Barbecue Chicken Bowls are a refreshing take on BBQ chicken sandwiches. Meal prep these bowls for a week of lunches or make them as your main course. Either way, I hope you'll adore them.
For ease, I make my barbecue chicken in a slow cooker. But if you're up for it, you can grill your chicken and chop it instead of shredding.
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Ingredients for Barbecue Chicken Bowls:
For the Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Your favorite barbecue sauce. Feel free to whip up your own homemade sauce. I used Woodstock's Hickory Bar-B-Q Organic BBQ sauce.
- Onion
- Apple cider vinegar
- Light brown sugar
- Paprika, or smoked paprika
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Grain Bowls:
- Coleslaw mix, or shredded green or purple cabbage
- Quinoa, cooked according to package directions
- Black beans
- Red onion
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Avocado
- Lime
- Cilantro
- Additional BBQ sauce for drizzling, optional
How to Make Barbecue Chicken Bowls:
For the Shredded BBQ Chicken:
- Add two cups of barbecue sauce, diced onion, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper to the slow cooker. Stir until well-combined.
- Trim the chicken breasts of excess fat, and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until fall-apart tender.
- Once the chicken is ready, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker. Then, stir to allow the chicken to absorb all of the BBQ juices.
- Set slow cooker on Warm for an additional 10 minutes, then serve.
For the Grain Bowls:
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions about 30 minutes before the chicken is ready.
- To assemble: Spoon a bed of warm quinoa onto a large dinner plate or bowl. Add piles of the remaining ingredients: coleslaw mix, shredded chicken, black beans, shredded cheese, diced onion, avocado with lime, and chopped cilantro. Optional: Drizzle additional BBQ sauce over top of the salad.
- Enjoy!
Equipment
You will need a slow cooker to make Barbecue Chicken Bowls.
Notes for Barbecue Chicken Bowls
- The quinoa and black beans can be eaten hot or cold, depending on preference.
- Switch up the protein by making this with shredded pork or shredded beef!
- If meal prepping: You will need two containers: one hot container and one cold container. In a large meal prep container, place all of the cold ingredients: coleslaw mix, diced red onion, black beans, shredded cheese, cilantro, and a slice of lime. Keep the avocado separate and cut once ready to eat. In a small meal prep container, add the quinoa and shredded chicken. Instructions for when ready to eat: Set aside the slice of lime. Heat the quinoa and barbecue chicken in the microwave. Then, pour it over the container with the cold bowl ingredients. Slice the avocado fresh and squeeze the lime juice over top of the bowl.
- If dining gluten-free, be sure that your barbecue sauce brand is gluten-free.
- Make a larger portion of this recipe by cooking more quinoa and chicken, and adding more BBQ sauce to the slow cooker. This is a very forgiving recipe that doesn't need exact proportions.
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Barbecue Chicken Bowls
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Yield: 6 servings
Barbecue Chicken Bowls are a refreshing take on BBQ chicken sandwiches. Shredded slow cooker barbecue chicken paired with a warm grain, coleslaw mix, black beans, shredded cheese, avocado, and more!
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shredded BBQ Chicken:
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3.5 lbs) trimmed of excess fat
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce I used Woodstock's Organic Hickory Bar-B-Q Sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Bowls:
- bag of coleslaw mix
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ red onion optional, diced
- cilantro chopped
- 4-6 avocados sliced
- 1-2 limes cut into slices for individually squeezing onto the avocado
- additional BBQ sauce for drizzling optional
Instructions
For the Shredded BBQ Chicken:
- Add two cups of barbecue sauce, diced onion, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper to the slow cooker. Stir until well-combined.
- Trim the chicken breasts of excess fat, and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until fall-apart tender.
- Once the chicken is ready, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker. Then, stir to allow the chicken to absorb all of the BBQ juices.
- Set slow cooker on Warm for an additional 10 minutes, then serve.
To Prepare the Barbecue Chicken Bowls:
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions about 30 minutes before the chicken is ready.
- To assemble: Spoon a bed of warm quinoa onto a large dinner plate or bowl. Add piles of the remaining ingredients: coleslaw mix, shredded chicken, black beans, shredded cheese, diced onion, avocado with lime, and chopped cilantro.
- Optional: Drizzle additional BBQ sauce over top of the salad.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If meal prepping: You will need two containers: one hot container and one cold container. In a large meal prep container, place all of the cold ingredients: coleslaw mix, diced red onion, black beans, shredded cheese, cilantro, and a slice of lime. Keep the avocado separate and cut once ready to eat. In a small meal prep container, add the quinoa and shredded chicken. Instructions for when ready to eat: Set aside the slice of lime. Heat the quinoa and barbecue chicken in the microwave. Then, pour it over the container with the cold bowl ingredients. Slice the avocado fresh and squeeze the lime juice over top of the bowl.
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