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11.02.16

Smoky Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

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A super easy Smoky Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken that’s great for kids and perfect for busy weeknights!  I love this chicken over a baked sweet potato but you can serve it with anything you like!  Refined sugar free, soy free, Paleo. 

smoky-slow-cooked-chicken-4

Whoosh!  Halloween is checked off my list.  Is that absolutely terrible?  With 3 kids Halloween is a big thing here, and frankly, the whole thing makes me nervous, and ultimately, exhausted!  As long as they have fun – that is my motto.

I’m happy to report that all the kids had a good time and all went “as planned”, and I’m now I’m stepping into November with new things to look forward to – end of fall/winter/holidays, and all that jazz.

smoky-slow-cooked-chicken-9Every single year the rush of Nov/Dec drives me a little nuts.  But then again, I think I say that about September/October too, so it’s quite possible that I’m just nuts for a good chunk of the year, and I simply need to accept it.   That’s probably it.

Anyway, when I feel overwhelmed, the “little” things start to overwhelm me more – like – you guessed it – making food for everyone.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner.  I’m definitely being repetitive, but dinner is always a challenge on weekdays.  Did you catch my roundup of easy weeknight dinner recipes?  That was just as much for me as for you guys!

chickenYou might remember that a few weeks ago, I was cooking chicken in my slow cooker while writing this Thinking Out Loud post.  While I didn’t write down the recipe that day, it was definitely one worth repeating since everyone ate it!  smoky-slow-cooked-chicken-7The funny part?  No one in my family knew this was chicken – everyone assumed it was pulled pork.  I guess I was in such a rush that I failed to be specific about what we were eating.

Should I even be telling you this?  Don’t worry, everyone liked it regardless of what the actual meat was – which is why I made it again – and you can totally make this with a pork loin if that’s more your thing and I bet it would be yum-tastic.smoky-slow-cooked-chicken-2

The best part about this chicken, besides that it gets eaten, is that the prep is literally 5 minutes.  Put the chicken in the slow cooker, whisk the sauce ingredients in a bowl, pour sauce over chicken, cover, cook.  The flavor is smoky, with the right amount of sweetness, but not too spicy – unless you increase the chipotle powder – which you can certainly do if your family likes things spicier.

I have a slow cooker that’s programmable so you can be away from home and not worry about overcooking, which definitely makes life easier.  I cooked my chicken on low for almost 5 hours and it was perfect, I wouldn’t recommend cooking on high the entire time since the sauce might begin to burn in spots, but you can cook half on high and half low if you’re short on time.  It’s happened to me, just saying.   Let’s cook!

Smoky Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

smoky-slow-cooked-chicken

Smoky Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Super easy smoky Paleo slow cook BBQ chicken that's great for busy families, kid friendly and healthy! Serve over a baked sweet potato or veggies for an easy weeknight dinner. The prep is just 5 minutes!
Author: Michele Rosen
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
Course: Dinner/Slow Cook
Cuisine: Paleo
Servings: 6 servings
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Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review
4.65 from 34 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 and 3/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 6 oz can organic tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup Coconut aminos*
  • 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 and 1/2 Tbsp brown mustard
  • 2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle powder or adjust for spice preference

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except for the chicken
  2. Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker and cover with all the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours until chicken can be pulled apart/shredded with a fork.
  3. To serve, take two forks and shred all the chicken, mixing with the sauce. Serve over baked sweet potatoes (you can pre-bake them the night before and then simply reheat when it's time to eat) or veggies/potatoes of your choice. Enjoy! Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or frozen if you want to keep longer.

Recipe Notes

*You can sub gluten-free soy sauce if you wish for the same flavor

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PaleoRunningMomma on Instagram and hashtag it #PaleoRunningMomma

What I Used To Make My Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

paleo-bbq-chicken

Want more easy Paleo chicken recipes?  Try one of these!

Easy Bacon Wrapped Chicken {Whole30}

Turkey Meatballs with Apples and Herbs {Whole30}

Chicken Salad with Bacon and Scallions {Whole30}

Crispy Paleo Chicken Tenders {Whole30}

Paleo BBQ Chicken around the web:

Slow Cooked Paleo BBQ Chicken {Whole30}

Sticky Sweet Paleo BBQ Chicken 

Tell Me!

Are you feeling the busyness of November already?

How often does your slow cooker get used?

Michele

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Paleo Running Momma!

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About Michele

More than a little into running and paleo recipes (yoga now too!) but I'm not here to rain on your grains (or anything else) so come along for the ride! I do a little too much of everything (except cleaning), and I enjoy laughing at myself. As long as I'm the one making the jokes, that is. Just kidding. So bring me your angst, your appetite and your frying pan and climb aboard!

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. Lisa @ Mile by Mile says

    November 2, 2016 at 5:21 am

    I need a new slow cooker- definitely one that is programmable! I can’t use the one I have during the day because we are gone for 10-11 hours. November actually feels calmer than other months this year- but that may not last long once we start getting closer to the holidays!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 2, 2016 at 9:28 pm

      The programmable part is pretty awesome! I think thanksgiving makes nov feel busy since there’s school events and things like that, and then the holidays are right around the corner.

      Reply
    • Donna says

      November 3, 2016 at 10:16 am

      4 stars
      Hi Lisa my name is Donna and I have the perfect pot for you. Little pricey but it does the job. The brand is salad master and they have an electric pot that you can use as a slow cooker a rice cooker a roaster and it works wonderful you set it, it cooks your food and then it automatically changes down to 150 degrees to keep it warm until you get home it is amazing and it works wonderfully I use it all the time.

      Reply
  2. Mel _OutRunCf says

    November 2, 2016 at 5:39 am

    Year around insanity is a huge part of motherhood I agree lol The crock pot comes back in my life the day the bbq goes in the garage for the summer. This recipe looks great. I did something similar for my son’s birthday party last year:?with little slider buns for bread eaters and without for gfree people… It was a big hit!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 2, 2016 at 9:27 pm

      I think this would be great on buns!

      Reply
  3. Susie @ Suzlyfe says

    November 2, 2016 at 6:39 am

    Yummy! I feel like every year, people start posting slow cooker recipes, and I am like… I have way too much time to cook to use it! Because as a trainer, this is a bit of a lighter season for me, and with all the parties and such. But I am determined to use my slow cooker for once this year!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 2, 2016 at 9:26 pm

      Once you use it once you’ll probably want to again – it just makes things easy with the right recipe!

      Reply
  4. Emily says

    November 2, 2016 at 11:23 am

    OH WOW. We have so many potatoes; this sounds like a really really good idea. And I totally know what you mean about holidays sometimes being exhausting. The last few years the holidays here have been really low key, and it’s been so nice.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 2, 2016 at 9:25 pm

      I love low key! In a way Jan is such a relief.

      Reply
  5. Amanda @ .running with spoons. says

    November 2, 2016 at 9:42 pm

    November is actually pretty slow for us, but that might be because we don’t have Thanksgiving to prep for. Things get a little busier in November with Christmas, but I’m hoping to avoid the mad rush this year by starting to take care of some things on the to-do list early. Key word: hoping.

    Reply
  6. Lindsay Cotter says

    November 4, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    What a delicious dinner! Love how easy this is too!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 5, 2016 at 9:46 am

      I need at least some “easy” in my life, lol! Especially on our crazy weekdays.

      Reply
  7. JIll says

    March 18, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    4 stars
    can you leave out the coconut aminos? I really do not like buying “special” things that I may only use a few times…. thanks,

    Reply
    • Michele says

      March 18, 2017 at 5:47 pm

      It’s a large component of the flavor of the sauce, adding saltiness and flavor so I’m really not sure how it would turn out without it. You could perhaps replace with some sort of broth if you have? Let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  8. Dave says

    June 5, 2017 at 8:29 am

    I just shared a new post on my site titled 5 Paleo Recipes for Your Next Family Cookout.
    http://imsimplyadad.com/paleo-bbq/

    My BBQ Sauce is very similar but doesn’t have the coconut aminos. Wondering if I should start adding it in. It’s kinda pricey though. is it really worth it? What kind of flavor does it add?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 5, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      I love adding coconut aminos to sauces and generally it’s a replacement for soy sauce, so that’s the sort of flavor it has. It last a long time and I think it’s worth it!

      Reply
  9. Amelia says

    June 8, 2017 at 12:33 am

    5 stars
    This is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I followed the recipe exactly (no chipotle powder). It was extra easy and it turned out so yummy! Even my non-paleo, super picky husband really liked it and ate a lot. This is going in to the regular dinner rotation. Thank YOU!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 8, 2017 at 6:24 pm

      Yay! So thrilled you liked it 🙂

      Reply
    • Michele says

      June 11, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Awesome! I’m so thrilled you guys liked it!

      Reply
  10. Zev Finnley says

    August 31, 2017 at 8:35 pm

    Can you use honey instead of maple syrup? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      September 1, 2017 at 12:11 pm

      I think that would be fine 🙂

      Reply
  11. Annie says

    September 17, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! Not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe but the chicken didn’t separate easily and it was watery. Not sure what could’ve happen :O

    Reply
    • Michele says

      September 19, 2017 at 9:02 pm

      Did you cook this on high or low? Sounds like it wasn’t cooked long enough perhaps? Hard to say.

      Reply
  12. Brooke says

    September 24, 2017 at 6:34 pm

    About how many chicken breasts did you use? Thanks!

    Reply
  13. Amanda says

    November 14, 2017 at 11:18 pm

    Can I use yellow mustard instead? Would that make a huge difference?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 15, 2017 at 4:59 pm

      That would be fine 🙂

      Reply
  14. Clover says

    February 1, 2018 at 1:18 pm

    5 stars
    Tastes great! Do we know the nutritional info for this recipe? I’m tracking calorie intake.

    Reply
  15. Kevin says

    July 14, 2018 at 1:10 am

    This might be a dumb question but could i use bone-in chicken thighs for this?

    Reply
  16. William R Daily says

    August 21, 2018 at 11:32 pm

    5 stars
    Very easy to make, which is what I wanted, and Tasty! I made some paleo naan wraps, added shredded carrot & avocado. Definitely on the remake list.

    Reply
  17. Rachel says

    October 30, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    4 stars
    I made this today with some changes. I used broth instead of water, at least tripled the spices, and I added some liquid smoke and a yellow onion. Came out great. I love tons of flavor and heat in my bbq so I wanted to punch it up a bit. I also put it over a sweet potato which was a delicious Smokey sweet combo.

    Reply
  18. Dina Debra De Marco says

    February 10, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    5 stars
    Probably the best crockpot BBQ chicken I’ve ever made!!

    Reply
  19. Allison says

    August 29, 2019 at 2:30 pm

    Could I make this in the Instant Pot?

    Reply
  20. Emmy says

    January 28, 2020 at 9:44 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made this like.. three weeks in a row for meal prep because it’s literally the BEST chicken I’ve ever had! Thank you!

    Reply
  21. Wy @ The Healthy Patron says

    February 15, 2020 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! What an easy and wholesome meal! So simple and it fills you up! Can’t wait to try out more of your recipes! Keep up the hard work

    Reply
  22. Austin Miltner says

    October 26, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe make it a few times a month is so delicious and easy to make!

    Reply
  23. Caroline says

    January 5, 2021 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    I’m not much of a recipe repeater (my tastebuds get bored!), but this chicken happens at least monthly! It is the BEST meal for when I’m gone all day and crave a warm dinner to come home to. I’ve mixed and matched it with tons of sides, but my favorite has to be baked sweet potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts. SO GOOD!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Easy Paleo Pesto Baked Chicken {Whole30} | The Paleo Running Momma says:
    November 13, 2016 at 7:09 am

    […] this recipe is now officially in our dinner rotation, along with our bacon wrapped chicken thighs, slow cooker BBQ chicken and meatballs.  Lots of chicken happening lately, I must […]

    Reply
  2. 200 Cheap & Easy Paleo Recipes - Prudent Penny Pincher says:
    April 12, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    […] Smoky Paleo Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken from The Paleo Running Momma […]

    Reply
  3. Life Lately & Food You Should Eat | The Funky ForkThe Funky Fork says:
    October 13, 2017 at 8:58 am

    […] Smoky Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken […]

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  4. Stepping it up | Sylvia Gillespie – Writer says:
    June 5, 2018 at 7:14 am

    […] BBQ Chicken on baked sweet […]

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  5. Going Dairy-Free While Breastfeeding :: A Daily Meal Guide and Pantry Staples says:
    August 2, 2018 at 5:46 am

    […] Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken […]

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Hi! I’m so happy you stopped by! My name is Michele and I’m a Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, mom of 3, and the gal behind Paleo Running Momma! Over here you’ll find real-food, clean eating family favorites that you’ll be excited to share with your loved ones. I hope you stay awhile, eat, savor, and enjoy!

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