Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken.
I can’t get enough of the stuff.
If I’m telling the truth, I really enjoy cooking with beer much more than I like drinking it. I do like to drink it on occasion, but it’s not always my beverage of choice. However, when it comes to cooking with it?
Best
flavor
ever.
Basically, I love replacing water with alcohol. Always and forever.
And now… a peek into what a mess my kitchen appliances really are.
You don’t even want to see my stand mixer. Or my toaster. Or my food processor. Or my fridge. Or my… everything. I’m a train wreck.
Look at that bun. (Or bum, since that’s what I really just typed.) Don’t you want to do a big trampoline jump on it? So puffy and fluffy and fat.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this is the best chicken I have ever made in the crockpot. It might be the best chicken I’ve made, period. And… I make a ton of crockpot chicken. Like really, a ton.
People… I live with a man who seriously eats chicken at least five days a week for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I get insanely creative, but most weeks he gets the short end of the stick when I throw chicken in the slow cooker with, uh… nothing else, just so I don’t have to deal with making him something delicious only to stuff it in five giant tupperware containers. Maybe I do wish you could see my fridge.
So, I’m convinced it’s a combination of the perfect marriage between beer, spices (I freakishly love onion powder and smoked paprika together… give it a whirl) and sauce (Bone Suckin‘ is the best) that makes this so amazing. It’s a great meal for a crowd but if you’re smart, you’ll make a big crock for yourself and freeze a bunch for the days when wine drinking and pie eating takes precedence over dinner.
Or is that just me?
Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken
serves about 8-10
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 large)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces of beer (I used a classic amber)
32 ounces of barbecue sauce
Season chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add to crockpot, then add beer and 24 ounces of barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours, tossing once or twice if desired. After 8 hours, shred and add remaining barbecue sauce. Toss chicken to coat and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to absorb everything. Serve as desired.
Notes:
1. I’ve found that *thinner* barbecue sauce works better (such as Bone Suckin’ Sauce) than thicker sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray’s). If you choose to use a thicker sauce, you may want to add a little more beer (or liquid) in order for the sauce not to burn and thicken on the edges of the pot. This is also the reason I don’t use my homemade barbecue sauce.
2. If you don’t want to use beer, you can try a ginger ale, chicken stock, or even water.
3. This makes a ton of chicken and I usually freeze immediately freeze a container for later.
I wish I was sandwiched between those buns.
496 Comments on “Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken.”
I tried this recipe a week after you posted it and it was seriously so awesome! Then I had the brilliant idea of modifying it only like two days after into shredded chicken tacos. Just the chicken, a beer, a jar of salsa, and a taco seasoning packet in the crockpot. Shred, stuff in taco shells, stuff in mouth. Let me tell you…..HEAVEN!! Thanks for the great recipe and inspiration!
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Hey this looks delish. I am looking for a new crockpot. Which one do you have??
I have this one but I’m not sure if they make it anymore? http://www.thekitchn.com/review-crockpot-versaware-slow-47777
Yum! Made this for diner tonight and served it as sliders to my toddlers! Delicious!
im making this as we speak. im so excited to see how it turns out :) thanks!
This was great and super easy. I didn’t have garlic powder so I just threw in a whole garlic clove and let it cook down.
Everytime I try to freeze a dinner I’ve made for a later date it always has freezer burn. Any suggestions how I can avoid that??
Ps. I’m making this recipe tomorrow for dinner; I can’t wait to try it :)
I have done monthly freezer cooking for about three years. I used Gallon Freezer Ziploc bags for my meals and have never had a problem. If I’m using foil containers I put a layer if press n’ seal and then a layer of foil with no problems.
I made this for the family for the Patriots AFC Championship game. Really delicious and was surprised how much the little kids (4.5, 3.5 and 18mos) liked it. Not sure if they consumed any beer or not as a part of this but I was happy to see them eating it so happily.
This sounds delish. But 4# of chicken? Sounnd like a lot of chicken. How many people will this feed? Or I should say, how many sandwiches?
The recipe calls for 3 pounds of chicken, not 4, which is most likely 6 chicken breasts. Above I have noted that it serves 8-10, but can’t say how many sandwiches it will make given than people use different amounts of chicken on their sandwich.
Awesome recipe!!! Thank you!!!
Just one word to describe this recipe……………OMG!!!! Let me repeat it. OMG!!!!! Truly, some of the best stuff to ever come out of a crockpot.
WOW! A complete success and I’m happy because it was so VERY easy! Thank you!
I just made this and it was so good! Thanks so much!
That looks so good! Omg,! Thx can’t wait to try!
OMG..You’ve solved my dilemma! Now I know what I’m fixing for our Super Bowl party!
Me too!! Doing a test run today for the fiance just to make sure the new kind of BBQ sauce I bought is okay… On hour one at the moment…
I made this today and it is amazing!!!!!! Served on Pretzel rolls. Yummy!
Thank you for adding the tips @ the end, we use Sweet Baby Ray’s & I don’t care to cook with beer since I have kids in the house. Recipe sounds great!
Just finished making this it is awesome! No way I will be able to stop at one sandwich! So easy!
Mine seems rather runny after the 8 hours. Any suggestions or hints on what i did wrong??
Mine was runny too. I just drained it before I shredded it, and then added the last 8 oz of barbecue sauce. Still delicious!
If you let it cook a bit longer, the sauce will absorb into the chicken and thicken up.
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how long would you freeze something like this should you have leftover?
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I made this with turkey breast instead of chicken. I LOVED IT!!!!
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Oh my….saw on pintrest and knew I had to get the recipe! Can’t wait to try!
i don’t have a slow cooker but have made pulled pork in my trusty dutch oven. Would you know how long to cook this for in one of those in the oven or even someway to make this on the stove top- pressure cooker?
YUM! I made this last night and sang it’s praises this morning on my blog. Oh, I also used one of your photos ’cause I’m too lazy to take my own… but I gave you props :) http://koskersidlewild.blogspot.com/2012/02/ode-to-my-mixer.html
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Loved the flavor but had the same problem I always have with crockpot recipes — too much liquid. I had to pour off all the liquid and just add back in a little before I added the bbq sauce at the end. For those of you who use crockpots a lot, what am I doing wrong???
Did you actually shred the chicken in the crockpot then mix to stir and let sit for a few minutes? It should absorb everything up. But other than that, maybe it’s the temperature of your crockpot? I never have that issue when I shred meat in the crockpot so I’m just guessing though.
I’ve made this using a can of diet coke and envelope of lipton onion soup, instead of the BBQ sauce.
It’s delish!
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I made this for yesterday’s Super Bowl party with a batch of homemade cole slaw- it was a huge hit! i used a local Atlanta sauce (Fox Bros.) after mistakenly buying a sauce that was too thick and too sweet. i added more beer than was necessary in the beginning so i ended up taking out 2 ladle-fuls of the liquid- the texture was just right! thanks!
I also made this yesterday it was AMAZING!! I did use Sweet Baby Rays because it was on sale haha!! But I also put the chicken in frozen and knew the juices would help with the thickness of the sauce and I had it on for about 8 hours and then on warm for another hour. I also made your Beer Mac and Cheese AND the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie!!!! Everyone asked where I got my recipes… I always say my FAVORITE blog How Sweet It Is!!! Thank you soooo much for the amazing recipes I am making the Spicy Parmesan Shrimp this evening also does that Reheat well or should I cut it in half becaue I am making it just for one :o)
It reheats really well! We ate it 2 nights in a row.
YES!!! Then I shall as well!!!!
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Making this now! Looks delist! But it’s 230….and I was thinking I could cook on high for half the time. Can I do it in four hours on high? Or do I make it for tomorrow’s dinner…. And follow the 8 hour on low
Yep you can do that! I’ve done it before too.
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Made this yesterday for dinner last night. Sooo delicious. Loved it and the family loved it too! Reheated for dinner tonight and it tasted just as good! :)
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Just made this for dinner tonight. I just taste tested it and it is awesome. I had my 6 year old taste it and he is on round 2 already! Thank you so much!
If i cut the portions in half, will it still work just the same?
Most likely, yes,
Awesome idea, I’m going to make this over the weekend! I wanted to make something simple for sandwiches… got chicken and bbq sauce… now I will know to just add beer! So smart! My boyfriend will LOVE this. I think I might also throw some onions on the bottom as well, get those cooking in the beer for extra flavor.
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I made this and IT. WAS. SO. GOOD!!! I used Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Also, I didn’t quite have 32 oz of BBQ, so I mixed what I had with worchestshire, ketchup, and Franks Hot BBQ sauce. Pretty dang good. I will make it with 1 kind of BBQ next time. It’s easier :) Thank you for posting this. It’s now made regularly in our kitchen.
Should there be a lot of liquid remaining? Mine has been cooking for 7 hours and there is a lot of liquid in the crockpot. I did add 3 more ounces of beer since i was using a thicker bbq sauce. There still semms to be alot, even if I hadn’t. Hoping it gets absorbed after shredding.
This looks and sounds so delicious. Will be making this tomorrow !! A great meal for the lakehouse….the family will love it. I will also be checking out all your other recipes. So glad I found your site on Pinterest.
I am making this tonight and have made it before, but to change up the flavor we added a packet of dried onion soup. It smells amazing.