This gluten free slow cooker shredded bbq chicken recipe slow cooks or pressure cooks chicken breasts into moist pulled chicken pieces and then smoothers it all in a rich, delicious homemade barbecue sauce all while keeping everything gluten-free!  It's the perfect easy weeknight dinner and perfect to bring to potlucks all year long!

Sometimes it's delicious and hearty shredded BBQ sandwiches.  

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I get into one of those moods and I can't stop thinking about these delightful sandwiches until I have one three.

I think the other issue with pulled BBQ sandwiches is that the are great in the summer at a outdoor get-togethers and they are great once the weather chills on cool fall or winter days....  

Football party anyone?  

No matter what time of year, I crave these things!

I had to find a great gluten-free recipe, and actually, I prefer this recipe over the gluten-filled recipe that I ate as a child.

I use my Gluten-Free Honey Garlic BBQ Glaze and Homemade Hoisin Sauce for this recipe, and they are so simple to make.

Shredded Chicken Ingredient List:

•  1  ½ - 2 pounds of chicken breast or thigh meat: can be fresh or frozen
• 1 cup gluten-free barbecue sauce: I use homemade to make sure that it's 100% gluten-free!
• ½ cup gluten-free hoisin sauce: I also make homemade hoisin sauce to ensure that it is in fact gluten free.
• ½ sweet onion: chopped or diced
• 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

Crock Pot Chicken SLOW COOKER Directions:

1. Place a slow cooker liner in the crock pot if available.
2. Place the chicken in the bottom of the lined slow cooker.
3. Add all other ingredients on top of the chicken and stir well to combine.
4. Cook the chicken for 3-4 hours on the high setting or 7-8 hours on the low.
5. Allow to cool slightly before gently using a fork and pulling the chicken apart. Most of the chicken will fall apart on its own or with a gentle stirring action.

Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Directions:

You will need to add ½ cup water or chicken broth to your Instant Pot for this recipe to turn out into perfection and it's just because pressure cookers need liquids to help the dishes cook.

Here are the Instant Pot directions to follow:

1. Add the chicken meat to the bottom of your Instant Pot.
2. Add in all other ingredients except for ½ cup of the barbecue sauce (that will be added in later), and stir until well combined.
3. Put the lid on the pot and adjust the settings to the meat or chicken setting depending on the type of pressure cooker that you have. Set the timer on your pressure cooker to 10 minutes.
4. Allow the Instant Pot to release steam on natural release (on its own without quick release).
5. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot (place in large bowl or plate) and use two forks to shred the chicken.
6. Remove the chicken broth and BBQ sauce mixture from the Instant Pot with a ladle and pour the sauce over the pulled chicken. Add the extra ½ cup reserved barbecue sauce and stir until well combined.

Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns:

Need a recommendation for gluten-free hamburger buns?

Well, glad you asked!  

Pure Knead buns are my go-to grab-at-the-grocery-store buns.  

They make a product that is always consistent (which is not always the case in GF products), the price is right, and they are easily accessible at my local grocery store.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers:

You can store your cooled-to-room-temperature pulled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat your refrigerated leftovers, simply place your leftovers on a microwave-safe dish with a cover that is loosely fitted on top to help prevent splashes and a messy microwave.

Microwave on high power for 60-90 seconds, depending on how hot you like your reheated bbq chicken to be.

Want to Freeze Your Leftovers?

This recipe is great one to freeze and reuse extras at a later time!

I love freezing this recipe because it makes for suuuuuuch good leftovers!

It's like finding a 10 dollar bill in your pocket, only it's finding delicious shredded BBQ chicken in your freezer that you forgot about!

This shredded chicken recipe can be placed in an airtight plastic freezer-safe bag once cooled down to room temperature.

Once in the bag, seal it up, making sure that excess air has been removed from the bag.

The chicken is good in the freezer this way for up to 6 months!

This post was first published on April 14, 2015 and last updated on April 3, 2020.