When the afternoon is hot and I do not want to stand over the stove, this 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Mid-July Easy Eats Chicken is the kind of dinner that saves the day. It uses just a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients to turn chicken into a tender, saucy filling that cooks low and slow until it is easy to shred and full of deep, savory flavor. This is the sort of simple family meal that works beautifully for sandwiches, rice bowls, and easy summer suppers.
Serve this chicken on soft sandwich buns, over fluffy rice, or spooned onto baked potatoes for a hearty meal. For lighter summer sides, I like to add coleslaw, sliced watermelon, corn on the cob, pickle spears, or a simple green salad. If you are feeding a crowd, set it out with buns and let everyone build their own plates.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Mid-July Easy Eats Chicken
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup Italian dressing
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
1. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, and brown sugar until smooth, then pour the mixture evenly over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easy to pull apart.
4. Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker using two forks, then stir it into the sauce so all the meat is well coated.
5. Serve warm on buns, over rice, or however your family likes it.
Variations & Tips
Use chicken thighs: Chicken thighs stay especially juicy in the slow cooker and give the finished dish a richer flavor. If your family likes extra-tender shredded meat, this is my favorite swap.
Make it sweeter or smokier: A sweeter barbecue sauce will give you a more kid-friendly finish, while a smoky sauce adds a deeper backyard-cookout flavor. This is an easy way to change the whole mood of the meal without adding extra ingredients.
For easy serving: Keep the chicken on the warm setting for up to an hour if you are serving people at different times. Just stir it once or twice so the shredded meat stays coated in the sauce.
Picky eater idea: Serve the chicken plain on slider buns or tucked into quesadillas if someone at the table does not want a big saucy sandwich. A little shredded cheese on top can make it even more appealing for kids.
Leftover tip: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to reheat them gently and use them in wraps, over rice, or piled onto toast for an easy next-day lunch.