Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
Crockpot BBQ chicken thighs are tender, juicy, sticky, and cooked to perfection! They are a super easy weeknight dinner idea without having to fire up the grill! Serve with your favorite side dish.
I used to think that using the slow cooker was a phase because life seemed so busy and different after becoming.
Fast forward two years and a new house later, I’m still addicted to the crockpot, so it’s definitely not going anywhere anytime soon!
In the past I’ve made BBQ chicken in the air fryer and pulled chicken in the Instant Pot, so I thought it was time to use chicken thighs.
This cut of chicken is budget friendly and full of flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- chicken thighs – you could also use chicken breasts, just don’t let them cook as long.
- sweet yellow onion
- chili powder and garlic powder
- BBQ sauce – you can use your favorite or make my easy low sugar barbecue sauce recipe.
- Italian dressing – I used the zesty kind.
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt to taste
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
Add the chicken thighs and sliced onions to the slow cooker. Season with chili and garlic powder.
Whisk the Italian dressing, bbq sauce, and Worcestershire in a small bowl and pour over top.
Secure the lid and cook on low for 5.5-6.5 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours.
Remove the barbecue chicken thighs from the crock pot using a slotted spoon. Top with the cooked onions and leftover sauce and serve.
Tips for Making
- Before serving, be sure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- I do not recommend using frozen chicken for this recipe.
- To make them a little more crispy and the sauce sticky, place the cooked thighs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil on low for a couple of minutes before serving.
- If you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs you can shred the leftovers for an easy meal prep idea for the rest of the week.
- When you are running short on time you can cook the thighs on high, however, I really like how juicy they are when they are cooked low and slow.
- For easy cleanup, add a crockpot liner before starting.
What to Serve With BBQ Chicken Thighs
I have a whole list of the best side dishes to serve with BBQ chicken! In the summer, we love pasta salad or Mediterranean potato salad. They are quick, easy, and no bake!
How to Store Cooked Chicken Thighs
Keep leftover bbq chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
More Easy and Healthy Crockpot Recipes You’ll Love:
- Crockpot Parmesan Garlic Chicken (healthy)
- Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas
- Salsa Chicken Crockpot
- 20 Insanely Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipes For The Lazy Cook
- 40 of The Best Slow Cooker Recipes for Lazy People
Crockpot BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb chicken thighs about 6-7 thighs
- 1 sweet yellow onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the sliced onion and chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the chicken with the chili powder and garlic powder. In a bowl, combine the bbq sauce, italian dressing and worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce on top of the chicken and onion.
- Close the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours or low for 5.5-6.5 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the cooked chicken thighs and serve immediately with some of the liquid and onions from the crock pot spooned on top.
