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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken

  • Author: Avery
  • Total Time: About 6 hours 10 minutes (LOW) or 3 hours 10 minutes (HIGH)
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten-Free (if using gluten-free BBQ sauce and buns)

Description

This Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken is sweet, tangy, and just a little smoky, with juicy shreds of chicken soaking up a rich barbecue-brown sugar sauce. It’s the kind of set-it-and-forget-it dinner that fills your kitchen with cozy, crave-worthy smells and makes weeknights (or casual gatherings) feel special with almost no effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
  • Burger buns, for serving
  • Coleslaw, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, turning the pieces so they’re well coated.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  5. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board or large bowl and shred using two forks.
  6. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well so all the meat is coated in the sauce. Let it sit on WARM for 10–15 minutes to soak up more flavor, if time allows.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt, pepper, or a splash of vinegar if needed.
  8. Serve the pulled chicken piled onto burger buns and topped with coleslaw, if desired.

Notes

  • You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for an even juicier pulled chicken.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after shredding, leave the lid off and cook on HIGH for 15–20 minutes to thicken slightly.
  • For a less sweet version, reduce the brown sugar to 1/3 cup or choose a more tangy barbecue sauce.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6–7 hours (LOW) or 3–4 hours (HIGH)
  • Category: Main Course, Slow Cooker, Sandwiches
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (about 1 sandwich worth of meat)
  • Calories: 320 kcal
  • Sugar: 20 g (estimate, varies with BBQ sauce)
  • Sodium: 650 mg (estimate, including sauce but excluding bun)
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 0–1 g
  • Protein: 32 g
  • Cholesterol: 110 mg

Keywords: slow cooker pulled chicken, brown sugar pulled chicken, crockpot BBQ chicken, easy weeknight dinner, sweet and savory chicken sandwiches

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Find it online: https://averyrecipes.com/slow-cooker-brown-sugar-pulled-chicken/