Crock Pot Bourbon Bacon Pulled Chicken is smoky with just the right amount of bourbon flavor. Made with boneless chicken thighs, the meat cooks up tender and juicy in just 4 to 6 hours in the slow cooker. It makes a delicious pulled chicken sandwich, especially with Buttermilk Coleslaw.
The sauce is sweet and tangy with a little heat and the bourbon and bacon add so much awesome flavor.
To make Crock Pot Bourbon Bacon Pulled Chicken , first make a spice rub of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, and dry mustard. This can be made a day or 2 in advance and then you can have everything ready to cook in just a few minutes.
Rub the spice rub all over the chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds). You can easily double the recipe to serve a crowd. Place the chicken thighs in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
Stir together 1 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce (I like to use Stubb’s), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup bourbon, and 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. Pour this mixture over the chicken and sprinkle 6 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon on top. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. The chicken will easily shred at this point with 2 forks and is ready to be eaten plain, on a sandwich, on top of a baked potato, or in a burrito.
Try These Pulled Pork Recipes
- Crock Pot Root Beer Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Carolina-Style Pulled Pork
- Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
- 3-Ingredient Crock Pot Pork
Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is to make.
Crock Pot Bourbon Bacon Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 slices bacon,, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub on both sides of chicken thighs.
- Place chicken in a lightly greased 6-quart crock pot.
- Stir together bbq sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, and vinegar. Pour over chicken.
- Sprinkle bacon on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from The Salty Marshmallow
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Hi,
Have you ever tried making this in an IP?
Hi,
I’d really like to try making this in my instant pot—do you think that would work and if so, any adjustments?
Thank you.