Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken

Make this Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken this weekend instead of grilling. Great on hamburger buns or on rice!

I had to give this Root Beer Chicken a try in my slow cooker after how good my Root Beer Baked Beans turned out last year. Some may scoff at adding soda to a savory dish but it is no different than adding a brown sugar to a barbecue recipe!

In the summer I look forward to grilling but there are so many days of the week that I have to prepare dinner and grilling isn’t what I have time to do. I love making simple slow cooker recipes that are barbecue flavored and cook up corn on the cob with it! We still eat outside but I am having to do much less work.

How to make:

You will need these ingredients:

• Chicken thighs – well trimmed of fat
• Barbecue sauce- I like Sweet Baby Rays
• Root Beer
• Oregano
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cayenne Powder

Add the chicken to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.

Shred the meat with 2 forks and serve on buns or even on rice. What a fun meal for the summer. If you are a root beer super fan you’ve got to make these Root Beer cupcakes from Cincy Shopper to go along with these. The kids would go crazy.

What other cuts of chicken can be used in this recipe?

• Chicken drumsticks
• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Bone-in thighs or breasts
• Chicken tenderloins
• Whole chicken (more time)
• Chicken wings (less time)

Pretty much any cut of chicken you have on hand will work fine in this recipe.

If you use a whole chicken make sure it is thawed completely and cook until no pink is left, I suggest 8 hours on low for a whole chicken.

If you want to use chicken wings in this recipe you won’t need to cook more than 5-6 hours on low. Beware that chicken wings in the slow cooker fall apart very easily, very tasty but very messy.

Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken

5 from 5 votes

Tender chicken thighs cooked with barbecue sauce and root beer. A great choice instead of grilling

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Root Beer Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours

Servings: 8

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

• Recomended Slow Cooker Size: 3 quart or larger

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs well trimmed of fat
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1.5 cups barbecue sauce I use Sweet Baby Rays Original
• 12 oz. can Root Beer I use A & W
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

• Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle over the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne over the chicken
• Pour over the barbecue sauce,
• Pour over the root beer.
• Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
• Shred chicken with 2 forks and serve over buns or rice.

How to Video:

Recipe Notes:

Recommended Slow Cooker Size: 3 quart or larger

If you want to use a whole chicken in this recipe, cook for 8 hours on low. Chicken wings 5-6 hours on low. All other cuts should do fine with the 7 hour cook time.

Nutritional values are approximate. If you require a special diet, please use your own calculations. Values below are for 1/8 of the recipes.

Nutrition:

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 657mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Made this recipe?I want to see your photos! Tag me on Instagram @themagicalslowcooker

More Soda and Beer slow cooker recipes on the blog:

• Slow Cooker Root Beer Baked Beans
• Slow Cooker Beer and Garlic Brats
• Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs
• Slow Cooker Beer, Onion and Ketchup Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork