Description
Juicy, tender pulled chicken made in the slow cooker with a homemade spice rub and almost no hands-on time. Use it for sandwiches, tacos, rice bowls, or meal prep. One batch goes a long way.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
-
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne (if using).
-
Place the chicken in the slow cooker. If any chicken breasts are very large, cut them in half for even cooking.
-
Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the chicken, making sure all pieces are well coated.
-
Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke (if using) to the slow cooker.
-
Cover and cook on LOW for 5½–6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily with two forks.
-
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and shred using two forks.
-
Ladle some of the cooking liquid back over the shredded chicken and toss until juicy and well coated.
-
Add BBQ sauce if desired and serve on buns, in tacos, over rice, or however you like.
Notes
LOW vs. HIGH: LOW for 5.5–6 hours gives you more tender, easier-to-shred chicken. HIGH for 3 hours works when you need it faster. Still good, just slightly firmer texture.
Breast and thigh mix: Breasts shred cleanly; thighs stay moist. Using both gives you better texture and flavor than either cut alone.
Cut large breasts in half: Oversized chicken breasts take longer to cook through. Cutting them in half before cooking keeps everything consistent.
Don’t skip the liquid return step: After shredding, ladle the cooking liquid back over the chicken. This keeps it juicy and adds a lot of flavor.
Liquid smoke: Optional, but a teaspoon gives the chicken a subtle smoky flavor. Leave it out if you don’t have it. The spice rub carries plenty of flavor on its own.
BBQ sauce: Not required. The spice rub gives this plenty of flavor on its own. A good BBQ sauce stirred in at the end is a natural addition if you want it, but leaving it out keeps the chicken more versatile for tacos, rice bowls, and salads.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store with some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist.
Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Freeze with some of the cooking liquid. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Stovetop over medium-low with a splash of broth or water is the best method. Microwave works in a pinch. Add a little liquid and cover it to keep it from drying out.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American