Can I make this recipe with frozen chicken?

No. We always recommend thawing your chicken before cooking it in a crock pot! Slow cookers use a low temperature, which means frozen chicken defrosts slowly and can linger in the USDA's temperature "danger zone" (between 40-140°F) where bad bacteria thrive. If you only have frozen chicken handy, you can thaw frozen chicken in the fridge overnight or submerge an airtight bag of frozen chicken in a dish of cold water for 30 minutes until it thaws, then proceed with the recipe as written.

Can I cook this recipe in the oven?

Yes! Toss chicken with barbecue sauce in a large baking dish and bake at 375° Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that baked chicken may not shred as easily as slow cooker shredded chicken: If you cook your chicken in the oven, you may find it's easier to slice it than to shred it. You can also cut baked chicken into several large pieces and use one piece per sandwich (instead of specifically making shredded barbecue chicken sandwiches).

What should I serve with barbecue chicken sandwiches?

We love turning a pulled chicken sandwich into a complete meal by adding some Greek Yogurt Potato Salad , grilled corn salsa , or beer mac and cheese as a side dish.

Can I make bbq chicken sandwiches for a crowd?

Yes! It's easy to scale this barbecue chicken sandwich recipe up for more servings: just plan to use about 2/3 cup of barbecue sauce for every 1 pound of chicken you cook. (Fun fact: You can also hit the handy "1x", "2x," or "3x" buttons in the recipe card below to scale any recipe for you!) If you're feeding a big group, save time by setting out each component on its own to make a build-your-own shredded chicken sandwiches bar instead of assembling everything yourself.

Can I meal prep these sandwiches ahead of time?

Yes! This chicken is easy to make in advance. Cook the chicken in the slow cooker as directed, shred it, then let it cool completely. Transfer cooled chicken to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months (you may want to toss it with a bit of extra buffalo sauce after defrosting to help restore some of the flavor!) When you're ready to eat, add the chicken to each sandwich straight from the fridge or warm it up in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Description

These shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches are made in the slow cooker for an easy weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large pieces)
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
kosher salt to taste

To Assemble the Sandwiches:

4-6 brioche hamburger buns, halved
2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon lime juice
kosher salt, to taste
2 heaping cups store bought slaw mix

Optional Toppings:

White cheddar cheese slices
Fresh cilantro
Mayonnaise
Ranch dressing
Extra barbecue sauce
Lettuce or mixed greens

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Instructions

Make the Chicken:

Toss chicken breasts, barbecue sauce, and a pinch of salt together in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
Use two forks to carefully shred chicken (do this right in the bowl of the slow cooker: this helps the chicken soak up any extra sauce as it cools!) Set aside while you prep the rest of the sandwich ingredients.

Assemble the Sandwiches:

Toast burger buns using your preferred method. You can use the oven (lay the buns out on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 400° F for 4-8 minutes until toasted), a toaster oven, or a cast iron skillet over medium high heat for this! Just don't skip the toasting step: Toasting the slider rolls adds some much-needed texture to these sliders.
In a small bowl, whisk greek yogurt and lime juice together with a pinch of salt. Pour over slaw mix and toss to combine.
Time to assemble! Top the bottom half of each toasted bun with a big scoop of shredded barbecue chicken and a scoop of slaw (along with any other toppings you like!). Add the top half of the bun and serve immediately.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Add cheese (white cheddar, blue cheese, mozzarella), greens (arugula, mixed greens, your favorite lettuce), chopped cilantro, or sliced pickles if you like. If the sandwiches feel too dry, spread each bun with a bit of mayonnaise or add an extra drizzle of barbecue sauce (ranch and blue cheese dressing are also good on these sandwiches!)

In a hurry? Cook chicken on the crockpot's high heat setting for 3-4 hours.

Which burger buns should I use? We used brioche burger buns in these photos, but use any bread you like! Hoagie rolls, wheat hamburger buns, and pretzel rolls are all good. You can also use hawaiian rolls or small dinner rolls to turn these into sliders, or serve the chicken and slaw in a lettuce wrap for a lighter option.

Store cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. This chicken also freezes well - it will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months (you may want to toss it with some fresh barbecue sauce once it's defrosted for extra flavor!)

Ingredients and Equipment. We used a 5 quart Crock Pot slow cooker in these photos. We've tested this recipe with a variety of barbecue sauces - use whatever you like! We typically have Stubb's or Sweet Baby Ray's sauces on hand.

Food Safety Tip: Always make sure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165° Fahrenheit.