Sweet Baby Ray’s Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken

Some days . . . you know, I’m sure you have those some days!

Some days are just busy, and you know from the start that time won’t be your friend.  What do you do?  Pull out the Crock Pot, Slow Cooker or something close to it.

Chicken is a staple in my freezer, so often it’s the first thing that will pop into my head.  I have a lot of favorite Chicken recipes, but this recipe is simply delicious and it does NOT get any easier.

KT0C7349w

It will take you 5 or 10 minutes to throw together and your done!  You can follow the recipe as is, or also add a bottle of Peach preserves as I did. You can use your favorite bottle of barbecue sauce, but we love the Sweet Baby Ray’s.  I use the original or the Honey Barbecue.

The first night we just had Barbecue Chicken breasts, Baked Potato, Green Beans and a nice Crisp Green Salad.

KT0C7344w

Tonight, I broke up the left-over Barbecue Chicken, and we are putting it on soft flour tortilla’s with sprouts, olives and avocado.  I’m also making homemade potato chips.  Oh yum.

So . . . when you’re having one of those days . . . or just because . . . this recipe is a winner!

 

Print

Sweet Baby Ray’s Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken

Print Recipe

Delicious and super easy!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts thawed
  • 1 (18 oz ) bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • add in:
  • 1/2 to 1 full (18 oz ) jar of Peach Preserves (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together (except the chicken)
  2. Put chicken in the crock pot and pour sauce mixture over the top.
  3. With a large spoon, stir all together, coating chicken well.
  4. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until chicken is fall apart tender.

 

 

 

 

by

by Get Off Your Butt and BAKE

email a friend
  • Mary - 01/24/2014 - 8:15 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing this recipe it was so easy and very tasty. I shredded the chicken and put it on rolls with a little Monterey jack cheese on top delicious!ReplyCancel

  • Oby - 02/01/2014 - 8:13 pm

    Hello!

    I’m currently cooking this right now & I love how simple it is! So does my fiance 🙂 One question I have: what can I do with the left over ‘broth’? It seems like BBQ flavored chicken broth and I don’t want to put it to waste..ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 02/02/2014 - 5:31 pm

      Hi Oby,

      I’m probably far too late to answer your question. We often use the sauce over rice, with the leftover chicken.
      It will also thicken as it cools a bit. My slow cooker get a bit hotter than most do I think, so it seems to thicken the sauce
      quite quickly. We also use the leftovers, and roll it up in a soft flour tortilla with black beans and rice. Yummy!

      Hope this helps,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Michelle Findley - 02/20/2014 - 8:18 pm

    Is this white vinegar or apple cider vinegar? I notice yours says 2 TB however other sites say 1/4 cup. Many I read that used white vinegar said it was too strong & would used apple cider vinegar next time.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 02/21/2014 - 9:33 am

      Hi Michelle,

      I reduced the amount of Vinegar to 2 Tablespoons. I felt that the amount was too much for our tastes. I believe if you use that amount, white vinegar or apple cider will work well for you.

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Beth Brown - 02/24/2014 - 8:10 am

    This looks perfect for dinner tonight!! Can frozen chicken breasts be used?? Would the time need to be 6-8? Thanks in advance!!ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 02/24/2014 - 2:10 pm

      Hi Beth,

      Yes, you can use Frozen Chicken breasts, but I do like to wash them and trim any fat found first.
      Allow at least 30 minutes extra for thawing time in the slow cooker.

      JonnaReplyCancel

      • Ashley L - 05/28/2015 - 4:41 pm

        Tried this today! It is to DIE FOR on a piece of wheat bread–seriously. Thank you for the simple recipe. I am digging the slow cooker recipes as I am a mom AND a grad student. I will definitely be snooping around for more. Thanks again!ReplyCancel

  • Mary - 03/04/2014 - 11:09 am

    Mango chutney works really great with the BBQ sauce instead of peach preserves. And if you want it a little spicier, try subbing Frank’s Wing Sauce for the vinegar since vinegar is one of the main ingredients in it. I also use the BBQ/chutney sauce on turkey meatballs in the slow cooker.ReplyCancel

  • Rae Levy - 03/04/2014 - 3:21 pm

    Hi! I decided to make barbecue chicken today in crockpot….going by a beef barbecue recipe! It called for the vinegar & a few other items…which I didn’t have, but I did have a bottle of Baby Ray’s! So I basically ended up making this very similar to your recipe! I did have some celery & matchstick cut carrots in it ( from the beef recipe). It is smelling delicious! I used almost 2 lbs. of chicken tenders. Will take chicken out to shred & return to crock to stir & finish! I know it’s going to be great! And next time I’ll go completely by your recipe including the peach preserves!ReplyCancel

  • Mary - 03/19/2014 - 4:57 pm

    I used half a can of Campbell’s beefy mushroom, half a bottle of Sweet Baby Rays, and a few drops of liquid smoke. It was fabulous.ReplyCancel

  • Chris - 03/30/2014 - 4:15 pm

    Would it still work if you just put the chicken in and poured the bottled sauce over it? Seems like the extra ingredients are just more sauce. Just trying to make it even easier. Thank you.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/01/2014 - 6:48 pm

      Hi Chris,

      Your comment cracked me up!
      Yes….you certainly could do just that. Just make sure that you LOVE your BBQ sauce.
      The extra ingredients make good chicken . . . really good chicken!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Jonna - 04/04/2014 - 10:55 am

    I’m getting to make this tomorrow for a birthday party! I was looking for something simply, but delicious. This sounds like it fits the bill! Thanks for posting! Also, I noticed we have the same name! That never happens to me! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • tmc - 04/08/2014 - 10:53 am

    I have made this several times. I shred my chicken after it’s done and give it a good stir then serve it on toasted hamburger buns. SO easy! And the kids love it!ReplyCancel

  • Jessica - 04/14/2014 - 6:15 pm

    How much do I need of everything to make 20 servings?ReplyCancel

  • Troy - 04/15/2014 - 9:05 am

    Hi Jonna, I’m cooking this right now but I have a question. You say to use a 18oz. bottle of BBQ sauce. That’s a whole lot of BBQ sauce. I just used a 8oz. bottle of Rays and that almost ran it to the rim so did you really mean to say 18oz or 8oz.? I couldn’t find a 18oz anyway. Lol.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/15/2014 - 10:43 am

      Hi Troy,

      The actual recipe does call for an 18 oz. bottle.
      That is what I’m using currently. You can also find a similar recipe on the sweet Baby Ray’s website as well.

      Hope this helps,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Troy - 04/15/2014 - 11:07 am

    Im so blind!! It does say 18oz on the bottle. Duh!!! Lol!ReplyCancel

  • Adam - 04/21/2014 - 5:19 pm

    I tried this recipe on a whim today, wanted something easy to feed the family. At dinner I declared I would not be cooking ever again as the ENTIRE family went back for seconds and not one person complained about anything!! NOT ONE!!
    The only complaint, being the cook, I had was the sauce did not thicken up for me in my crock pot. I just read the post about using it over rice and I will do that for sure next time! The sauce is just so amazing even without the Peach Preserves and I was nervous about kids and red pepper, again not one issue!!ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/24/2014 - 12:12 pm

      Hi Adam,

      That is so great to hear! Thank you!
      As for the sauce not thickening, every crock pot or slow cooker heats differently.
      Mine happens to heat faster & hotter than some do, and will thickens the sauce nicely. If
      your sauce is too thin, crack the lid during the last bit of cooking time, to let the steam escape.
      This will help to thicken the sauce as the liquid is released.

      Thank you,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Gabbi - 04/25/2014 - 6:48 am

    I am not a fan of anything spicy even if it’s just a little bit. Have to have mild because of ulcers in my stomach. I noticed the recipe calls for red pepper flakes. Does that make it spicy or can’t you taste it? Thanks in advance!ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/25/2014 - 3:22 pm

      Hi Gabbi,

      You can leave the red pepper flakes out entirely!
      Use the honey bbq sauce, as it’s also mild in taste.

      Thank you,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Matt - 04/28/2014 - 5:53 pm

    Hi Jonna,

    I’m going to cook this tonight and let it cook on low from 11pm to 6am. So 8 hours total. Guessing that won’t overcook the chicken?

    Also, I think I’m going to use half brown sugar half molasses instead of all brown sugar. I’ll let you know how it tastes!ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/28/2014 - 8:55 pm

      Hi Matt,

      Assuming that you are using full size large chicken breasts, and your slow cooker in on LOW, you should be good to go!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Kaylie - 05/03/2014 - 2:53 pm

    Hi! How many servings does this make?ReplyCancel

  • Amy - 05/10/2014 - 8:14 pm

    Nearly done with this recipe now! Have had the chicken in the crockpot on low for nearly 4 hours, but my bbq sauce is so thin its more like a bbq broth! I followed the sauce recipe to the T! I’ve left the top back a crack like you suggested in a previous post so I hope this helps to thicken it. Maybe it just needs time to cool to thicken too? Thanks.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 05/13/2014 - 4:56 pm

      Hi Amy,

      Every Crock pot is so different. Mine tends to heat hot!
      I can crank up the heat in mine, and it will really thicken the sauce, so often it gets too thick.
      If your sauce is too thin, simply add more BBQ sauce to the pot, and let it heat through. Turn your Crock pot to high, so that the sauce can boil.

      Hope this helps,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Diana - 05/12/2014 - 3:08 pm

    I used Marmelade instead of the peach preserves and you could really taste the orange in it. Only did 3 pieces of chicken, so cut my recipe down for that amount of chicken. Sauce was runny, but I have the crockpot on warm right now until dinner in about an hour.ReplyCancel

  • Bill Chapman - 05/14/2014 - 7:09 am

    I would like to try this recipe today, sounds great. However, the store didn’t have any peach preserves…can I use apple preserve instead? Thank you in advance!ReplyCancel

  • Suzanne - 05/30/2014 - 9:38 am

    I’m hoping you can answer this in the next hour before I start the recipe!! You say 5-6 boneless chicken breasts but how many ounces do you think it is (each breast or the total ounces of all breasts?ReplyCancel

  • Shelby - 06/02/2014 - 2:55 pm

    i wonder…could you use fresh peaches?ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 06/05/2014 - 11:53 am

      Hi Shelby,

      I’m sure you could, but the sauce might be a bit on the runny side.
      My slow cooker can get very hot, so I’m able to remove the lid & really thicken sauces nicely.
      If you can do this as well, peaches would be nice!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • GJ - 06/17/2014 - 1:05 pm

    I have a question for you. Could you make this using a Whole Chicken, and how would the measurements for the Ingredients change?ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 06/18/2014 - 4:12 pm

      Hi GJ,

      I do believe that you could!
      You would have to watch the the chicken closely, so that it doesn’t fall apart, and de-bone in the sauce.
      The Chicken should be rotated in the sauce as well.

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Tama Feigley - 06/18/2014 - 6:22 am

    Please let me know if this recipe can be done with a large quantity for a graduation party in a roaster oven (usually used for turkey)

    Thank you! Love the recipeReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 06/18/2014 - 4:08 pm

      Hi Tama,

      Yes….I’ve used a roaster oven as well, but make sure that you turn it to very low, so that the chicken cooks slowly.
      The key is to cook the chicken until it is fall apart tender!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Sarah - 07/01/2014 - 11:57 pm

    Is the 18oz of BBQ a measure by weight? I buy bulk bottles and was going to use 24 fl oz out of a 40oz bottle and it used the whole thing! I’m not against extra sauce, but it would be good to know the liquid measurement before I broke into my 80oz bottle! 🙂ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 07/02/2014 - 7:01 pm

      Hi Sarah,

      My bottle of bbq sauce is actually 18oz. You could use the 18 oz or the 24 oz bottle of sauce. Just measure that amount fl. ounces and you should be just fine.

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Bobby - 07/04/2014 - 10:24 am

    What size crockpot did you use for this?ReplyCancel

  • Chavena H. - 08/05/2014 - 9:54 am

    Hello There!!! I just wanted to say Thank You & I love this recipe!!!! I used only 3 Large boneless skinless breast, almost a full small sweet baby rays original(3/4) & cut down the rest of the ingredients except the garlic powder, and threw in a half of a large purple onion, 1 whole medium skinned ripe peach (didn’t have the preserves)and because they were in season threw in a handful of wonderfully sweet halved & pitted Michigan BLACK CHERRIES!! IT TURNED OUT FANTASTIC!!! Served on a Toasted & lightly buttered Wheat Hoagie bun with a aged sharp cheddar !!! Everyone here loves this and I am making this a staple dish in my recipe box!!! Cooking is suppose to be fun and I love to experiment with adding little extra flavors!!! Just wanted to say thank You very much and Happy Cooking!! It’s all about bringing flavors together & enjoying doing it and watching those you serve truly enjoy it!!!ReplyCancel

  • Pat - 08/05/2014 - 2:16 pm

    I love chicken wings. Using this recipe (Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce), how can I alter it for chicken wings?
    Thank you.ReplyCancel

  • cherrie - 08/12/2014 - 11:59 am

    Trying this. What did you do with the juice from peaches. Add it or not. I chose not to add it.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 08/12/2014 - 12:12 pm

      Hi Cherrie,

      Some commenters have used real peaches….I used a jar of peach preserves (jam) as the recipe calls for. Please let me know how real peaches turns out.
      It sounds really good!

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Rebecca - 08/18/2014 - 9:09 am

    I have used this recipe numerous times. I added a jar of orange marmalade to the mix, and it was amazing! I also left the lid ajar to the slow cooker in the last few hours to thicken the sauce.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 08/18/2014 - 2:11 pm

      Hi Rebecca,

      That what I add as well…so yummy! My slow cooker gets really hot if I crank up the temp, so the sauce thickens nicely, but letting the moisture escape is excellent!
      Thanks so much,
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Monica M. - 08/30/2014 - 3:21 pm

    Made this today for dinner. Dang was it good! I’ve made other recipes very similar to this. This is by far the best I have come across. I love how it doesn’t take much vinegar because sometimes there is already vinegar in some BBQ sauces and then the flavors taste the same. This was very good the Red Pepper flakes are awesome. I might add a bit more next time for added heat. This always makes left overs for us so I do reserve the juice to pour over when I heat it back up to moisten it. This fell apart for me. I really didnt need to shred my chicken much. Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Christine - 08/31/2014 - 10:03 am

    Is the 1/2 cup brown sugar supposed to be packed?ReplyCancel

  • christal - 09/30/2014 - 2:04 pm

    I use a bottle of bbq and bottle of hiney bbq. Great harmony. Going to try with cococola bbq and bbq on pork chops next wk. My question is how long does this last in fridge. I made ours friday and we were away alot over wkend. Wondering if atill eatible today or tomorrow. ThanksReplyCancel

  • Ayrianna - 10/28/2014 - 11:51 am

    I’d like to know if there’s a difference in cooking time for chicken wings as well.
    Please and thanks.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 10/29/2014 - 5:18 pm

      Hi Ayrianna,

      I’ve never made chicken wings in the slow cooker! I’m sure though that they require less time than chicken breasts.
      Pass on your knowledge if you try it.

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Jocelyn - 11/14/2014 - 6:39 pm

    Hi! I’m going to triple this recipe for a party! I’m just concerned about cooking time. How much time do you think I should add? Thanks so much! Really looking forward to this!ReplyCancel

  • Sara S - 11/18/2014 - 2:51 pm

    I didn’t have peach preserves so I used Apricot so I hope it turns out yummy! Smells amazing!ReplyCancel

  • Louise - 12/14/2014 - 5:26 pm

    I am planning to make this tomorrow with drumsticks, thighs and wings. I plan to cook it for about 9 hours on low. Will it come out ok do you think?ReplyCancel

  • Mark Giansanti - 12/20/2014 - 11:27 am

    Just made this with only a couple of changes and it turned out well.

    1. I used orange marmalade instead of peach preserves.

    2. I used a couple of oz of bourbon to get all of the sauce out of the bottle.

    Both added a nice taste to the chicken.

    Thanks for a great recipe.ReplyCancel

  • Laura - 02/02/2015 - 1:24 pm

    Thank you, thank you. My Superbowl party was a grand affair, this was used with baked potatoes. I also used apricot preserves and Crown Royal and it was so good. cannot wait to take to another party again. LauraReplyCancel

  • Lee - 02/09/2015 - 11:02 am

    I’m cooking this right now. On low in crockpot is correct? Most chicken recipes are put on high? Just making sure…ReplyCancel

  • Jamie - 04/03/2015 - 8:47 am

    I want to make this tomorrow for a family gathering but i have a couple questions. What size crock pot did you use? I think I’m gonna have to add a couple of chicken breasts (and of course sauce) to feed everyone, would this change the cooking time? Thank you so much, can’t wait to try it!ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 04/08/2015 - 11:23 am

      Hi Jamie,

      I hope this all worked out for you. I’ve been away from the blog for awhile taking care of other things.
      I’ll be back soon.

      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Heather - 05/12/2015 - 10:50 am

    I really want to make this but I do not have any brown sugar. Will that make a difference?ReplyCancel

  • Natasha - 05/29/2015 - 8:04 am

    I am by no means a cook. I have recipes that I do well, if you know what I mean. Since making your recipe, this has become a most popular dish. Every time we have a work or social function, I’m asked to bring this. Hooray for your awesome recipe.ReplyCancel

  • Michelle - 06/10/2015 - 1:08 pm

    I love this recipe but it made so much and it’s only myself and boyfriend so if I freeze it will it alter the taste?ReplyCancel

  • Monica Q - 10/05/2015 - 10:28 am

    If I make this recipe with Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ sauce, should I still add the sugar and vinegar? Or is that only if you are using the Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ sauce? I don’t want to make it TOO sweet.ReplyCancel

    • Get Off Your Butt and BAKE - 10/06/2015 - 2:18 pm

      Hi Monica,

      Taste is your best recipe! If the sauce tastes sweet enough, then leave it as it is.
      It will turn out fabulous.
      JonnaReplyCancel

  • Sharon - 04/09/2016 - 12:12 pm

    I have been using this recipe with frozen meatballs. I have it in the crock pot right now to take to a party. Great recipe!!ReplyCancel

  • Janette - 05/30/2016 - 7:30 am

    I make my own BBQ sauce, equal parts (starting with 1 cup portions) of Ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, 1/2 stick of butter, add seasonings to your liking if you want such as garlic, hot sauce, liquid smoke, orange marmalade or not. Cook for 30 minutes until most the vinegar is diluted. Marinade on chicken for 1 hour or over night. Now I am trying to cook this in the slow cooker and finish it off on the grille to get the skin crisp. It is a Memorial day BBQ today and I do not want to stand in front of the grille for hours, Should be great.!ReplyCancel

  • Stephanie Martinez - 07/02/2016 - 10:39 pm

    This recipe was suggested to me when I reached out for help for meals for an elderly family member recovering from a stroke. So easy & so good!! Will definitely be making again!! Thank you!ReplyCancel