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.
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.