Sweet and tangy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches made with juicy slow cooker bbq chicken and crisp coleslaw on toasted brioche buns. These easy and delicious sandwiches are the perfect weeknight dinner!
The Slow Cooker Recipe You Won’t Be Able to Stop Making: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Tangy Coleslaw
Slow cooker meals are some of my personal favorites. There’s nothing like adding a few ingredients to a slow cooker, turning it on, and then just a few hours later having a hearty and delicious meal ready for you.
Especially during the fall months (when things can feel so busy!) I heavily rely on my slow cooker to help me out for dinner time. It’s one of those gadgets that is a kitchen staple! If you think the only thing you can make in the slow cooker is pot roasts then it’s time to switch things up,.
These easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches are not only incredibly easy to make but also absolutely delicious! The tender bbq chicken is made entirely in the slow cooker, piled high on toasted brioche buns, and then topped with a cool and crisp homemade coleslaw that you will love. This is the recipe you won’t be able to stop making!
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich Ingredients
Buns: my favorite buns to use for these sandwiches are toasted brioche buns! They’re light, buttery, and have the perfect texture. Swap the brioche buns for your favorite gluten free buns to keep this recipe entirely gluten free.
Chicken Breast: you’ll need around one and a half pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe. Don’t have chicken breast? you can easily swap them for for boneless skinless chicken thighs instead.
BBQ Sauce: you can use whatever bbq sauce you like! I’ve include some ideas in the ingredient variations section, below.
Apple Juice: I love the flavor of the apple juice with the bbq sauce in this recipe! If you don’t have apple juice you can simply swap it for chicken broth or even water.
Apple Cider Vinegar: this adds a little additional tang to the chicken while also helping to keep the meat nice and tender. Make your bbq chicken sweeter by using a honey bbq sauce or add a little kick with a spicy bbq sauce!
Spices: you’ll need a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika for this recipe.
Coleslaw: to finish off the bbq chicken sandwiches we’re topping them with a delicious and easy homemade coleslaw.
My Go-To Easy Coleslaw Recipe
The tangy coleslaw adds another delicious element to these bbq chicken sandwiches. It adds a bright tang that works really well with the sweetness of the barbecue chicken.
Here’s what you’ll need to make the coleslaw:
- Shredded coleslaw mix – you can usually find this in the same area you find the ready made salad mixes at your grocery store. You could of course slice your own cabbage and carrots, but who has time for that?
- Mayo – this adds creaminess and helps bind everything together.
- Apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard – these ingredients help to give the coleslaw a tangy flavor that works really well with the sweet potatoes and barbecue chicken.
- Celery seed – this gives the coleslaw a delicious flavor.
How to Make This BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe
What to Serve with Your Sandwiches
You can always go with a simple side of your favorite potato chips for these sandwiches or switch things up and add one of these delicious salads to round out the meal.
- Homemade Broccoli Salad
- Green Goddess Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
- Buttermilk Ranch Cucumber Avocado Salad
- Veggie Loaded Pesto Pasta Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
I hope you give these BBQ Chicken Sandwiches a try! They are so easy to make and delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM.
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Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sweet and tangy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches made with juicy slow cooker bbq chicken and crisp coleslaw on toasted brioche buns. These easy and delicious sandwiches are the perfect weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 4 brioche buns
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 10 oz barbecue sauce, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Coleslaw
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded coleslaw mix
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Make the BBQ Chicken: Add the chicken breast, barbecue sauce, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and salt to your crockpot. Stir to combine. Cook on high for 2-3 hours until the chicken breast is cooked through and shreddable. Use two forks to shred the chicken breast in the barbecue sauce.
- Make the coleslaw: Add the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, celery seed, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until everything is well combined. Add the shredded coleslaw mix and green onion to the dressing. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Toast the buns: Heat a large skillet or griddle of over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl or push around until melted. Place the buns, cut side down, and toast for 30 seconds until golden brown.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Top the toasted brioche buns with the shredded bbq chicken, a little more barbecue sauce (if desired), and a generous spoonful of slaw. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
The Best Way to Store and Reheat
Store: for the best results, store the shredded bbq chicken and the coleslaw separately in air-tight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat: you can easily reheat the bbq chicken in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time. You can toast your buns right before serving any leftovers.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: THE MINDFUL HAPA
This is now my signature meal!! The coleslaw dressing is the best I’ve ever had and the chicken is delicious!!
This is hands down on menu rotation in our home. So easy to make and the whole family is pleased!
Made this recipe and one other over the long weekend (the other recipe was “The Best Chicken Burgers” Everything turned out fantastic! My family had rave reviews! My only request is to tone down the ads. Even with my fairly new devices that can keep up with a lot, it’s cumbersome. I found myself getting frustrated and wound up taking screen shots of the recipes.
Delicious and so easy to make!
So easy to make! Super delicious!