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Fall Apart Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs

Fall apart crockpot BBQ chicken thighs made with bone-in chicken braised low and slow until shreddable. The thick BBQ sauce gets stirred back into the tender chicken so every strand is coated.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 6 bone-in chicken thighs
BBQ sauce and seasoning
  • 2 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Serving
  • 1 Brioche buns
  • 1 coleslaw

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, then rub the spice blend over the chicken to coat each thigh (visual cue: an even dusting on all sides).
Mix the BBQ sauce
  1. Whisk BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks uniform (visual cue: smooth, glossy sauce).
Slow-cook
  1. Place the seasoned chicken into the slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the top so the chicken is mostly submerged (visual cue: sauce pooling around the thighs).
  2. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is completely fall-apart tender (visual cue: the meat tears easily and separates when prodded).
Shred and serve
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks until you have thick strands (visual cue: strands clinging together in the center).
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat thoroughly so it looks saucy and even (visual cue: sauce clings to every strand).
  3. Serve the BBQ chicken on brioche buns with coleslaw, or serve as-is with extra sauce for spoon-over servings (visual cue: buns are stacked and coleslaw sits on top).

Notes

For extra shredding ease, let the chicken rest in the cooker for 5 minutes after cooking, then shred while it’s still hot. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; rewarm gently until hot throughout. Freezer-friendly: freeze shredded chicken and sauce for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-sugar BBQ sauce to reduce sweetness without changing the low-and-slow texture.