How to make BBQ chicken in the slow cooker! Perfectly seasoned with lot’s of smokey flavor!
An Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe!Â
Hey friends! I have another slow cooker recipe for you to enjoy! This time we are making BBQ chicken in the slow cooker. If you don’t want to grill, or unable to- this is the perfect alternative!
For this recipe I usually use a whole chicken, and cut it into eight pieces. However, you can use whatever pieces that you’d like to use!
While you’re here, check out some of my other BBQ recipes!
Remember to subscribe to my mailing list and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube!
Check out my video tutorial!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
This slow cooker BBQ Chicken recipe is summertime ANY TIME! Tangy, sweet BBQ sauce and tender chicken brings the taste of summer to your slow cooker - and it's super easy!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp liquid smoked I use hickory flavor
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 2 tsp seasoning salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper if your seasoning salt does not have black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp parsley flakes optional
- 1 - 1 1/2 cup BBQ sauce I used my Mango Peach BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Make sure that the chicken is nice and clean.
- Drizzle on the olive oil, liquid smoke, and apple cider vinegar.
- Now season the chicken with all of the seasonings, and make sure that the chicken is nicely coated.
- Toss the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker, and set on Low.
- Let cook for 4 hours.
- Line a cookie sheet or bake dish with foil, and spray with nonstick spray.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker, and place on the cookie sheet.
- Brush the BBQ sauce on the chicken
- Place the chicken in the oven, uncovered, and broil until the sauce is nice and sticky.
- Remove from the oven, and add more sauce.
- Place back into the oven until the sauce is sticky.
- Remove from the oven.
- Let cool.
- Serve, and enjoy!
If you loved this recipe, leave me a review below. This helps future
recipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!
© 2025 I Heart Recipes
This looks so darn good! Pinned. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t rate the recipe yet because I haven’t made it, but I will. Just one question Rosie and I know this is going to sound dumb but when you put it back into the slow cooker you do take all of the liquid out right! 🙂 Think I will remove it, get rid of the fat and make a dipping sauce with it! Looks good Rosie, thanks!
Yes, remove the liquid.
should this be cooked in the slow cooker on high or low for 4hrs
Hi Liz! It should be on low 🙂
This made be a dump question Rosie. But when you say out the chicken on cookie sheet on broil. Do I let broil 20 minutes. I am sorry I am confused. I just want make sure it comes out right.
20 minutes is far too long. Try 5 minutes or so.
Thanks so much for these awesome recipes
Quick question shoul I leave the skin on for this recipe.
Thanks in advance
Hi there. Yes, leave the skin on.
THanks a ton I made it today and it came out amazing. First time using a slow cooker. Thanks a mil for this awesome site
Thank you for trying my recipe TJ 🙂
Hi Rosie,
I want to make your slow cooker barbecue chicken. However, I do not have liquid smoke. Is there a substitution for Liquid Smoke?
Thanks,
R
The liquid smoke is the key ingredient for the smokey flavor. There are no substitutions. However, some people just like using hickory BBQ sauce.
Okay great, thanks for your quick response. I shall purchase it.
Loved this recipe thanks Rosie
Thanks Roxanne!
This comes out great every time. I also pour that beginning seasoning and liquid mixture into the slow cooker
Came out very good and it was easy to make!!
Thanks for trying India!
I absolutely love this recipe Rosie! Thank you so much for it. I cooking 9 lbs of chicken this weekend and tripled the ingredients. The only thing I did different was cook it on high for 4 – 5 hours in the crockpot. This was the first thing gone at the bbq this weekend. The family was asking for more and I shared your recipe with them as well. Thank you again Rosie!
This recipe tastes great! It’s cheap and easy to make! Congrats on another recipe well done!
Thank you!
I love you recipes. Can this be oven made if you dont have a slow cooker?
Yes it can 🙂
I made this for dinner so tasty…
Quick question. What should the oven temp be?
I made this recipe using your RosaMae Seasoning Salt and Poultry Seasoning. They made this dish next level amazing! Thank you!
YAY!!! Glad that you liked the recipe, AND Rosamae Seasonings! XOXOXOXO!
This recipe already looks and smells more savory then the barbecue flavor I usually get with just a bottle of sauce. Looking forward to the final product. I am using a 5 pound chicken, so I’m going to leave it in the crockpot for an extra hour before I start using the sauce
Has become one of my go to recipes. It’s Amazing! I used boneless Chicken breast so cooked them for 3-3.5hrs to not dry them out
I made this recipe in the instant pot instead of the slow cooker for 15 min. and it came out perfect.
Stupid question………..do you need to add any liquid to the bbq chicken in the crock pot…..any water broth……or cook it “dry”…..
Sorry forthe late response, but you would cook it as directed 🙂
Love the Recipes