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This Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is the ultimate easy meal prep idea! Pulled chicken thighs in a delicious, homemade barbecue sauce. Perfect for BBQ chicken baps, wraps and tacos – and completely gluten and dairy free. One of my fave easy slow cooker chicken recipes.

BBQ pulled chicken in the slow cooker.
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I absolutely love this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe and I just know you will too! It’s SO ridiculously easy to make, I often make it as part of my weekly meal prep.

You can just chuck a big batch in to cook, then enjoy it in soft gluten free bread rolls, in gluten free tortilla wraps as tacos or burritos, or served on loaded skin on fries.

I even use the leftovers in salads and sandwiches for an easy lunch option. This slow cooker BBQ chicken is so versatile!

The chicken thighs cook in a homemade BBQ sauce which is made up of simple storecupboard ingredients and is completely gluten and dairy free.

So if you need a failsafe gluten free slow cooker chicken recipe, this is about to become your new best friend for your meal plans.

Make sure you also check out some of my other easy slow cooker recipes, including my Slow Cooker Spanish Chicken and my Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Curry.

Tacos filled with BBQ pulled chicken and fresh tomatoes.

Ingredients

There’s a printable recipe card for these Crock Pot BBQ Chicken below. But here are the ingredients you’ll need for the shopping list.

  • Chicken Thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets for this recipe. You could use chicken breast but I find the meat dries out quicker in the slow cooker.
  • Onion: Use a brown onion or red onion, or omit if you’d rather not include this.
  • Tomato Ketchup: Most tomato ketchup is gluten free but always double check.
  • Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce: This can be found in the free from aisle, or use Henderson’s Relish instead.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: This adds a lovely tang to the gluten free BBQ sauce.
  • Honey: For sweetness, you can swap this for 1 tbsp brown sugar instead if you prefer. I just love a honey BBQ sauce!
  • Smoked Paprika: For that authentic smoky barbecue flavour.
  • Garlic Granules: You can use fresh minced garlic if you prefer.
  • Onion Salt: I find this adds a great flavour to the BBQ sauce.
BBQ pulled chicken in the slow cooker.

How to make BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this slow cooker pulled chicken is to make.

Adding chicken, onion and the BBQ sauce ingredients to the crock pot.

Peel and finely slice the onions. Add to the slow cooker pan along with the chicken thigh fillets.

Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker pan and mix everything thoroughly so the chicken is coated.

Adding the pulled chicken back into the slow cooker BBQ sauce.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Once done, remove the chicken from the pan with tongs onto a chopping board.

Use two forks to shred or ‘pull’ the chicken. Then add it back into the slow cooker and mix well in the sauce. Serve hot.

Storing and Freezing

I love this slow cooker chicken recipe because it’s so perfect for batch cooking! Make a double batch and keep the leftovers for all sorts of tasty meals.

Any leftover pulled chicken can be cooled completely then portioned into tubs and kept in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat thoroughly before eating.

You can also portion it into tubs or bags, label them and freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat from frozen to use in your favourite recipes when time is short!

BBQ pulled chicken in the slow cooker.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many delicious ways you can eat this Crock Pot Pulled Chicken recipe. Here are some of my top suggestions!

Tacos filled with BBQ pulled chicken and fresh tomatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about this easy slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe. If you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!

Which slow cooker do you recommend?

I absolutely love my Morphy Richard’s Sear and Stew Slow Cooker. It’s perfect because the pan can be used on the hob too! Ideal for recipes where you want to sear meat or cook off aromatics like onions before slow cooking. The pan is also dishwasher safe and really light and easy to lift, unlike some ceramic ones.

Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can put raw chicken in the slow cooker! You don’t always need to brown meat first, I only do this for something like a chicken casserole, where it’s important to get that distinctive taste from browning the meat and veg (called the maillard reaction). This slow cooker chicken recipe is designed to ‘dump and go’ with no browning or pre-cooking needed!

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.

BBQ pulled chicken in the slow cooker.
5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs in a delicious, homemade barbecue sauce. Perfect for BBQ chicken baps, wraps and tacos – and completely gluten and dairy free.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 600 g skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets
  • 1 onion
  • 75 g tomato ketchup
  • 50 ml water
  • 1 tsp gluten free Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic granules
  • 0.5 tsp onion salt

Instructions 

  • Peel and finely slice the onions. Add to the slow cooker pan along with the chicken thigh fillets.
  • Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker pan and mix everything thoroughly so the chicken is coated.
  • Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Once done, remove the chicken from the pan with tongs onto a chopping board and use two forks to shred or ‘pull’ the chicken. 
  • Add the chicken back into the slow cooker and mix well in the sauce. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Step-by-Step Photos: Check out the blog post above for step-by-step photos to guide you through how this BBQ Pulled Chicken should look at each stage.
  • Storing: Check out the blog post above for more information on storing and freezing this Slow Cooker Chicken recipe.
  • Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* rating and tell all your gluten free friends about this BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portion | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 4g
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
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About Sarah Howells

Hi, I'm Sarah! Diagnosed with coeliac disease 20 years ago, I'm on a mission to create the best gluten free recipes since sliced bread. No fruit salads or dry brownies here.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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