This easy crock pot Shredded BBQ Chicken recipe will have you eating the best tender, melt in your mouth shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches all the time! With a simple homemade Tennessee style BBQ sauce made rich with molasses and strong coffee, this versatile family recipe is sure to become a quick favorite. Plus, I’ve got instructions for making this comfort food in the oven too. It just doesn’t get any better than this!
Don’t you just love a good BBQ sandwich piled high with Creamy Southern Coleslaw? There’s nothing better than a rich, flavor packed sauce mixed with tender chicken, pork or beef that’s been cooked just right.Â
And while we all love a good smoked meat, that’s not always possible. The wood chips. The smoker. Getting up at all hours of the night to check on it. It all produces divine results.
But I’m needing something I can make happen on the every day, even when I’m busy. Something that’s going to bring my family together around the table. Satisfy hungry appetites and bring them back smiling for more.
What You Need To Make BBQ Shredded Chicken
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ketchup
- strong coffee
- apple cider vinegar
- molasses
- brown sugar
- minced garlic
- sweet onion
- Worcestershire sauce
- stone ground mustard
- chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper
Isn’t it good to know that we can make that kind of mouthwateringly delicious BBQ sandwich right at home in our crock pots or ovens? And better yet, it makes aplenty! Which is important because your your family is going to love this!
The only thing better than hearing, “Mom, can I have another one of those sandwiches?” is being able to say “yes, you can.” Whether it’s for seconds or thirds, or even late at night, it’s hard to beat the happiness that comes from knowing you really can serve your family food they’ll love!
Can I Make This Recipe in the Oven?
- Yes, you can! Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken with sauce (MINUS the 1/2 C water) in a large casserole dish. Cover and cook for 30-45 minutes. Shred chicken. Cook 5-10 more minutes and serve.
Can I Make This Recipe Using Dark Meat?
- Yes! Sometimes, I use about 8 boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts when making this recipe. Many BBQ (and chicken) enthusiasts prefer to cook with dark meat because it tends to be more tender and juicy than white meat. It is also easier to shred!
More BBQ Recipes You’ll Love
- Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Crock Pot BBQ Beef Pot Roast
- Cherry Cola BBQ Pulled Pork
- BBQ Sheet Pan Nachos
- Whiskey Peach BBQ Meatballs
- BBQ Pulled Pork & Peach Pizza
Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (Crock Pot Recipe)
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned and trimmed
- 1 C ketchup
- 1 C strong coffee
- 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
- 5 Tbsp brown sugar
- 5 Tbsp molasses
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, minced
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp stone ground mustard
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 C water
Instructions
- Turn slow cooker on low and place chicken side by side in bottom of slow cooker.
- In a medium, bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients to create sauce.
- Pour over chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- When chicken is fall apart tender, use two forks to shred. Mix shredded chicken in sauce and let cook for another 10 minutes. Serve on buns with coleslaw.
Can’t wait to try this! The sauce smells divine. I don’t have any boneless thighs, could you use bone-in? Or would that be too greasy?
Hi, Cathy!
Sure you can use bone-in! Boneless is just convenient for shredding in the crock pot, i.e. you don’t have to take the thighs out, shred them on a cutting board, discard the bones, put the shredded thighs back in the pot. Bone-in thighs are totally doable and delicious, but boneless just eliminates those steps. (and they cook faster with no bones!)
Do you have a substitute for the coffee? And what do you mean by “strong cup of coffee “? I like the smell, but I don’t drink it.
Hi, Jennifer! If you don’t drink coffee, you will still love this sauce. The coffee offers a rich layer of flavor, but there is no “coffee taste” to the sauce. A strong cup of coffee just means the coffee should be a dark, French or espresso roast and have no cream or sugar in it. You could grab some instant coffee (follow the instructions on the back of the coffee to make a cup) to make this sauce if you don’t have a coffee maker. Let me know what you think!
Can you freeze this?
Hi, Jean! You sure can! Enjoy!
Can the chicken be placed in the crockpot without thawing?
Hi, Crystal! You can! I usually don’t and here is why — https://www.southernliving.com/news/is-it-safe-cook-frozen-chicken-crockpot-instant-pot — But as you see in the article, it is possible as long as the chicken reaches 165 F for a period of time at some point during the cooking process.