Tender, juicy, and simmered in a gluten-free, homemade BBQ sauce! Skip the grill and save your oven space, these slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs make the easiest weeknight dinner.
With only a handful of pantry ingredients, come home after work to a ready-made meal.
No busy mom likes the question “what’s for dinner”. This is why I frequently say that “slow cookers save my sanity”!
These slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs not only make a great dinner that night, but they’re a wicked meal prep recipe too (as are these smoked chicken legs). Especially if you double the batch.
Plus, with only eight ingredients, the recipe takes just 5 minutes of prep time!
Learn more about slow cookers and choosing the best one for your family (and how to use it!).
As a Certified Nutrition Coach (and busy mom!), this is one of my go-to weeknight dinner recipes because it’s:
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, and can be made paleo
- Made in just 5 minutes
- Works for dinner and meal prep
- Juicy, tender, delicious.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ketchup: this is the base of the homemade BBQ sauce. And because ketchup is plenty sweet, you don’t need much sweetener elsewhere. Which is why you won’t see any brown sugar. You can use what you have in the fridge. If you need these BBQ chicken thighs to be paleo, you’ll need to use Primal Kitchen Ketchup.
Worcestershire sauce: the ingredient that no one can pronounce but that adds a perfect flavor to the sauce.
Honey: this helps make the sauce sticky which you want as the juice from the thighs get into it. It can’t be subbed for maple syrup.
Blackstrap molasses: gives a smoky-ish flavor to the BBQ sauce and helps keep it thicker.
Seasonings: you’ll need onion powder and salt for the sauce. You can add garlic powder if you love it but it’s not required.
Apple cider vinegar: gives a bit of tangy flavor that’s traditional with the best sauces.
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs: we prefer the skinless ones in the slow cooker as no one enjoys skin that isn’t crispy. However, bone-in chicken thighs will work in place of boneless.
How To Make BBQ Chicken Thighs In The Slow Cooker
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chicken thighs and mix BBQ sauce well.
- Line the slow cooker with chicken thighs making sure they’re not on top of each other.
- Pour the sauce over the thighs. Stir if they need coating.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Step By Step Photos
Important Notes, Substitutions, & Facts From Trying The Recipe
We use boneless, skinless chicken thighs but bone-in does work.
Because the chicken thighs release so much juice, the sauce isn’t sticky by the end of cooking. If you want a thicker sauce, you can either: boil down the ingredients prior to popping them into the slow cooker or, whisk in ½ tbs arrowroot powder into the sauce 30 minutes before serving. If whisking in powder make sure to cook the last 30 minutes with the lid cracked.
The thighs come out really dark after 7 hours of cooking (that’s what makes them so juicy!).
I found I did stir it once to make sure everything was coated evenly but I don’t think it’s necessary.
To make these Slow cooker chicken thighs recipe paleo, you’ll need to opt for Primal Kitchens ketchup. Know that by using that ketchup, the sweetness of the recipe is decreased a bit and you’ll want to add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the mix.
These BBQ chicken thighs use a homemade BBQ sauce. Though you can definitely use a store-bought one, I personally find it really easy to whip up. If you opt for store-bought, Primal Kitchen has the best one!
How To Use Them For Meal Prep
The day I make the slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs, we normally serve it with a side of rice (or cauliflower rice) and steamed or roasted veggies (whatever is easiest that day!).
Something as simple as frozen broccoli in air fryer works too!
However, I like to use the leftovers and whip them (and the extra sauce) into a pasta with frozen veggies the next night too!
Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic—this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)
Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
Typically chicken thighs work best in the slow cooker because they take longer to “overcook”. Basically, they stay juicy longer. Though chicken breasts work in the slow cooker as well, you won’t be able to cook them as long.
Though browning chicken thighs will seal in their juices, it’s not necessary. You can place the chicken thighs into the slow cooker raw and they’ll still be super juicy.
You can do either. Stirring the chicken thighs in the slow cooker will help keep them coated in the homemade BBQ sauce. However, the chicken thighs will cook just fine without stirring so long as you make sure they were coated in the sauce before cooking (versus having raw chicken exposed on top).
Other Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow cooker egg casserole
- Slow cooker beef and broccoli
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
- Slow cooker chicken teriyaki
- Slow cooker chicken pot pie
- Crockpot chicken legs
- Slow cooker chicken alfredo
Other Dairy & Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- One pot sausage pasta
- Sheet pan steak fajitas
- One pot chicken alfedo
- Chicken pesto pasta
- 30 dinner recipes for busy moms
- 33 Gluten and dairy-free dinners
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbs Honey
- 2 tbs Molasses
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tbs Apple cider vinegar
- 8 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chicken thighs and mix well.
- Line the slow cooker with chicken thighs making sure they’re not on top of each other.
- Pour the sauce over the thighs. Stir if they need coating.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Addison says
These chicken thighs were melt in my mouth tender! Such a great family dinner and even better as leftovers!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo! I love them as leftovers too.
Sharina says
Double the batch of my BBQ Chicken thighs for dinner last night and for meal prep and glad I doubled it! My fam loves it! The chicken was so tender and juicy plus the BBQ sauce is a winner!
fitasamamabear says
Ahh mega yay! Such a great meal prep recipe.
Susie says
There's so much flavor in this chicken! I almost never use my slow cooker, but this has encouraged me to get it out (and probably keep it out since I want to make it again ASAP!).
fitasamamabear says
My slow cooker keeps me sane! Happy I could get you into it!
Jo keohane says
Love a BBQ recipe that is not full of sugar! Such great flavors and fork tender meat.
fitasamamabear says
Ah thank you so much!
Rose says
I'm always looking for new slow cooker recipes and these BBQ chicken thighs are just perfect! Thanks xx
fitasamamabear says
The slow cooker saves my sanity!