This BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe is such a crowd-pleaser. Even my picky eater gets on board when he hears about whats for dinner. It’s a super easy meal prep recipe for family dinner, a potluck, or even a quick lunch.

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Tender slow-cooked BBQ chicken piled high on a soft bun for an easy family dinner. This make-ahead BBQ chicken sandwich is sweet, smoky, and perfect for busy weeknights.

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Prep Time 12

Cook Time 5

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 239 kcal

Ingredients

2.5 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless
1.5 cups BBQ sauce use store-bought or make your own following our recipe below

Homemade BBQ Sauce (blend together):

6 oz can tomato paste
6 tbsp raw honey
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
0.5 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp chili powder
3 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
0.5 tsp ground mustard

For Serving:

Buns
Coleslaw

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make it Fresh | Slow Cooker Directions:

Optional: If making Homemade BBQ Sauce, add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice).
Add chicken thighs and 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce into slow cooker, mix to coat evenly. (Store remaining sauce in fridge or freezer until day of cooking.)
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Shred chicken, and remove from slow cooker with slotted spoon, place in a large bowl. Mix reserved BBQ sauce into shredded chicken. Serve and enjoy.
Optional: Top BBQ chicken sandwiches with coleslaw, or serve the coleslaw on the side.

Freezer Meal Prep Directions:

Prepare a gallon freezer bag, labeling according to your preferred method.*
Optional: If making Homemade BBQ Sauce, add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice).
Add chicken thighs and 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce into freezer bag. Reserve remaining sauce for serving on day of cooking.
Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and freeze for up to three months.

Slow Cooker | Cooking Directions:

Thaw freezer bag in fridge 12-24 hours before cooking.
Add contents of the freezer bag to a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Shred chicken, and remove from slow cooker with slotted spoon, and place in a large bowl. Mix reserved BBQ sauce into shredded chicken. Serve on buns with extra sauce on the side, and enjoy.
Optional: Top BBQ chicken sandwiches with coleslaw, or serve the coleslaw on the side.

Instant Pot | Cooking Directions:

Thaw in the fridge for 12-24 hours before cooking. (Meals can be cooked from frozen, but some Instant Pots may trigger a burn notice due to slow steam generation.)
Add contents of the freezer bag, plus 1 cup water, to the Instant Pot.
Set to High Pressure for 15 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release followed by a quick release.
Shred chicken, and remove from instant pot with slotted spoon, and place in a large bowl. Mix reserved BBQ sauce into shredded chicken. Serve on buns with extra sauce on the side.
Optional: Top BBQ chicken sandwiches with coleslaw, or serve the coleslaw on the side.

Notes

*Labeling Methods:

Handwrite recipe name and cooking directions on freezer bag with permanent marker.
Print off a blank freezer label, write in recipe name and cooking directions, and tape onto freezer bag.
Use a pre-filled sticker label, just peel and stick to your freezer bag.

Nutrition

Serving: 5ozCalories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 20.5gProtein: 19.9gFat: 9.1g

Keyword Easy BBQ chicken freezer meal, Instant Pot BBQ shredded chicken, Make-ahead BBQ chicken, Pulled BBQ chicken thighs, Slow cooker BBQ shredded chicken

Why You’ll Love this BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe

All the BBQ taste, no grill required.
A delicious and clean homemade BBQ sauce, if thats your vibe.
Can be served on more then just sandwiches, consider serving in a lettuce wrap, as tacos, stuffed in a baked potato, on a salad, in a rice bowl, whatever you like!
Super versitile, you can add some honey or hot sauce to your homemade version to change up the flavor.
Picky eater approved, and if you know what it’s like with a picky eater, THATs a big deal.

What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Coleslaw, giving the perfect creamy, crunchy contrast to the flavors of this BBQ shredded chicken.
Frozen Fries, grab a bag of your favorite cut of fries and toss them in the oven or air fryer.
Garden salad, keep it simple with your favorite bagged salad kit.
Fruit bowls, always a great option especially when serving a bunch of kids.
Corn on the cob, grab it frozen, boil or microwave, and brush with a little butter before adding a sprinkle of salt.

Freezer Notes for BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Recipe will last 3-6 months in the freezer (squeeze out as much air as possible when sealing freezer bag to ensure long-lasting)
As a meat recipe, I recommend thawing for 12-24 hours before cooking. This follows food safety guidelines and makes it much easier to transfer from the freezer bag to your slow cooker/Instant Pot.
Recipe can be frozen after cooking, however this does change the texture and flavor. I recommend freezing raw, not cooked.
When reheating, warm mixture in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or reheat in the microwave in 30–45 second intervals, stirring between each.

Want to Make It Fresh in the Slow Cooker today?

Optional: If making Homemade BBQ Sauce, add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. (You may have to scrape sides once or twice).

Step 1: Add chicken thighs and 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce into slow cooker, mix to coat evenly. (Store remaining sauce in fridge or freezer until day of cooking.)

Step 2: Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Step 3: Shred chicken, and remove from slow cooker with slotted spoon, place in a large bowl. Mix reserved BBQ sauce into shredded chicken. Serve on buns with extra sauce on the side, and enjoy.

Real Mom Tips

Choose a mild BBQ sauce for the fam, then put out hot sauce when serving for those who like it spicy.
If you have leftover sauce, freeze it in an ice cube tray! It’s the perfect size for a single serving or adding a quick flavor blast to other recipes.
Serve toppings family style (I like to do it in little bowls) so everyone can build their own just the way they like it.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Dietary Adjustments:

Make it Gluten-Free: Recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Make it Dairy-Free: Recipe is naturally dairy-free.

Make it Nut-Free: Recipe is naturally nut-free.

Make it Egg-Free: Recipe is naturally egg-free.

NOTE: The homemade BBQ sauce meets all above dietary requirements, if you end up using store bought BBQ sauce make sure to check for any dietary compliance you need.

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FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?

Chicken breasts will definitely work, they just dry out more easily than chicken thighs. If you use chicken breasts, cook for 3-4 hours on low in the slow cooker. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer (165°F is the key temperature). All that said, I’d always recommend chicken thighs because they’re juicier and more tender.

I’m in a time crunch; can I cook this on high instead of low to save time?

I always recommend cooking low and slow because it is the best way to ensure deep flavor and tender meat, so in short, I would not recommend cooking on high in the slow cooker. If you must do it, cook for 2-3 hours, any longer and the chicken can be tough and stringy.

Do I need to stir the chicken throughout the cooking process?

Stirring is not necessary for this recipe, just let the slow cooker work its magic, shred at the end, and stir in so the meat is fully incorporated with the sauce.

How do I make the BBQ sauce less sweet or less tangy, or make it spicier?

Adjusting the sauce is so easy! At the end, you can add a splash of vinegar to increase the tang and cut the sweetness or add a little brown sugar or honey to up the sweetness. To make it spicier, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce. I like to serve hot sauce on the side so everyone can customize the heat level of their chicken.

Should I allow the chicken to rest before serving?

Allowing the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving is a great idea because it allows the juices to redistribute. It makes shredding easier, keeps the meat moister, and ultimately will produce the tastiest BBQ shredded chicken!

Why isn’t the chicken shredding easily?

Most of the time, chicken that won’t shred easily hasn’t been cooked for long enough. If you can, toss it back into the slow cooker for another 30 minutes, or Instant Pot for 5 minutes on High Pressure, and then use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature. Poultry is thoroughly cooked and safe to consume when it is 165°F inside.