Enjoy barbecue any day of the week or season of the year with the convenience of a slow-cooker. These Honey BBQ Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches have a tangy, light sauce and a bright coleslaw to top. Let the meat cook during the day and have dinner ready to go when you get home.
Pulled pork is my jam. I mean my jam. It's almost embarrassing how much I love it. I mean, in high school I used to ask for it at any party or summer get together and it would be possibly the only thing I would eat... and that's because I ate so much of it. Though my love for it is still strong, I try to find healthier options to balance out how much of the fattier sandwich I eat and I think I finally found it in these Honey BBQ Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches.
Because I use chicken thighs and no processed sugar in these sandwiches, it cuts down on both saturated fat and refined sugar. Also, chicken thighs bring B vitamins and other health benefits that pork (or white meat chicken, for that matter) don't have. Top the pulled chicken sandwich with some tangy-sweet coleslaw and we also have vitamin C and fiber to complete our recipe.
Probably the best part of these sandwiches, though, are how stinking easy they are to make. I mean really: toss the coleslaw together in the morning at the same time that you quickly whisk the barbecue sauce together and pour it over the chicken in the slow cooker. Both roast while you're out at work, with the kids, going on your run or working out, or all three.
Life is so busy these days -- even as someone who cooks and develops healthy recipes for a living it can be hard to fit in healthy food with all that I have on my plate -- so I always try to make things easier with recipes that make our lives easier, but don't taste like they were that easy. I think this is one of those such times. I hope you think so, too.
Not only are these Honey BBQ Crockpot Chicken tangy & delicious, but they ...
- Are Family-friendly
- Easily double and are great for entertaining
- Cook while you're away -- making them perfect for a busy day
- Can be Gluten-free
- Store well as leftovers
- Have a one-of-a-kind barbecue sauce that's light, tangy, and refreshingly acidic
What is the best cut of chicken to use in BBQ Crockpot chicken?
Chicken thighs are my preferred cut of chicken because they have more fat and are more tender than chicken breasts. This causes them to not dry out as much and have better flavor in the sandwiches.
Are these chicken sandwiches healthy?
Yes! With no added processed sugar, low sodium soy sauce, and only other natural ingredients, this sandwich recipe is a healthy way to enjoy barbecue!
What goes best with pulled bbq chicken sandwiches?
I recommend a side that has some sweetness to go with the tang of the sandwiches, but not so much that it's overwhelming. Some roasted sweet potato wedges, baked beans, or even roasted carrots would be delicious!
How to make pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches:
- Combine the coleslaw dressing ingredients and whisk together in a bowl. Add the shredded coleslaw cabbage and golden raisins to the bowl and toss the cabbage in the dressing until covered. Cover the cabbage with an airtight lid and refrigerate until serving the sandwiches.
- Mix together the barbecue chicken sauce and add to a slow cooker. Add in the chicken thighs and turn the chicken to cover with the sauce.
- Cook the chicken in the slow cooker depending on how fast you want to cook it. The quicker option cooks in 4 hours and the longer option cooks in 8 hours.
- Toast the sandwich buns and top them with the shredded chicken and coleslaw. Cover with the second bun and serve your crockpot shredded chicken sandwiches!
Note: To make this recipe gluten-free, just sub in liquid aminos for the soy sauce & buy gluten-free sandwich buns.
Honey BBQ Crockpot Chicken
Juicy and succulent shredded chicken topped with a tangy and crunchy coleslaw. Follow directions to make it gluten free and cook according to the direction that best fit your time frame.
Ingredients
Coleslaw
- 10 tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 2 packages angel hair shredded coleslaw
Shredded BBQ Chicken
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon light oil or light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 limes, juiced
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- ⅛ teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 ¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 sandiwch buns
Instructions
Prepare the coleslaw and shredded chicken:
Combine the vinegar through honey in a large bowl and whisk everything together until the honey is dissolved into the liquids. Add the raisins & coleslaw into the dressing and toss until covered thoroughly. Cover the coleslaw and refrigerate until serving the sandwiches.
In a small mixing bowl combine the soy sauce through red pepper flakes (if using) and whisk until the tomato paste is dissolved. Add the chicken to the crockpot and pour the marinade over. Cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 2 hours.
Assemble the sandwiches:
Toast the buns and then scoop the chicken on the bottom bun and top with coleslaw and the other bun. Serve hot!
Notes
- To double or triple this recipe, just double or triple the ingredients and cook the chicken 1 hour longer on low if doubling and 2 hours longer on low if tripling.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge covered for 3-5 days and covered in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1 sandiwchAmount Per Serving Calories 681Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 163mgSodium 1897mgCarbohydrates 74gFiber 3gSugar 34gProtein 42g
This nutrition breakdown is an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
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