This recipe for slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs couldn't be easier! You only need 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes prep time. You can either serve the chicken thighs saucy, straight out of the slow cooker, or, broil them afterwards for more smoky flavor!
Cooking flavorful and tender chicken thighs in the crock pot could not be easier than this 3 ingredient recipe! With store-bought barbecue sauce and seasoned salt, you can add a ton of sweet and tangy flavor to the chicken thighs without a lot of extra work.
In this recipe, I also include an optional step for broiling the chicken thighs after cooking. While the chicken tastes amazing straight from the slow cooker, if you want to add a beautiful caramelization on the outside of the chicken, broiling is the way to go!
Chicken crock pot favorites
I have a couple other chicken crock pot recipes that I really love, check out my recipes for slow cooker chicken and corn soup and slow cooker shredded chile chicken!
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Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Chicken thighs: you need boneless, skinless chicken thighs. However, you can also substitute an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken breast.
- Seasoned salt: I used Lawry's seasoned salt. Anything similar will work well in this recipe. If you don't have seasoned salt, I include a recipe for making your own in the Tips and tricks section below.
Step by step photos
Here's how to make the slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs, step by step:
Step 1
Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning salt.
Step 2
Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken thighs. Use tongs to rotate the chicken pieces so they are all covered with the sauce.
Step 3
Cover the slow cooker and cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low.
Step 4
If you want to broil the BBQ chicken thighs, place them on a baking tray and dab (or drizzle on) some extra sauce from the crock pot onto the chicken.
Step 5
Broil the chicken for 2 - 4 minutes, or until caramelized.
Tips and tricks
If desired, you can trim the fat from the chicken thighs before cooking. I don't usually bother, but if you don't want the barbecue sauce that's left over in the slow cooker to get too greasy, trimming the fat will help.
If you don't have seasoned salt, you can just season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Or, use another spice blend that you like, such as Cajun seasoning. If the spice blend you are using doesn't contain salt, add a sprinkle of salt to the chicken as well.
You can also mix up your own seasoned salt at home, using this recipe:
- 1 tablespoon fine-grain salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
Use two teaspoons of the homemade seasoned salt for the recipe, and save the rest in an airtight container.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute 2 ½ pounds of bone-in chicken thighs for the 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs. You may want to remove the skin after cooking, since it won't get crispy in the slow cooker.
Yes, you can substitute an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breast for the boneless skinless chicken thighs. If using chicken breasts, it works very well to shred the chicken directly in the crock pot after it's cooked, so the chicken pieces mix in with all of the sauce!
What to serve with slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs:
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Print📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs (3 Ingredients!)
This BBQ chicken thighs recipe couldn't be easier! You only need 3 basic ingredients and about 5 minutes prep time. The chicken cooks in only 2 hours in the crock pot when cooked on high (or 4 hours on low).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, Main course
- Method: crock pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup (288 g) barbecue sauce
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt (I used Lawry's) (note 1)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in the crock of a large slow cooker. (If desired, trim the fat from the chicken thighs first.) Sprinkle them on both sides with the seasoned salt.
- Pour the barbecue sauce overtop the chicken. Use tongs to rotate the chicken pieces, making sure they are coated all around with the sauce. Arrange the chicken thighs so that they are spread evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours (or until the chicken has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
- Serve the chicken as-is, with extra sauce from the slow cooker spooned overtop. Or, to caramelize the chicken thighs, follow the optional broiling step below.
Optional broiling:
- Preheat the broiler on high. Move the cooked chicken thighs to a rimmed baking tray. Dab on additional sauce from the slow cooker on top of the chicken thighs. (Or, for a thicker coating, dab on some extra barbecue sauce from the bottle.)
- Broil on the top rack of the oven (about 3 - 5 inches from the top) for 2 - 4 minutes, or until browned.
Notes
1. If you don't have seasoned salt, you can season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste. Or, you can make your own homemade seasoned salt using this easy recipe:
-
- 1 tablespoon fine-grain salt
-
- 1 teaspoon paprika
-
- ½ teaspoon sugar
-
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
-
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
-
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
-
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
-
- ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
Use two teaspoons of the homemade seasoned salt for the recipe, and save the rest in an airtight container.
2. This recipe will also work well using 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 ½ pounds of bone-in chicken thighs.
The nutrition information below was calculated to include only ½ cup barbecue sauce, since some sauce will be leftover in the slow cooker after cooking. This nutrition information is an estimate only. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brands and exact amounts of ingredients used. This information was provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛ recipe
- Calories: 154
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 655 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.7 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 22.1 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
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