Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

This is our easy 3 ingredient slow cooker bbq chicken thighs recipe that comes out tender and delicious! A cheap high protein dinner you’ll love with fresh meat or Crockpot frozen chicken thighs too!

We all agree that slow cooker bbq chicken thighs is the easiest Crockpot recipe we have ever made. This cheap flavorful cut of poultry, bone in or boneless, is the perfect meal that even kids love. Make sweet or spicy and serve with vegetables or rice this week.

Not too long ago we made a honey boneless skinless chicken thighs Crockpot style. They were fantastic so we continued on with other flavors. That one used a homemade sauce (which you could certainly do here), but bottled is always easiest so we went with that this go around.

That is right, all you really need are those two things; chicken and sauce. You don’t need anything else because the meat itself will yield some broth and thin it out a bit. Love spicy? You can add in a little or a lot of chili powder, dry Sriracha, or use an Asian chicken sauce to give it a kick. Just one of our favorite Crockpot chicken recipes, ya’ gotta’ try it.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉

3 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken

You are going to want medium sized fresh or defrosted boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can use bone-in if you wanted to but I feel like they fall apart easier without it and are easier to eat when done too.

I love to use our favorite barbecue sauce. We love Sweet Baby Rays honey style with a bit of heat.

You could easily just add the meat, sauce and for sweetness some pineapple tidbits are great too. The first 2 ingredients are the most important though, everything else is an add on.

Variations

You could add a small can of pineapple tidbits can be used for the 3rd item, which we love for sweetness Or you can just add some more seasonings into the mix like; red pepper flakes to make it spicy, garlic powder and onion powder will give it more of a pop

So I made a Instant Pot bbq chicken thighs and that was a hit. I do love to just throw things in during the morning minutes and have it ready when we are home though so I used low and slow this go around.

Last week we made Air Fryer BBQ Chicken with this same sauce, they were killer. With a little spicy kick to it they weren’t too hot for even the kids. If you just want to dump to coat and skip all the other add ins you’re welcome to do so too.

Is it better to cook boneless or Bone-In chicken in a slow cooker?

There is a slight difference if you do choose to use meat with a bone still inside. That would be the case in the oven too so it makes sense. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, boneless is easier to eat when served though and takes less time to come to temp.

How long does it take to cook raw chicken in a crockpot on low?

I always recommend cooking meat in a slow cooker on low, always. If you use boneless they will be fork tender in about 4 – 4.5 hours. Bone in thighs in slow cooker will take about an hour longer so 5-6 hours.

Does it take longer to cook thighs from frozen?

Keep in mind that whether you’re cooking frozen chicken thighs or fresh like we did here the cook time won’t make a huge difference really. It will add a bit more liquid into the pot though. As it defrosts it will release water and thin the sauce down a bit, just to keep in mind if that is all you have.

The directions for this easy chicken thighs recipe are stupidly simple. Once you make it you will likely not need to come back because it just is what it is. Lay inside, dump everything on top and set to 4-5 hours. I mean seriously…..

How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs with BBQ Sauce in Slow Cooker

Ideally you want to cook on low for about 4 hours or until meat is cooked all the way thru and for tender. Timing will depend on the size of the pieces and whether they are bone in or boneless.

Should you cook chicken on high or low?

I will repeat again, and again, and again. I do not recommend cooking on high ever, unless it is large piece of meat and frozen solid, then maybe. Slow cooking is all about well sloooooooowly warming your food so it soaks in the juices, seasonings and sauce flavors so don’t change it!

How do you crisp chicken skin after slow cooking?

If you wanted to crisp the top a bit, transfer on to a baking sheet and put into oven on broil for 2-3 minutes. You can also pop them into your air fryer at 400 for a few minutes too if you prefer.

If you have two pots you can make this in one and slow cooker brown rice in another. Time it right and serve side by side. They will stay warm for a bit too with the lid on with warm setting on.

How to save leftover cooked chicken thighs

This bbq chicken recipe saves quite nicely and make a great second meal the next day for sure. You want to keep them nice and moist though so keep the sauce inside that pot. Transfer it all into a sealed container and in the fridge for up to 3 days. Spoon sauce over the top and reheat in microwave for about 2 minutes when ready to eat again.