Sweet and Tangy Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich topped with tangy Cole Slaw and served on Hawaiian buns. A perfect meal for your 4th of July BBQ!
Serve up this summertime favorite with more Sumer Side Dishes like the flavorful Three Bean Salad and the delicious Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese for the easiest and most delicious summer cookout menu made indoors!
Sabrina’s BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
BBQ Pulled Chicken is a summer favorite, and it’s much easier to make for a crowd than individually grilling regular chicken breast and slathering them in sauce. Instead you make it in your slow cooker which not only cooks all the meat at once, but you are also free to enjoy your Fourth of July party with your guests! Just throw the chicken in a few hours before the party starts, set out toppings and buns when its time to eat, and let everyone serve themselves in between the festivities. Be sure to check out my full 4th of July Menu below for a celebration spread that is just as exciting as fireworks!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put salt and pepper in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Place the thighs in, skin side up.
- Season with more salt and pepper.
- Cook on low for 7 hours.
- Remove skin and bones and gently pull chicken apart with a fork.
- Mix with BBQ Sauce.
- Brush melted butter on the inside of the buns and put face down on a griddle or in a 375 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until browned.
- Top the bottom bun with ½ cup of BBQ chicken mixture, then ⅓ a cup of cole slaw.
- If you are going to make these ahead of time, you can add a leaf of lettuce to the top and bottom bun before you add the chicken and cole slaw. It will help prevent sogginess from setting in.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
This dish is perfect for game day, summer BBQs, or an easy family dinner. If you’re looking to use your slow cooker more but don’t know where to start, this recipe is a great introduction. Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken is tender, flavorful, and you can easily switch up the flavors by swapping the BBQ sauce or adding ingredients like root beer, apples, hot sauce, pineapple, jalapenos, onions, etc.
Table of Contents
Fourth of July Menu Ideas
These are a few of my favorite dishes to serve at our usual holiday BBQ, but be sure to check out my full collection of over 80 Delicious Dishes for Fourth of July for even more ideas!
- Sides: Be sure to make extra coleslaw and add it to spread of fun twists on picnic sides like BLT Potato Salad and Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad. If you have the grill going, you gotta try my Grilled Street Corn – its simple yet addicting!
- Desserts: Serve up star-spangled, colorful desserts like my American Flag Cake, Pinwheel Cookies and Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars. You could also keep it simple with mixed berry parfaits that have strawberries, blueberries and yogurt.
- Drinks: For a boozy festive snack, try my Cherry Bombs, and stay refreshed with some Vodka Lemonade. Don’t forget the Cherry Limeade for the kids (and kids at heart)!
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken can definitely be made ahead of time, and it actually reheats really well because the sauce keeps it moist.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave the chicken sandwiches out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. If you want to, you could put the shredded chicken back in the slow cooker and keep it on warm for up to 4 hours during a party for people to serve themselves!
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Oven-Roasted Chicken
- Season the chicken and roast in the oven, skin side up, at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Pull the chicken apart and mix with BBQ sauce.
Grilled Chicken
- You can also grill and chop the chicken (not really a pulled chicken, but still delicious).
- Then, braise in the bbq sauce in a low 250 degree oven for 2 hours.
Related Posts
More Delicious BBQ Sandwich Recipes
My husband is a cole slaw fanatic! I Will need to prepare this entire thing for him!
I hope he loves it!
Oh my goodness that looks so tasty! I’ve bookmarked this for later. My husband loves pulled pork.
this looks amazing
These sandwiches! No more boring summer picnic with these!
I know right? I ate two of them, haha.
This sandwich looks amazing! I LOVE coleslaw on a sandwish-so good!
Thank you!
This is the perfect sandwich for me! I’d love to try this tangy combination.
It is really a wonderful play of tangy and sweet!
I’m not a fan of coleslaw on BBQ, but that looks delicious!
I wasn’t for the longest time until we went to Nashville and it came on my sandwich without me realizing it. I took a bite before taking the slaw off and I was so surprised how good it was, it converted me! haha.
I love chicken BBQ recipes. They are really good around this time of year. A puled chicken BBQ sandwich would hit the spot right now.
I love slow cooker recipes! I cannot wait to try this! I like to have food ready quickly when I get home from work
Me too! Anything that does the work for me is always a favorite!
This sounds delicious! I made a sandwich mentioned in Mad Men earlier this summer that has cole slaw on it and I’m hooked! It adds so much flavor and great texture. This sandwich is a winner!
How cool! I love the added crunch from the slaw too!
I’m so wanting this now. I love hawain bread.
Oh yum. This looks and sounds absolutely amazing. I could go for a sandwich right now!
Amazing recipe!! These look so darn good! Thank you for sharing and happy 4th!
Happy 4th!
These sandwiches look so darn good! Amazing recipe!! Thank you for sharing and happy 4th!
That looks absolutely amazing. I need to pick up all the stuff to make these, asap! YUM
Thank you! How sweet!
omggg! my mouth is literally watering right now. everything on this post looks extra amazing. wow.
Aww, thanks!
Craving one of these pulled chicken sandwiches right now.. they look EPIC.
Thanks!
Oh this looks just amazing! Love the pairing with the hawaiian bread.
This sounds really good and exactly like something that my husband would love. He is all about the BBQ.
I am not as huge of a pulled pork fan as some other members of my family. But, I know that they would most certainly look at that sandwich and drool.
These bbq pulled chicken sandwiches look amazing! I love to use my crockpot to make meat like this, its always tender!
Me too. I love my slow cooker!
This looks amazing! I love chicken, it’s really the only meat I eat- so it’s nice finding new recipes to mix it up. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!
With you own fresh rolls, this would be perfect for our 4th of July feast with friends. It looks amazing and I am a huge fan of pulled pork sandwiches.
I loved all types of pulled slow cooked meat too 🙂
Oh my gosh, these are all good. I’m loving that cupcake.
This looks so delicious. It would be perfect for my get together this weekend. I will have to make some up.
These sandwiches look so delicious. I will have to try this recipe. I am sure it will be a big hit.
Thanks!
I love a good bbq sandwich with slaw, but I’ve never had this combo on Hawaiian rolls. Oh my gosh that sounds like a winning combination.
Thank you!
I love me a good pulled pork sandwich. These look so yummy. Thanks for sharing!
That looks like a perfect meal plan for any Fourth of July party! Those Oreo Chunk Cookies look delicious.
Thanks!
Oh my goodness this sandwich looks amazing. I love Hawaiian bread, it is so soft and sweet!
Thank you!
BBQ pulled pork is a favorite in our family and one of the best things my dad makes. I also pile homemade cole slaw on top of my sandwich. Your menu for the 4th looks amazing but it seems my invite must have gotten lost in the mail.
PS – I workout to eat well too! It is all about balance!
Yes! Working out makes me feel so much more balanced and happier since I don’t stress over having small indulgences!
Oh my goodness, I want to come and spend the 4th of July at your house! I’m still planning what we will serve.
The more the merrier!
Love love love the Hawaiian bread buns! So perfect for an epic pulled chicken! Pinned!
Thanks so much for the pin!
This sandwich looks really good. I think I need to have BBQ for dinner. Thanks for the recipe.
My husband and I both LOVE BBQ chicken and I just made some not too long ago. I love coleslaw as a side, but never had it on my BBQ sandwich. Mmmmmmm.
The tangy cole slaw has a slight crunch which plays off the bbq sauce amazingly!
pulled pork is always a staple at our cookouts. Pulled pork sandwiches are so yum!
Yummy this looks like a classic American 4th meal! I won’t be doing anything for the upcoming holiday but I think you’ve inspired me to try this recipe. I just love how fresh the slaw looks!
Thanks!
Yum…adding this to my recipes for the week!
Wonderful!
This looks so good! I love that there are a few options to cook the chicken. I can’t wait to make this.
I’m so glad that was helpful!
These all look so good!! Great food ideas for the 4th! Thanks for posting!
Thanks!
That looks ridiculously good. I love pulled barbecue, especially when it’s topped with cole slaw. Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you!
Wonderful post!! I love BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches! Everything looks so delicious!
Thanks!
I actually made something very similar last year but it was sans bread. I really like the whole bun idea!
I do it sometimes with no bun, but over cheesy polenta or cheese fries. No calorie savings but just for fun 🙂
That looks delicious! We love our barbecued pork sandwiches down here in Georgia, so I’ll definitely be making these.
These look amazing. They’re simple, obviously packed with flavor, and will make the non beef-eaters ecstatic.
This looks so good! That chicken looks amazing.. I want one right now!
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this BBQ pulled chicken recipe. I always see pulled pork, which I don’t eat, so this is awesome. I’m pinning!
Awesome! Thank you for the pin!
That food looks amazing. I will be making that chicken salad. I love sandwiches!! Happy 4th of July!!
Thanks!
Anything made in the slow cooker is my kind of meal! This looks delicious and perfect for the holiday weekend!
Meeeeee too!
My mouth is watering for these sandwiches and it’s only 9am here! I love the idea of BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches — something a little different from pulled pork. Pinning & hope to make this sometime this summer!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the pin!