Slow Cooker Alabama Pulled BBQ Chicken

28 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 19
  • 4 star values: 5
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

Tender pulled chicken with a southern white sauce. This wonderful pulled chicken has the perfect balance of seasoning with a hint of Alabama BBQ. The sauce is not overly powerful but you can always add more or leave it off and still have a great tasting pulled chicken for sandwiches or plain. I searched and searched for an easy slow cooker pulled chicken recipe that would be similar to a popular BBQ restaurant. I never found one, so here's my own recipe. My family of six loves this. Keep remaining sauce refrigerated until ready to serve. Great to spread on sandwich, lettuce leaf, or drizzle over chicken on plate.

By Cara
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Ingredients

8
Original recipe yields 8 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Sauce:

Directions

  • Spread onion out in the bottom of a slow cooker. Whisk 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, paprika, and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl.

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  • Place garlic cloves inside chicken cavity, brush chicken all over with melted butter, and sprinkle paprika mixture all over chicken. Place chicken, breast-side up, into slow cooker. Pour water into slow cooker and sprinkle liquid smoke over chicken.

  • Cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook for 8 hours. Remove meat from bones, shred meat with two forks, cut onions in half, and return meat and onions to slow cooker.

  • While chicken is cooking, whisk mayonnaise, cider vinegar, white sugar, remaining salt, remaining black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until sauce is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend, at least 1 hour.

  • Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce over chicken mixture and continue cooking on Low for 1 hour.

Cook's Notes:

If you want the sauce to have more of a kick, you may increase the pepper to 1/2 teaspoon or add horseradish sauce. This is simply melt in your mouth delicious!

You can make the day before and refrigerate. Then the next morning set crock out in room temp for about an hour then heat on high for about and hour, then turn crock down to warm until ready to serve. You'd probably be able to reheat in oven as well. Great for potlucks or family gatherings!

Nutrition:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of white sauce ingredients. The actual amount of white sauce consumed will vary.

Partner Tip

Try using a Reynolds® slow cooker liner in your slow cooker for easier cleanup.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
364 calories; 25.3 g total fat; 97 mg cholesterol; 575 mg sodium. 5 g carbohydrates; 28.3 g protein; Full Nutrition

Popular in Whole Chicken

Reviews (22)

Read All Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Linda T
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
04/23/2015
I made with chicken breasts.. I dont care for dark meat. I cooked this for 3-4 hours in high.. shredded meat and put back in for an hour. I didnt get much flavor at first but when I added the sauce.. it was great. Loved the tang of the vinegar
Helpful
(14)

Most helpful critical review

Anonymous
Rating: 2 stars
10/29/2018
I used a whole chicken and found this to be a lot of work. While eating I had to watch for bones. Next time I think I will use chicken breasts instead. And there was no much taste.
28 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 19
  • 4 star values: 5
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
SunnyDaysNora
Allstar
Rating: 4 stars
04/22/2015
My family definitely enjoyed this though I cooked the chicken a little differently. I didn't have a whole chicken but I did have 3 bone-in chicken breasts totaling just under 5 lbs. I put the onions in the bottom added the chicken topped with the spices and covered with water on high until the chicken was cooked through and falling off the bone before shredding and tossing with the sauce.
Helpful
(15)
Linda T
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
04/23/2015
I made with chicken breasts.. I dont care for dark meat. I cooked this for 3-4 hours in high.. shredded meat and put back in for an hour. I didnt get much flavor at first but when I added the sauce.. it was great. Loved the tang of the vinegar
Helpful
(14)
Garfman
Rating: 5 stars
02/06/2017
We made this for Super Bowl LI and served it on a hamburger bun with coleslaw. I added a diced hot pepper (poblano) with the garlic to the chicken cavity. I also used yogurt rather than mayo (just because the yogurt was close to expiry). The sauce was prepared the night before. I usually substitute beer or wine for water when cooking to enhance and/or add flavour. This recipe doesn't need it!
Helpful
(13)
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barbaralaketahoe
Rating: 5 stars
09/27/2015
Oh my goodness this recipe is fabulous!!!!!!!! I used 4 boneless skinless chicken breast for my husband and myself and it turned out great!! Just amazed at how great the sauce tastes on the chicken recipe. I also used Tricolor Rotini "Ronzoni Garden Delight" to serve the chicken dish on with a side Deli vegetable salad and garlic bread. I got the idea to use Rotini and the vegetable salad from one of the other reviewers thanks!! As she said I too had a lot of leftovers probably for 2 more dinners reheat or to make into another whole other dinner idea. Very easy and cost effective and really yummy!!! What more could you ask for for a great recipe!
Helpful
(6)
Amanda Parks
Rating: 5 stars
09/27/2015
I made this with 2.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast. Cooked it for 3 hours on high shredded it and then did a couple more hours on low. Made it as written other than that. It is delicious!! This is my First recipe review if that tells you anything
Helpful
(6)
mamarey
Rating: 5 stars
08/24/2015
I thought this was very good. I also used chicken pieces legs boneless thighs and breast.I cooked mine on high the one hour and on low about three. Shredded the meat and put it back in slow cooker for forty-five minutes. I did not add the Sauce because I was not sure my husband would eat it so I made regular sauce also. He ended up eating the Alabama barbecue sauce and liked it. I had leftovers and for lunch I heated chicken with sauce poured over Warmed Tostito Cantina chips added black olives and Montery jack cheese. Heated until cheese melted. Great nachos!!
Helpful
(5)
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Molly
Rating: 5 stars
09/14/2015
Very good and something really different. I made as directed and we enjoyed it over vegetable spaghetti. I saved part of the chicken breast to use in a salad for the following nights dinner. I thinned down the delicious BBQ sauce and used it as a dressing for the salad. I made the BBQ up in the morning so that it had all day to meld. This made a lot of food for 2 people and I have enough froze for 2 more meals. A delicious recipe that I will be making again. I served this with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.
Helpful
(5)
HannahJane0722
Rating: 5 stars
09/21/2015
I followed the recipe exact but I used 3 pounds of chicken breast (the grocery didn't have whole chickens) and I didn't have liquid smoke. This was amazing! I invited my parents over for dinner and I was a little bummed because I would have liked leftovers. Just kidding but I can't wait to make it again!
Helpful
(2)
Mandy Wee
Rating: 5 stars
08/28/2015
I used a mix of boneless skinless breasts and thighs....and I wrapped each chicken around a clove of garlic. I refrigerated the chicken overnight; heated and shred it the next day. I added the sauce - I went a little more heavy handed on the cayenne in that recipe - and simmered it all over low heat for another hour or so......NUM NUM! We gobbled it up as is....but next time we're doing pulled bbq chicken open face swiss melts....:o......and then really anywhere I'd use a shredded pork!
Helpful
(2)
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