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The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Dinner » Slow Cooker “Smoked” Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooker “Smoked” Chicken Sandwiches

by Sarah Olson on November 21, 2015 | Updated November 23, 2022 7 Comments

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shredded chicken sandwich with barbecue sauce on top.

A whole chicken with smoke flavor. The chickens shreds up nice and great on buns.

Below is the chicken after it was done cooking. See all those beautiful juices? That is what is kept the chicken extra moist. I purposely didn’t prop the chicken up on foil balls, and I also cooked the chicken longer than my other roast chicken recipes, because I wanted a moist shredded chicken, not a chicken that I would slice up and serve.

whole chicken cooked in slow cooker

I used liquid smoke to flavor the chicken. Don’t be tempted to add more liquid smoke than the recipe calls for, adding too much can ruin a meal in a hurry, and there will be no fixing it. Liquid smoke is delish, but I wanted to remind you that is a concentrated flavor.

I took the chicken out of the slow cooker and put it on a large platter. I left 1 cup of the juices in the slow cooker.  I shredded the chicken with 2 forks, discarded all the fat and bones, and put that beautiful chicken back into the slow cooker with the reserved juices.

shredded chicken in slow cooker

I hope you try this easy dinner idea soon. Such an easy meal, but a satisfying homemade meal. Have a great week!

shredded chicken sandwich with corn on the side.

More sandwiches to make in the slow cooker:

  • Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Cheesy Cajun Pork Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Alabama Chicken Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Roasted Garlic Beef Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Cheesesteaks

Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

shredded chicken sandwich with barbecue sauce on top.

Slow Cooker “Smoked” Chicken Sandwiches

5 from 2 votes
A whole chicken slow cooked with smoke flavor. Shred up this chicken and make the best chicken sandwiches.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 424kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 5 lb. whole chicken
  • 2 Tbsp. butter melted
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. liquid hickory smoke

For Serving

  • buns
  • barbecue sauce
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • Place the chicken into a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the chicken. Sprinkle over the cayenne pepper, salt, pepper evenly over the chicken. Drizzle over the liquid hickory smoke next.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours without opening the lid.
  • Remove the chicken onto a platter (or a very large plate). Shred all the usable chicken meat, discard bones and fat. I discard all but 1 cup of the juices in the slow cooker, then add the shredded chicken into that cup of juices that is left in the slow cooker.
  • Toast the buns if desired. Pile up the shredded chicken onto each bun and add barbecue sauce.
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Recipe Notes:

Can I use chicken breast or chicken thighs?
Yes, and use the same cook time for extra tender chicken.
Nutritional values do not account for the calories in the barbecue sauce and buns.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 343mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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    442 shares
    • 293

    Filed Under: Chicken, Dinner, Sandwiches, Whole Chicken

    Comments

    1. Erica (@Erica's Recipes) says

      November 27, 2015 at 10:26 am

      I have never tried cooking a whole bird in a slow cooker – to be honest, I’m afraid to! But your photo of that gorgeous bird makes me want to try. This corn sounds tasty too – will have to find that for an easy weeknight side.

      Reply
    2. Shelby says

      November 27, 2015 at 2:24 am

      Sometimes Grumpy will make a meal out of a whole bag of veggies like that! Your recipe sounds delicious.

      Reply
    3. Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says

      November 26, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Oooooo… I just love your little shortcut to get that smoked flavor in the chicken! And that corn as a side sounds perfect! I will have to look for that one the next time I am at the store. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Grandma Kc says

      November 25, 2015 at 3:10 pm

      That chickens sound yummy! I love stocking up on whole chickens when they are on sale — you get so much more for the money!

      Reply
    5. Linda says

      November 22, 2015 at 10:19 am

      I think l would use chicken breasts and use my mixer to shred it.

      Reply
    6. Mary says

      November 21, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      This sounds SO good. I love cooking a whole chicken in my slow cooker but I have never added liquid smoke. We have a smoker but sometimes you just don’t want to babysit it all day!!

      Also, do I spy a new Le Creuset bowl? SO PRETTY!

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        November 21, 2015 at 5:02 pm

        Hi Mary! Yes I made it up to the outlet! Score! 🙂

        Reply

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