Slow Cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken

Zesty BBQ Chicken is a dump & go slow cooker dinner! Chicken cooks in a simple 4 ingredient zesty bbq sauce until it’s fall apart tender. Serve inside hamburger buns for a bbq shredded chicken sandwich. Perfect family favorite dinner idea for a busy weeknight or when you don’t want to turn the oven on.

Try these other BBQ recipes like my Slow Cooker Root Beer BBQ Chicken, BBQ Baked Beans, BBQ Beef Pasta Skillet, and my family’s favorite dinner BBQ Turkey Sloppy Joes. 

Slow Cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken Recipe

You can never have to many dump & go, easy slow cooker dinner recipes. This slow cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken is one of our favorites. It only requires 4 ingredients + chicken, and you simply ‘dump’ it all into the insert of the crockpot. So simple with only about a 2 minute prep time. 

Simmers all day in a seriously delicious sauce of bbq sauce, Italian salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar for some sweetness. 

Ingredients Needed

Here are the easy ingredients that you need to make this dinner recipe. I also share some tips that will hopefully make this recipe a success at your dinner table. 

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – You will need 3 of these. I like to trim off some of the fat/white pieces, just to clean it up a bit, but that is optional. If the chicken you are using is really small then you may want to use 4 of them. There is plenty of sauce to go around.
• BBQ Sauce – Use a barbecue sauce that you love the tase of. I always use Sweet Baby Ray’s regular bbq sauce. 
• Italian Salad Dressing – Again, use one that you love the taste of. I highly recommend using the Olive Garden Italian salad dressing in this recipe. It by far has the best taste to it, and it has a creamier base which makes everything yummy that you put it on. 
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Brown Sugar – Don’t skip this. It really helps to round out all the flavors.

How to Make Zesty BBQ Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Learn how make this recipe for zesty bbq chicken with these easy steps. Be sure and read to the bottom of this post where there is a printable recipe card along with all the detailed instructions, ingredients, and helpful tips. 

• Chicken : Spray the insert with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts onto the bottom. 
• Zesty BBQ Sauce : Add the bbq sauce, Italian salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar into a small mixing bowl. Stir until combined well. I use a wire whisk to do this. Pour it over the chicken. Cover with the lid.
• Cook : Set the timer to LOW heat and cook for 6-8 hours. The chicken should be fall apart tender. 
• Serve : Take the chicken out and shred it with two forks. Put it back into the zesty bbq sauce and stir. Sere with a slotted spoon, onto hamburger buns, or you can chop the chicken into larger pieces and serve as is. 

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my helpful tips that will hopefully make this an easy recipe for you to recreate in your own kitchen. 

• BBQ Sauce : I recommend using a barbecue sauce that you love. I also highly recommend using Sweet Baby Ray’s original bbq sauce. It has the best flavor, that is not overly sweet. 
• Italian Salad Dressing : Again, it’s important to use a dressing that you love the flavor of. I highly recommend using Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing in this recipe. That is what I tested the recipe with, and that is what I use every time I make it. 
• Use The Brown Sugar : Don’t leave this out! It really helps to round out all the vinegary flavors.

Zesty BBQ Chicken FAQ’s

• How To Store Leftovers
  • Leftover will keep well in an air-tight container, in the fridge, for 3-4 days. 
  • Try using leftover bbq shredded chicken to make BBQ Chicken Pizza or BBQ Chicken Sliders. 
• Can I Freeze Zesty BBQ Chicken?
  • Yes you can freeze this chicken. There are two ways to do it. 
  • Place leftovers inside a freezer-safe gallon Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, place the bag in the fridge to thaw overnight. Heat it up on the stove top. 
  • You can also make this a freezer meal by simply adding all the ingredients into a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and freezing for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, you can either add it directly into the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours, OR you can let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then add it into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for about 6-7 hours. 
• Serving Suggestions
  • We love this chicken as a sandwich. I use hamburger buns or sesame seed buns and then serve a scoop onto it. Kind of like a sloppy Joe but with shredded chicken! Make sure you use a slotted spoon so you don’t end up with tons of extra liquid on the bun. 
  • Instead of shredding the chicken, you can instead leave the chicken in larger pieces and serve them that way. 
  • Use the shredded chicken as a topping for a baked potato bar. 
  • Serve as barbecue chicken tacos. Use corn or flour tortillas with toppings like cotija cheese, slaw, chopped cilantro, etc. 
• Can I Make It Spicy?
  • Yes! Lots of ways to spice this up if wanted. Use zesty Italian salad dressing. Add some chili powder and/or cayenne red pepper in with the bbq sauce mixture. Serve the sandwiches with sliced jalapeños as a topping. You could even add a can of jalapeños in with the chicken. Pour contents in the can over the chicken before adding the bbq sauce. 

More Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes You’ll Love

• Crockpot Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops
• Slow Cooker Spaghetti & Meatballs
• Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
• Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken
• Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken
• Easy Swedish Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken