Make this sweet Root Beer Chicken in your slow cooker with tender chicken thighs and only a few other ingredients.
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 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 Root Beer Chicken:
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 will 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.
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
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Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken
Equipment Needed:
- 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 1/2 cups barbecue sauce I use Sweet Baby Rays Original
- 12 oz. can Root Beer I use A & W
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
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:
- Chicken drumsticks
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Bone-in thighs or breasts
- Chicken tenderloins
- Whole chicken (more time)
- Chicken wings (less time)
Hi .. can you use frozen chicken breast ?
Hi I made this last night, I’m not sure if I did it right. Between the BBQ sauce and the rootbeer it came out very soupy. I strained off the excess fluid and added a little more bbq sauce to it. Still had great flavor. Next time I’ll either double the amount of chicken or use half as much bbq sauce and rootbeer!
Hi, I love your recipes. Can you use diet root beer in this recipe?
I have heard of people doing it successfully! If you are used to the taste of diet, it will be fine! I actually LOVE diet root beer to drink, tastes great.
How long should I cook this if I use chicken wings instead of thighs?
I would do the same amount of time.
Thank you for this recipe! So easy and huge hit in my house! My husband and stepsons couldn’t stop raving about it! Will make again and again. Used chicken breasts instead of thighs but didn’t change anything else. It was perfect!
If I double the chicken, should all of the other ingredients be doubled, too?
I personally would. 🙂
Belch — Good EATS Maynard
Dear Sarah,
Only have bone in skin on thighs, can remove skin, but leaving
bone in, do you think will be ok. too lazy to debone.
thanks
Yes, bone in will work great in this recipe.
What happens is u accidentally add to much root beer?
It will just be extra saucy, it will be fine.
I just made this and it was so amazing! I did it on high for 4 hours instead of 7 due to time crunch, but on a bun with cheese and pickles it was an instant hit for my mini sliders!!!♡♡♡
this looks delicious and I definately am going to try this.
THANK YOU! I am making this week…I need the Ray’s bbq sauce. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE SAUCE! I already RATED 5 because it looked so so good! ALL the ingedients are easy and tasty! I can’t wait til my son tries it!
This is a great recipe and about as easy as it gets. Thanks Sarah.
can you use ginger ale
Yes! Will work great.
How long would you recommend to cook it on the high setting?
3.5 – 4 hours.
Is it suitable for toddler’s dinner as well? Without chayenne for sure. But soubting about the root beer. Has anyone experienced?
My family absolutely loves this, I have made it 3 times now and it has turned out great each time.thanks so much for so a simple yet very tasty recipe.
Can coke be used instead.
Yes! would work great.
Good. I wondered what root beer was. Don’t think we get that in Scotland?
Ha, so cute! Root beer is a super sweet cola – root beer floats with vanilla ice cream used to be a popular dessert 🙂
Lived on root beer floats when had stage 4 ovarian cancer, still love it.
Google says similar to Dandelion & Burdock , but root beer is available – just rare.
For a low sugar diet, is it possible to use a stevia based root beer, like zevia or would it greatly change the taste? Thanks! Looks yummy!
I have not tried, if you do try let me know.
Question: Is Diet Root Beer OK to use in this?
I am unsure Tim. It would be hard to say without trying it. Sorry!
I may try this using Virgil’s Zero Sugar Root Beer. Looks amazing
Dear Sarah,
Hello,it is Mary i was the person who had requested the Barbeque Chicken Sliders Recipoe. It looks great. My husband is a Diabetic do I have to use the Root beer? How do you think it will taste without the rootbeer? Thank you,Mary
Hi Mary! You do not have to use it, it will be great without!