This Keto Slow Cooker BBQ chicken recipe is the easiest pulled chicken recipe - everything is loaded into the pot of a slow cooker without any special prep. When it is done, tender, fall-apart juicy and delicious chicken is created! Whole30 and Paleo options! The perfect recipe for keto beginners!
I regularly hear people looking for healthy, easy crockpot chicken recipes. As a fellow full-time worker with a side-hustle blogging job, keeping dinner simple (but delicious!) and healthy (no sugar for this keto diet gal!), is a must! Hence this keto slow cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe. Not only is it easy, makes great leftovers for lunch the next day but it is also a budget-friendly, better-than-takeout recipe.
Just like my Slow Cooker Keto Chicken Marsala, my Keto Slow Cooker BBQ Pot Roast with Pepperoncinis and this Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Recipe (which is my #1 post on this blog and on Pinterest!), I appreciate the hands-off approach when using a slow cooker and it is also an easy start for keto diet beginners.
Plus, almost all slow cooker recipes can be converted from a keto version to a Paleo or Whole30 diet.
So even though the original Crockpot Slow Cooker is a thing of the past, most all-in-one appliances like my Ninja Foodi and most Instant Pots still have a slow cooker function for all your easy keto dinner recipes.
Ingredients
Chicken - I opted to make this keto slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe using boneless skinless chicken breasts as it is what I had in my freezer. However, boneless skinless chicken thighs can be easily used instead. Either will be tasty!
BBQ Sauce - This is where you can have some fun with a couple of ingredient swaps. Use my Smokey Onion Bacon BBQ Sauce for a Paleo or Whole30 slow cooker BBQ chicken recipe. I am in love with my Sugar-Free Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe which is a perfect beginner keto diet sauce since it is so easy to make.
Worcestershire Sauce -This is the perfect condiment to add the saltiness needed to balance the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
Onion - Unlike my other easy keto dinner recipes, I decided to grate an onion and pop it into my slow cooker. Wait, don’t go. I know that grating an onion sounds like an odd idea and some added work, but it gives the sauce richness and a touch of acidity. Do not skip it.
Brown Sugar Substitute - You can use any type of sugar substitute that you have on hand. I like the mild "molasses" flavour that the brown sugar substitute gives versus other sugar substitutes. *See the FAQs section for making this a paleo slow cooker BBQ chicken or a Whole30 Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe.
Olive Oil - This healthy oil helps to provide body, texture, and flavour to sauces. Thanks to olive oil, we get that velvety and smooth texture that we like so much in emulsions.
Instructions
This recipe only requires a couple of steps. Then, all you need is a little patience as you smell the delicious aromas coming from your slow cooker!
Add the BBQ sauce and the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Toss the chicken in the sauce to ensure that it is coated with the sauce.
When the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken.
Place the pulled chicken back into the sauce ingredients, keeping the slow cooker on "hi" with the lid off.
Remove the chicken and the sauce and serve!
Hint: When you remove the chicken from the slow cooker to shred, take a look at the thickness of your sauce. If your sauce seems too thin for your liking, bring the mixture to a boil either in the slow cooker (my Ninja Foodi All-In-One has a "simmer" feature which I will set on high) or transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat it on the stove until the desired thickness is achieved. You could also remove the chicken and then whisk in about ⅛-1/4 teaspoon of xantham gum to help thicken the sauce.
How to serve this easy keto dinner recipe
You can serve this BBQ chicken in numerous ways!
- Salad - Perfect for a beginner keto diet, simply add some heated pulled chicken on top of a bed of lettuce. Add some shredded cheese and you have an easy keto dinner recipe
- Sandwich - Make these Whole30, Paleo and Keto Buns and add some pulled BBQ chicken for the most delicious sandwich. (That's right, you can have a sandwich on a Whole30 diet!)
- Alongside a Side Dish - You can also make some Quick and Easy Parmesan Roasted Broccoli and serve some chicken on the side for a healthy keto dinner.
How do I store any pulled chicken leftovers?
Allow the chicken to fully cool and then store the cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How can I reheat this easy keto dinner recipe?
Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, with a splash of broth or water if needed to keep it from drying out. You can also rewarm this in the microwave until heated through.
Can I freeze the Keto pulled chicken?
Absolutely! Place cooked and cooled chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can I use store-bought sugar-free BBQ sauce?
Yes. My favourite brands of sugar-free and keto BBQ sauces are Sticky Fingers and G. Hughes which you can find at most grocery stores, including Walmart.
Which store-bought BBQ sauces are Whole30 and Paleo-approved?
Primal Kitchen as well as the New Primal Noble both have Whole30 and Paleo-approved BBQ sauces
Keto Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken - Paleo and Whole30
This Keto Slow Cooker BBQ chicken recipe is the easiest pulled chicken recipe - everything is loaded into the pot of a slow cooker without any special prep. When it is done, tender, fall-apart juicy and delicious chicken is created! Whole30 and Paleo options! The perfect recipe for keto beginners!
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs chicken, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup sugar-free BBQ sauce (or a Whole30 or Paleo-approved BBQ Sauce)
- ½ medium onion, grated with juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar-free brown sugar substitute (or use date paste for Whole30 and Paleo)
Instructions
- In the pot of your slow cooker, stir together all the sauce ingredients.
- Add in the chicken and toss to the chicken to cover it in the sauce. Turn the all-in-one or slow cooker on "high" and cook for 3 hours. Check the chicken and if you can easily pierce it with a fork, it is ready. If not, continue to cook it for an additional 1 hour.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred the chicken using two forks.
- If the sauce is too thin, bring the sauce to a simmer and simmer until the sauce thickens (about 5-10 minutes).
- Place the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce.
Notes
- if using an all-in-one, like my Ninja Foodi, make sure that you leave open the vent and do not seal it.
- for crispy chicken, once chicken has cooked, place the all-in-one on "broil" and close the lid until the chicken begins to crisp.
- if you are in a hurry, you can thicken the sauce quickly by whisking in ¼ teaspoon xantham gum.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi All-in-One
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 0.5
- Fat: 5.5
- Carbohydrates: 1.1
- Fiber: 0.1
- Protein: 32
Cat
Glad you liked it!
Beth
Made this last night and it was SO good!