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Crock Pot Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Chicken

Posted by: Kate / Chicken, Dinners, Slow Cooker / Posted: / Last updated:

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Easy summer slow cooker dinner recipe! This crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken recipe makes a quick dinner in no time!

Tongs grabbing crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken in a crock pot

Do you use your crock pot year round? If not, let me introduce you to the joys of simple slow cooker summer dinners.

I love the ease of tossing my dinner ingredients into the crock pot on a busy morning and then coming back to a finished meal later in the day. And I don’t have to stand over a hot stove or heat up my kitchen to get dinner finished!

This brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken is a family favorite. My kids love the sweet and tangy sauce, and the chicken practically melts in your mouth! If you’re concerned about using bourbon, I also have a simple swap that you can use instead.

How to make brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken in the crock pot

Raw chicken in bbq sauce in a slow cooker insert

Stir the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together in a slow cooker insert. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add chicken breast, and turn to coat in sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

Shred chicken. Let sit in sauce for 15 minutes. This will allow the chicken to absorb more of the flavor from the sauce.

Shredded crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken in a slow cooker insertTips

  • Barbecue sauce: Choose a sauce that you like. If you like a sauce with a little heat, it will give your finished dish a bit of a kick. If you choose a sauce with brown sugar or honey, it will make your sauce a little sweeter.
  • Brown sugar: Feel free to use a little more or less to taste.
  • Bourbon: You can substitute an equal amount of apple juice for the bourbon. Also, if you don’t want to buy a large bottle of bourbon just for this recipe, mini bottles are a great choice for a small amount of bourbon.
  • I like to let the chicken rest in the sauce for about 15 minutes before serving. This gives the chicken time to absorb more of the flavor from the sauce.

How to serve

I like to serve this chicken on buns with a side of coleslaw. You could also serve this chicken in a wrap or even make it into tacos.

Crock pot brown sugar bbq bourbon chicken on a whole wheat bun

More summer slow cooker recipes!

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Crock Pot Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Chicken

Easy summer slow cooker dinner recipe! This crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken recipe makes a quick dinner in no time!
Author:I Heart Eating
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Resting time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings:6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crock pot bbq chicken, crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken, slow cooker bbq chicken
Tongs grabbing crock pot brown sugar bourbon bbq chicken in a crock pot
Print Rate Pin
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup barbecue sauce1
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon2
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

Instructions

  • Stir the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together in a slow cooker insert.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken breast, and turn to coat in sauce.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  • Shred chicken.
  • Let sit in sauce for 15 minutes.

Notes

  1. Choose a barbecue sauce that you like. The flavor of the barbecue sauce will change the overall flavor of the chicken. For example, you can use a sauce with a little heat for a spicier sauce or pick a sauce with brown sugar or honey for a sweeter sauce. 
  2. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of apple juice for the bourbon.
  3. Nutrition values are estimates. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 310kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 18g (6%)Protein: 40g (80%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Cholesterol: 121mg (40%)Sodium: 225mg (9%)Potassium: 724mg (21%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 18g (20%)Vitamin A: 139IU (3%)Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)Calcium: 25mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
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  2. Becky Kelly says

    On the chicken, what do you serve it with? Do you eat it on a bun? I plan to make it, but not sure what to serve with it. Yes I do use my crockpot and my Instapot year around.

    Reply
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