Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs (Bone-in)
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs recreates the rich slightly sweet and smoky flavour of a barbeque without ever lighting the coals! Just put everything into the slow cooker for tender and delicious meat.
Why should I make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs?
This is one of my all time favourite slow cooker recipes because it’s so easy. You don’t need to brown the chicken and the sauce is simple to mix resulting in the most delicious tender chicken with a sweet and tangy sauce.
What ingredients do I need to make the BBQ Chicken Thighs?
This is an incredibly simple recipe. It does have quite a few ingredients but they are easily available in supermarkets and stores and you probably already have many of them in your larder. Here is what you need:
- chicken thighs
- honey
- mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato ketchup
- dark soy sauce
- cayenne pepper
- garlic
Scroll to the end of this article to find the full recipe and all quantities of ingredients, with step-by-step photo instructions.
Why should I use bone-in chicken thighs?
Bones impart a rich, savoury flavour to chicken as it cooks. The marrow and connective tissue surrounding the bone release gelatin and natural juices, resulting in a deeper, more complex taste compared to boneless cuts. This makes bone-in thighs ideal for slow-cooked dishes, stews, and roasts where you want the chicken to be the star of the show.
Why remove the skin from the chicken thighs?
There are two reasons that I remove the chicken skin. Firstly, this allows the sauce to fully penetrate the chicken as it cooks. Secondly, chicken skin does not become crisp in the slow cooker and the fat it releases can make the sauce very fatty.
Can I use other cuts of chicken for this recipe?
You can use chicken thighs that have been boned although you won’t get the same depth of flavour. If you like , you can use 4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick) instead of the 8 chicken thighs.
What kind of honey should I use?
You can use any honey in this dish. However, I wouldn’t use honey that has a strong flavour such as Manuka honey or Heather honey. A standard runny honey adds sweetness and the light floral flavour to the chicken.
What kind of mustard should I use in Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs?
I use Dijon mustard for this recipe, it has a medium heat and is full of flavour. If you don’t have Dijon mustard then you can use other kinds of mustard. If using English mustard use only 1/2 a teaspoon and mix in a little extra vinegar.
What is Worcestershire Sauce?
Worcestershire sauce is a fermented liquid condiment known for its complex, savoury flavour. It is typically made from ingredients such as malt vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind extract, garlic, onions, and various seasonings. The sauce adds a tangy and slightly spicy depth to dishes.
I don’t have any cayenne pepper, what can I substitute?
Good substitutes for cayenne pepper are hot paprika, chilli powder or chilli flakes. You only need a little pinch of any of these as this is not a hot spicy dish.
Can I make Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs ahead of time?
There are lots of ways that you can get ahead with this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Make up the sauce and store in the fridge until you are ready to make the dish.
- Cook the recipe then cool and store in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven in a lidded casserole dish or covered in foil.
Can I freeze the BBQ Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you can freeze this dish. Cook the thighs as per the recipe and reduce the sauce. Put the chicken thighs into a freezer proof container and pour over the sauce. Cool in the fridge and then freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and heat until piping hot before serving.
Vegetarian
This recipe is not suitable for a vegetarian diet.
Gluten Free
There are a number of ingredients in the BBQ sauce which may contain gluten. You may be able to source GF alternatives. Please check all the labels to ensure that the ingredients are suitable for your diet.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs (Bone-in)?
These chicken thighs are packed with flavour and don’t need any complicated side dishes. I like to serve them with buttered new potatoes and sauteed or air fried vegetables such as carrots and courgettes (zucchini).
They are also delicious served with potato wedges or baked (jacket) potatoes and a crisp green salad. You can even pair the BBQ Chicken Thighs with a flat pasta like tagliatelle, it will soak up the sauce beautifully.
Another alternative is to pull the meat from the thighs, remove the bones and serve in burger buns with coleslaw.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
SLOW COOKER BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS (BONE-IN)
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- medium bowl
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (bone-in)
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Mix the sauce
- Put the following into a bowl: 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 clove of garlic, crushed, 5 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 1 pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
Combine in the Slow Cooker
- Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, then put the chicken thighs into the slow cooker.
- Pour the sauce mix over the chicken thighs.
- Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm.
Reduce the sauce
- If you have a sear and stew slow cooker you can take the pot to your stove. If you can't put your slow cooker pot on the stove then put the sauce into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Keep boiling until it has reduced by half.
- Pour the reduced sauce over the chicken thighs garnish with 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley, if liked. And serve with new potatoes and vegetables or potato wedges and salad.
Loved these BBQ chicken thighs, the sauce was perfectly balanced and I reckon I could use it on lots of meat cuts as it’s so tasty.
If I mixed everything together could I freeze it until I needed to cook it. Would this affect the texture or taste.
I haven’t tried doing this so can’t comment on how it might affect the texture or taste. It might be more successful to freeze the sauce and chicken separately and completely thaw the chicken before adding the thawed sauce, but I can’t give any guarantees as I haven’t tried this either.
Really delicious, I used the slow cooker setting on my Instant Pot and they came out great.
That’s good to hear, it’s such a useful easy recipe.