Sweet, smoky, tangy, and slightly spicy – this Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken is made with chipotle peppers and juicy peaches.
This slow cooked BBQ pulled chicken is one I have been making for years, especially towards the tail-end of summer when you can get perfect, fresh, ripe peaches. And since it’s made in the slow cooker, you can set it up and leave it for a delicious meal at the end of a busy day.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Your chicken can be thawed or frozen, that’s part of the beauty of using a slow cooker. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs work well, too.
- Onion: I used a white onion in my recipe, which has a light and mild flavor. You could also use a yellow or red onion.
- Peaches: You can use fresh or frozen peaches for this recipe. During peach season, my family loves to pick fresh peaches. We keep frozen fruit in our freezer all winter long. Compared to canned, frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at the height of their freshness, which means maximum nutrition for you and your family!
- BBQ Sauce: Any barbecue sauce will work with this recipe, store bought or homemade. Depending on the sauce you choose, you can really make the recipe your own and focus in on a certain flavor profile (tangy vs spicy, etc.).
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Chipotle peppers are dried and smoked jalapeño peppers typically used for seasoning. Adobo sauce is a popular sauce and marinade used in Mexican cooking.
- Beer: An optional step, beer brings out the richness of the meat. As the alcohol evaporates in the slow cooker, it leaves behind amazing tasty flavors in the meat. For slow cooked meals like this one, any light or cheap beer will do the trick. No need to waste money on craft beer here! I personally like Modelo Especial.
How To Make Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
To start, prepare all of your ingredients! Slice your onion, slice your peaches (if using fresh), and mince your chipotle peppers.
The order in which you add your ingredients doesn’t matter, since you’re going to mix it all up anyway, so go ahead and throw your prepared produce into your slow cooker.
Add your barbecue sauce of choice, and give your ingredients a good stir.
Place your chicken on top of the rest of your ingredients and season with a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper.
You’ll add the beer last, if you choose. Again, this step is optional, but will help make your chicken really tender and flavorful.
Give it another good stir, then you’ll close the lid, and turn it on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours. You’re now free to set a reminder and walk away! Or, use a programmable slow cooker like this one.
Once your chicken is done, you’ll take it out of the slow cooker for easy shredding. There are lots of tools and tricks out there on how to shred chicken, but I find that nothing works better than just using two forks.
If you choose to serve your barbecue pulled chicken as a sandwich, here are some toppings I highly recommend:
- Red onions
- Cole slaw
- Pickles
- Shredded cheese
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Follow the same steps of adding all of your ingredients to the pot, then set it to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure manually release or use your quick release button, and then shred and enjoy!
This BBQ pulled chicken will last up to 5 days in the fridge if stored in an air-tight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can use tomato paste instead.
Recommended Sides
- Lebanese Potato Salad
- Potato Salad with Bacon and Eggs
- Fried Pickle Chips with Cajun Buttermilk Ranch
- Baked Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries
- Chopped Veggie Slaw with Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette
If you’ve never thought of using peaches in savory dishes, I urge you to give this slow cooker chicken a try. The sweet peaches provide the perfect balance to the smoky chipotles and tangy barbecue sauce.
No forks required.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless skinless (thighs work well too)
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced peaches fresh or frozen
- 1 cup barbecue sauce homemade or store-bought
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced
- 12 ounces beer optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, chicken on top, and cook on Low for 8 Hours or High for 4 Hours.
- Shred chicken with a fork before serving.
Ali
I’m just wondering, could I make this with plums instead of peaches. I have a plum tree in the garden (and six apple trees) and we always have an abundance.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh yes that’s a great idea!
Shannon
What kind of beer would you recommend for this? I’m thinking a smokey porter would be good with the bbq flavor, but would you recommend something lighter?
Liz DellaCroce
I think the smoky porter sounds perfect!!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat
My mom and I ALWAYS put our pulled pork in the crockpot. It is just so easy and is a great way to keep the meat super moist!
Eli at CoachDaddy
I’m far more creative with hamburgers than barbecue, but this gives me great ideas. I’ll try it the way you have it first, of course! The peaches and beer must give it such flavor.
Liz DellaCroce
I hope you love it Eli!
Maureen
This looks amazing. The slow cooker bbq pulled chicken sure gives out a wonderful flavor. And I really love the addition of peaches in order to balance flavors.
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much Maureen!!
Claire @ Kitchen Options
I love the addition of peaches. It changes the taste of the entire burger. I don’t usually like it when fruit is mixed with protein in my food, but for some reason I like this.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh good I’m glad you liked it Claire!
Natalie @ Budget and the Bees
I’ve got this in the crockpot right now with the homemade BBQ sauce, and I can’t wait for dinner!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so excited!! I hope you love it!
Kevin @ Closet Cooking
Love slow cooker pulled pork and that sandwich looks so good!
Liz DellaCroce
Thanks Kevin!
Mai
If we don’t have a slow cooker, can we make this any other way?
Liz DellaCroce
You can always just set your oven on a lower temp. :)
Tina Muir
This sounds AMAZING!!!!! Love that you made it with peaches too! Pinning right now!
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
Love your new site design, Liz! It makes me happy every time I check out a new recipe. I definitely need this for dinner!
Liz DellaCroce
Aww I so appreciate that – thank you so much for your sweet words Ashley!
shannon
Beer is optional? Never!!! lol!!
Liz DellaCroce
hahahah I know right?? Miss you girl!
Susan
PS – I don’t think the beer is optional…
Liz DellaCroce
I don’t either but you know.. ;)
Susan
This sounds absolutely yummy, including Ali’s BBQ sauce. I found a recipe that I like for BBQ sauce but I’m going to have to try this one, too. This chicken would make a wonderful lunch (not big on sandwiches for dinner, usually).
Liz DellaCroce
Yes Ali’s recipe is amazing – all of hers are incredible! We actually ate the chicken with farro, not as a sandwich!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain
You know what these need……a little crack powder, yo! BTW….I miss you!
Liz DellaCroce
ahaha you’re so right!! I miss you more.
Nikki
Love that you added peaches!! Delicious!!
Liz DellaCroce
Yes girl!! Thank you for testing out my comment section btw!
Amanda
This looks amazing!
Adri
Oh, but this sounds delicious, and you are so right. It’s always great to have another slow cooker recipe!
Liz DellaCroce
It really is. :)
Walter c
Whem peaches aren’t in season what can you substitute?
Liz DellaCroce
You can find them in the freezer all year round otherwise try an apple!
Brittany
Sounds delicious! Just curious if we omit the beer, should we substitute with water, broth or something else?
Liz DellaCroce
Nope no need to add anything extra!
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
Love the addition of peaches! This sounds deeeeelish.