Hold up! There is a way to make BBQ chicken without having to haul out the massive beast that typically resides on your patio in the warmer months? You can make BBQ chicken, regardless of the season and the temperature? Well, sign us up for this recipe because it is just too good to be true, right?
Wrong! There is a way to make mouth-watering BBQ chicken in the comfort of your kitchen even as the winter winds howl outside and the snow is swirling. All you need is the chicken, the right ingredients, and the best kitchen appliance there is for versatile recipes – the slow cooker.
Using the slow cooker in the right way, having the right ingredients; this all means when you get home from the office after a long day at work – supper is basically ready to serve and enjoy. And what better news could there be than that after working all day, battling the snow on your way home, and starving for something that is wholesome and filling, and didn’t come from a can? Not much.
Frozen or Fresh Chicken
When it comes to slow cooker recipes, you typically have to add water into the appliance for each one, so it can be hard to use frozen chicken in them as the water contained within the chicken comes out full force once it unthaws.
Typically, the majority of meat or poultry recipes that are prepared using a slow cooker requires or recommends you use fresh chicken to prevent an overabundance of water that can “soak” into the chicken, making it slimy and hard to digest.
Frozen chicken can be used in a pinch but try unthawing it almost completely before adding it to the slow cooker or rolling it in flour to soak up an additional moisture.
What to Pair with this Dish
The beauty of this dish is that is pairs well with any type of side that you can think of! The best pairings is something that is light but full of taste because the protein in the chicken will definitely fill you up.
A garden salad is one of the ideal pairings and you also get your dose of fresh vegetables with this one. Think lots of greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.), fresh veggies (carrots, red onion), and a fun topping such as in-season berries (strawberries, raspberries) or walnuts. Top with your favorite salad dressing and voila! A side dish fit for royalty when paired with this slow cooker BBQ chicken.
Not in the mood for a salad? Then a macaroni dish is another safe and satisfying bet. You could have pasta with fresh garlic butter, macaroni and cheese for the ultimate comfort dish, or even crusty bread with butter.
Another great option is to use this BBQ chicken to make a pulled chicken sandwich on a fresh Kaiser bun. Yummy!
Ingredients for Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken:
- 1 ½ cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
- 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon of dry, minced onion
How to prepare the Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken:
Step 1: Prep
Assemble all your ingredients together in an easily accessible place.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. You can add more if you wish but this is just to prevent the chicken from sticking and to get the flavour of the sauce throughout the chicken breast.
Add a small amount of water to the slow cooker to allow the chicken to cook while you are at work or doing other things.
Step 2: Add Chicken
Add chicken to slow cooker and sprinkle dry onion over the entire chicken breasts. You can add the chicken as whole breasts as you will slice them later. If you prefer, you can slice the chicken breasts in halves to encourage cooking. Pour the remaining BBQ sauce over the tops of the chicken breasts. Set aside about ½ cup of the BBQ sauce to use later in the recipe.
Step 3: Cook
Cover the chicken and cook on high heat for approximately 3 to 4 hours. If you want to prepare this recipe while you are at work – then put the slow cooker on low heat and leave the chicken roasting for approximately 5 to 6 hours. The low heat method and longer cooking time works the best and the chicken will be tender and juicy rather than dry (and overcooked).
Step 4: Shred
When there is approximately an hour left to the cook time for the chicken, remove it from the slow cooker and let cool. Once the chicken has been cooled, use a knife or your fingers to shred it into bite-sized slivers.
Step 5: Finish Cooking
Return the now shredded chicken to the slow cooker for the next hour to complete the cooking process. Stir the chicken occasionally over the next hour to prevent it from cooking onto the slow cooker. This is where you could add the additional BBQ sauce, if needed. The shredded chicken will absorb the BBQ sauce at a faster rate and send the flavours throughout the full dish.
Step 6: Serve
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and get ready to chow down. Do a little more shredding and mixing to infuse the flavours. Load it up on a bun. Serve this one hot and enjoy!
