, and we definitely will be making this again!
Love it!! So glad! Thank you for making this recipe!
Judy
This is a very delicious recipe!! I didn’t have dijon but used yellow mustard instead.
Hi, Judy! That’s awesome! Thanks so much!
Donna Turner
So Delicious and my family loves the chicken.
Hi, Donna! I am so tickled to hear this! Makes my day!
Janice Ochs
One of our favorite meals! Made it many times
Thanks, Janice! This makes my day!
Helen
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.
Toni
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.
Laura
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!
Stephanie Johnston
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.
DAVID SCOTT JEFFREY
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!
Lisa
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!
Dorothy Wolfe
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!
Laura
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.
Scott A Doyle
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!
Rachelle
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!
Marie
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!
Michelle
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!
Elizabeth LeConey
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!
Jennifer Tidwell
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!
Jennifer Tidwell
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.
Sabrina
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!
Bonnie Traboulsi
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.
Sasha Bland
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.
Paul
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!
Terry
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!
Pam
Our new go-to chicken thigh recipe! Delicious!
Hi, Pam! Thank you for making my day! I’m so glad you love this recipe.
Lisa
Would it be possible to double the recipe up the time also? Do you think it would cook fully?
Terry
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!
Barbara
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!
Karla
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!