Description
This Crockpot Honey Barbecue Chicken is sweet, tangy, and irresistibly saucy everything you love about BBQ with almost zero effort. Juicy chicken breasts slowly simmer in a honey-kissed barbecue sauce until they’re fall-apart tender and perfect for shredding. Ideal for busy days, meal prep, or feeding a crowd, this set-it-and-forget-it dinner brings big flavor with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (use your favorite)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in an even layer on the bottom of the crockpot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the honey barbecue sauce mixture over the chicken, turning the pieces gently so they are fully coated in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the crockpot, then stir to thoroughly coat all the meat in the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or a splash more vinegar if you prefer a tangier sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley, on its own, over rice, or piled into sandwiches or sliders.
Notes
- Use a barbecue sauce you truly love the flavor concentrates as it cooks in the slow cooker.
- If your barbecue sauce is already very sweet, reduce the honey slightly or add an extra splash of apple cider vinegar for balance.
- For a thicker, stickier sauce, cook uncovered on HIGH for the last 20–30 minutes to help excess liquid evaporate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker / Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 320 kcal (approx.)
- Sugar: 28 g (approx.)
- Sodium: 650 mg (approx., depending on barbecue sauce)
- Fat: 6 g (approx.)
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g (approx.)
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g (approx.)
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g (approx.)
- Fiber: 0–1 g (approx.)
- Protein: 30 g (approx.)
- Cholesterol: 95 mg (approx.)
Keywords: crockpot honey barbecue chicken, slow cooker BBQ chicken, shredded BBQ chicken, easy crockpot dinner, set it and forget it, honey BBQ chicken