Crockpot Carolina Gold BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe
Tender, flavorful Crockpot Carolina Gold BBQ Chicken Thighs featuring crispy seared skin and a tangy, sweet mustard-based sauce slow-cooked to perfection for a delicious Southern-inspired meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
BBQ Sauce
- ¾ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Evenly season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder to build a flavorful base for the dish.
- Sear the chicken skin: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until the skin is golden and crisp, enhancing flavor and texture. Don’t rush this step as it adds depth to the final dish.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Place the seared chicken thighs skin-side up into the slow cooker, ensuring the skin remains intact to retain crispness.
- Prepare the BBQ sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and well combined to create the signature Carolina Gold BBQ sauce.
- Add sauce to chicken: Pour the BBQ sauce around the chicken pieces in the slow cooker instead of directly on top to keep the skin crisp while allowing the sauce to infuse flavor during cooking.
- Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 5 to 6 hours, allowing the chicken to become tender and soak up the sauce flavors slowly.
- Thicken the sauce: During the last 30 minutes of cooking, uncover the slow cooker to let the sauce reduce and thicken slightly, enhancing the texture and intensity of the dish before serving.
Notes
- For best results, sear the chicken skin well to ensure crispiness before slow cooking.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the chicken after cooking and reduce the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat.
- This recipe works well with chicken drumsticks or breasts, but adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Serve with classic Southern sides such as coleslaw, baked beans, or cornbread to complete the meal.
- Leftover chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Keywords: Carolina Gold BBQ, slow cooker chicken thighs, mustard BBQ chicken, Southern BBQ chicken, crockpot chicken recipe
