Description
Tender boneless chicken breasts slow-cooked in a sweet, tangy barbecue sauce, then shredded for easy sandwiches, tacos, pizza, nachos, salads, and rice bowls.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, with visible fat trimmed
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, reduced to 1/8 cup if preferred
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Coat the inside of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Trim the chicken breasts and season both sides with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Arrange the seasoned chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Whisk the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, light brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Pour the barbecue mixture evenly over the chicken, turning the pieces when needed to coat them.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Check the thickest chicken breast with an instant-read thermometer and confirm it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shred the cooked chicken with two forks directly inside the slow cooker or on a cutting board.
- Return all shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir until thoroughly coated with sauce.
- Let the chicken rest in the warm sauce for 10 minutes, then serve on toasted buns or in tacos, pizza, nachos, salads, or rice bowls.
Notes
- For a less sweet sauce, reduce the brown sugar to 1/8 cup or omit it.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled pulled chicken in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm a larger amount in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add a small amount of water or barbecue sauce during reheating if the chicken appears dry.
- Always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 26
- Sodium: 970
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: 95