Crock Pot Dr Pepper Chicken Thighs
Crock Pot Dr Pepper Chicken Thighs are tender, flavorful, and slow cooked in a thick BBQ sauce with a sweet glaze for a more affordable dinner.
A Juicy and Flavorful Chicken Thigh Recipe
With the prices of groceries these days, I am trying to purchase more affordable cuts of chicken. I like experimenting with different flavors to change up the usual recipes that can get a bit boring, right? I love using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs as they are so tender and flavorful but don’t break the grocery budget. Pair it with the fact that the slow cooker does most of the work and I love this recipe even more!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The soda is a secret weapon. It tenderizes the meat as it cooks and it adds that “little something you can’t quite put your finger on” flavor. You don’t taste Dr Pepper specifically, but it brings flavors to the meat that you can’t just make up any other way. If you don’t like Dr Pepper, you could use another soda but most people don’t pick up specific dr pepper flavors but if you’re worried about that, just use Coca Cola.
Yes. You may not have to cook them as long though because white meat cooks faster than dark meat.
Technically no, but searing adds flavor and helps improve the overall texture and color of the chicken skin. I just think it makes it look better. Sometimes chicken cooked in the slow cooker can look a little bland (even though it doesn’t taste that way.) But if you are running short on time, then go for it!
Low is strongly recommended for the most tender results. Cooking on high can make the chicken less tender and prevent the sauce from developing the same texture. I know cooking on high can save time, but, you really need the extra time for this recipe to be the best possible.
Mashed Potatoes, rice, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, roasted vegetables, cornbread, or potato salad all pair well with this recipe.
Yes. If you’d like a thicker sauce, whisk together cornstarch and water, stir it into the slow cooker, and cook on high for about 30 minutes until thickened.
Absolutely. A few minutes under the broiler helps crisp the skin and caramelize the sauce even more. Just make sure you broil in a broil-safe pan that can handle that higher heat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop with extra sauce spooned over the chicken to help keep it moist. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs– Boneless chicken thighs work well in this recipe but may cook a little faster than bone-in thighs. Same with chicken breasts. Keep an eye on the cooking time so they don’t dry out. I like using bone in, skin on chicken thighs because they’re pretty affordable and stay very moist and juicy, even when slow cooked.
- smoked paprika – I like the taste the smoked flavor brings but if you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular.
- garlic powder
- barbecue sauce– whatever brand you prefer will work. I even like to use Homemade BBQ Sauce when I have some on hand. I generally use Sweet Baby Ray’s but Kinders (affiliate link) has some good BBQ sauce as well.
- Dr Pepper– if in a pinch, you can use a can of Coke. I haven’t tried this with diet or a zero version but it should work.
- light brown sugar – you can use honey instead of light brown sugar.
- Worcestershire sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard– Personally, I’d stick to Dijon mustard as it’s more mild in comparison to yellow mustard that is pretty tangy. But If you really don’t have Dijon and need a substitute, I guess you can try the yellow mustard. Keep in mind that the more that you change the original recipe with ingredient substitutions, the more you deviate from the intended flavors. If you really like a whole grain mustard, I suppose you could use that.
- cornstarch and water – this is used to thicken the sauce. You want to use cornstarch, not flour.
How To Make Crock Pot Dr Pepper Chicken Thighs
Brown the chicken
In a bowl combine all the seasonings. Season the chicken thighs on both sides. In a large skillet, heat up the oil. Sear chicken (skin-side down) until deeply golden. You’re not cooking the chicken all the way, just browning. Transfer browned chicken to a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker, skin-side up.
Prepare the sauce
In a separate bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, Dr Pepper, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Pour sauce around the chicken (not directly on the skin).
Cover and cook
Cover and cook on low for about 5–6 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through. It is recommended to only cook on low, not high for the most tender chicken thighs.
Thicken the sauce
Remove lid during the last 30–45 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and become glossy. NOTE: If you want the sauce even thicker, combine cornstarch with water and whisk until smooth, Add to the crock pot and stir into sauce. Turn the crock pot to the high setting for about 30 minutes. I prefer to do this but it’s up to you depending on thick you like the sauce.
Broil the thighs (optional)
For even more color, place the thighs under the broiler for a few minutes just to caramelize the skin a little. To do this, you would need to take the thighs out of the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet (unless you have a slow cooker insert that can withstand high temperatures. Spoon sauce over chicken before serving.
Craving More Recipes?
Crock Pot Dr Pepper Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ¾ cup Dr Pepper
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Optional: (If you want a thicker sauce)
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a bowl combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Season 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs on both sides.
- In a large skillet, heat up 1 Tablespoon oil. Sear chicken (skin-side down) until deeply golden. You’re not cooking the chicken all the way, just browning.NOTE: If using a smaller pan, do this in batches, adding more oil as necessary.
- Transfer browned chicken to a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker, skin-side up.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup barbecue sauce, ¾ cup Dr Pepper, ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
- Pour sauce around the chicken (not directly on the skin).
- Cover and cook on low for about 5–6 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through. It is recommended to only cook on low, not high for the most tender chicken thighs.
- Remove lid during the last 30–45 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and become glossy.NOTE: If you want the sauce even thicker, combine 3 Tablespoons cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons water and whisk until smooth, Add to the crock pot and stir into sauce. Turn the crock pot to the high setting for about 30 minutes. I prefer to do this but it is optional depending if you like the thicker sauce.
- For even more color, place the thighs under the broiler for a few minutes just to caramelize the skin a little. To do this, you would need to take the thighs out of the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet (unless you have a slow cooker insert that can withstand high temperatures).
- Spoon sauce over chicken before serving.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- These will cook for 5-6 hours.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
