Slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken recipe – a super simple 3-ingredient recipe that requires almost no effort at all! Nobody would ever know its gluten-free and Coeliac-friendly.

Slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken recipe, anyone? Yes, that’s right, you can take 3 simple ingredients, slow cook, then shred and enjoy. It’s so easy that it almost doesn’t feel like cooking at all!

Here’s yet another proper lazy meal to be plucked right from my slow cooker mini series over on Instagram and TikTok.

Though you’ll find a recipe for pulled pork in my first book, this is sort of a ‘cheat’s’ version that uses chicken instead – as requested by popular demand!

And yes, it’s still just as flavourful as using pork, especially as we’re going to be using chicken thighs, which have tons of flavour.

It’s the type of recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner, hot or cold, and it’s totally up to you how you serve it. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it happen…

Slow cooker pulled chicken recipe: What you’ll need…

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Perfect for the long cooking time in a slow cooker as they won’t dry out! Instead, it’ll be incredibly tender and and shred just like pulled pork.
Gluten-free BBQ sauce: This contains not only a smoky BBQ flavour, but also a little thickener and sugar; all of which makes the perfect coating for BBQ pulled chicken. This isn’t a ‘special’ BBQ sauce that says ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging, it just happens to have no gluten-containing ingredients or ‘may contain’ warning.
Cornflour: This will almost instantly thicken the sauce after a few minutes of simmering. Make sure your chicken isn’t scorching hot when you add it, or it can turn lumpy – add only when the heat is low.

So, what does it taste like? As you can see from the photo above, the chicken is outrageously tender after a few hours of slow cooking and basically just falls apart as you shred it.

The BBQ sauce only gains more flavour as it cooks, with all the juices from the chicken joining in on the party. And finally, the sauce clings to the chicken really well and doesn’t become too runny thanks to the extra little bit of cornflour.

There’s so much flavour packed into every bite that it doesn’t even matter how you serve this at all – it’s good in everything! I served mine up in gluten-free brioche buns with slaw and in crunchy taco shells, but wraps or pittas are all great ideas too.

Here’s a few frequently asked questions before you get started:

Slow cooker pulled chicken recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make sure that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken recipe dairy-free?

It is dairy-free!

Can I make your slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken recipe veggie or vegan?

You could make this using a couple of cans of jackfruit (drained and any round or tough bits removed), but bear in mind that jackfruit doesn’t need to be cooked for very long. You’d likely need to cook it for around half the time.

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

To make this recipe low FODMAP, you’d need to use a low FODMAP BBQ sauce and observe the safe serving size amounts on the label.

Can I cook this in a pot on the stove?

Yes! Simply use a dutch oven or a large lidded casserole dish. Place on the stove on the lowest heat and follow the timings as if you were using a slow cooker on high.

Can I cook this in a pressure cooker or instant pot?

Yes! Simply follow the recipe as directed, cook for 20 minutes in a pressure cooker, then release the steam as fast as possible. With the lid removed, set to a saute setting before adding the cornflour and gently heat until it reaches your desired thickness.

Can I use chicken breast to make this healthier?

I wouldn’t recommend swapping the chicken thighs for chicken breast as they can get very dry, very quickly in the slow cooker. They also don’t shred like chicken thighs do.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Becky Excell (@beckyexcell)