4.77 from 17 votes

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

ByKristy Richardson Hours Hours Updated
4 hours 10 minutes
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Slow cooker bbq chicken thighs are the perfect easy weeknight dinners. Savory and tender, these delicious chicken thighs are flavorful and easy to pair with a quick side. Your whole family will love the bbq flavors, and you’ll love letting the slow cooker do the work!

Boneless chicken thighs cooked in bbq sauce close up in a slow cooker from above with other bowls of vegetable next to the crockpot nearby.


 

Why We Love Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

  • Tender Chicken Every Time – The slow cooker and sauce keeps this delicious chicken tender and moist every time, and it’s easy to pair with a simple side dish for an easy dinner.
  • Quick And Easy To Make – This recipe only takes a little bit of prep and minimal effort, the slow cooker does most of the work for busy weeknights. You can even prep it the night before and then throw it in the crock pot in the morning. You will only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe, no hard work needed.
  • Great For Meal Prep– This easy recipe is a great way to prep ahead for the week, and leftover barbecue chicken thighs can be changed into other dishes. See variation ideas further down the page for more ways to use the easiest bbq chicken!

These five ingredient chicken drumsticks are another easy and delicious slow cooker chicken dinner. Or try the slow cooker buffalo chicken dip which is great as a dip or on a sandwich.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

Ingredients for slow cooker bbq chicken thighs in bowls on a counter with text title labels from above.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

  • paprika
  • garlic powder
  • salt
  • pepper
  • boneless chicken thighs  can use bone-in chicken thighs also
  • BBQ Sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays, but you can use your favorite barbecue sauce

Slow cooker chicken recipes save me so much time and effort. Try these slow cooker five-ingredient drumsticks or the slow cooker pineapple bbq chicken sliders, or the slow cooker bbq chicken wings are great for a party. This chicken recipe is also great if you add a side of this slow cooker broccoli casserole.

How To Make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

  1. In a small bowl add paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix and set to the side.
Spices being mixed together in a bowl from above on a counter.
  1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray. Trim the chicken thighs on a cutting board.
  2. Sprinkle half of the seasoning over the chicken thighs. Give them a quick rub, then flip over the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the other half of the seasoning over the chicken thighs. Roll each thigh as they naturally roll and place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker with the rolled side down
Raw boneless chicken thighs on a cutting board from above being rubbed with spices with one chicken thigh flipped over to the back.
Raw spiced chicken thighs in the slow cooker from above with a bottle of bbq sauce on the counter nearby.
  1. Pour the bbq sauce over the chicken thighs. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on low heat. You can switch the machine to warm if you need to wait until later to enjoy.
Raw boneless chicken thighs in a slow cooker base covered in bbq sauce from above.
Cooked chicken thighs in bbq sauce in the base of a slow cooker from above with vegetables and mashed potatoes in bowls nearby.

Optional Broiling

  1. Turn on the broil setting on the oven. Cover a baking sheet with alminum foil and spray lightly with cooking oil. Remove the chicken thighs and place on the pan with a little space in between each one. Use a silicone brush and brush extra sauce generously on top of the chicken thighs.
Cooked boneless chicken thighs on aluminum foil being brushed with bbq sauce.
  1. Place the chicken under the broiler to crisp up the outside a little, usually 1-3 minutes. Be careful to watch closely as we want them to crisp but not burn. Serve and enjoy!
Boneless bbq chicken thighs on a plate with vegetables with other serving dishes full of food nearby on the table.

Variation Ideas

  • Swap The Chicken Type – – Bone in chicken thighs, chicken legs or little drumsticks also work in this recipe. You can use chicken breast also if you prefer, but the cook time will likely be shorter and they will be tastier if shredded into the sauce.
  • Add Vegetables– You can add vegetables straight to the slow cooker if you prefer, though they will be covered in BBQ sauce. I like adding frozen corn sometimes. This is also a great recipe to divide the crockpot into two sections (these silicone slow cooker dividers help, just make sure you get the right size for your slow cooker.) and cook potatoes on one side and chicken on the other side of the slow cooker.
  • Serve As Shredded Chicken- These tender chicken thighs can be served as a full piece, but can also be shredded easily with two forks to make shredded chicken, also known as pulled chicken. Shredded bbq chicken is delicious on a roll for a sandwich, in a wrap, or over creamy garlic mashed potatoes. It can also be used to make nachos or be added on top of pizza dough for a bbq chicken pizza the next day which is my favorite way to finish the leftovers.

These chicken thighs cook low and slow to make them extra tender, just like the slow cooker pork loin , slow cooker pineapple pork loin, and the slow cooker Mississippi pot roast which are both also easy slow cooker dinners.

What To Make With BBQ Chicken Thighs

A serving spoon lifting a scoop of roasted potatoes and green beans.

Here are a few ideas of side dishes that are really delicious with these crockpot bbq chicken thighs to round out the meal.

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Roasted Green Beans And Potatoes

Hot German Potato Salad With Bacon

Cranberry Apple Salad

Easy 10 Minutes Coleslaw

Honey Roasted Baby Carrots

Dreamy Mashed Sweet Potato

How Long Will BBQ Chicken Thighs Last?

Expect bbq chicken thighs will last for about three days. Store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator.

My family really enjoys when I make leftovers into bbq chicken pizza!

Leftover chicken can be frozen, but I recommend shredding it when freezing. Extra bbq sauce may be needed once it is reheated.

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

See All The Chicken Recipes
Square view of bbq chicken thighs in bbq sauce in a slow cooker with a spoon resting in the sauce.
Recipe

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs


Author Kristy Richardson
Course Dinners
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6
These juicy, easy to make slow cooker bbq chicken thighs are so tender! Perfect for weeknight meals or meal prep, you'll love how tasty and simple this recipe is.

Ingredients  

  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs 2 1/2 to 3 pounds can be used in this recipe easily and is about 6 to 8 boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ cups BBQ Sauce I used Sweet Baby Rays but you can use your favorite bbq sauce

Instructions

  • In a small bowl add paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix and set to the side.
  • Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray. Trim the chicken thighs on a cutting board.
  • Sprinkle half of the seasoning over the chicken thighs. Give them a quick rub, then flip over the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the other half of the seasoning over the chicken thighs. Roll each thigh as they naturally roll and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker with the rolled side down
  • Pour the bbq sauce over the chicken thighs. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on low. You can switch the machine to warm if you need to wait until later to enjoy.

Optional Broiling

  • Turn on the broil setting on the oven. Cover a sheetpan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking oil. Remove the chicken thighs and place on the sheetpan with a little space in between each one. Use a silicone brush and brush extra sauce generously over the chicken thighs.
  • Place the chicken under the broiler to crisp up the outside a little, usually 1-3 minutes. Be careful to watch closely as we want them to crisp but not burn. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Boneless chicken thighs are safe to eat when they reach a temperature inside of 165 degrees when using a meat thermometer. Boneless chicken thighs do tend to be more tender if cooked to between 170-180 degrees.

Nutrition

Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 1270mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 334IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword BBQ, chicken, crock pot, slow cooker

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HI There, I'm Kristy Here you will find ideas for helping kids have fun with food, recipes both kids and parents love, great tips and a little bit of humor. I hope you find an idea your family loves.

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