After living in the South for many years, we grew to love sweet and smoky BBQ chicken. Since both Rick and I have type 2 diabetes, I adapted this version to be sugar free. Cooking it in a crock pot is a bonus: the chicken breasts fall apart and shred easily for sandwiches, wraps, or bowls.
I used boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe so it works great as a hearty sandwich filling if you want to use homemade buns from my Sprouted Wheat Dough or a simple soda bread baked in a pan. Pile the shredded chicken high for a filling, flavorful meal.
To add crunch and contrast, I served this with a broccoli slaw recipe I love. The slaw makes a fantastic topping for sandwiches or wraps and helps keep the meal satisfying while fitting a Trim Healthy Mama approach.
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- For the sauce
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 8 oz water
- 1 tablespoon sugar-free brown sugar substitute
- 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion
- Place the chicken in a 3–4 quart crockpot in a single layer where possible to promote even cooking.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- To thicken the sauce, remove the lid for the last hour of cooking so excess liquid reduces.
- Shred the chicken with two forks in the crockpot and stir it into the sauce to coat before serving.
I found this recipe in a Fix-It and Forget-It cookbook I inherited from my parents. It contains many lighter, lower-fat meals, and I plan to adapt more of them to fit our trim and healthy lifestyle.
Some products I recommend to make Sweet and Smokey BBQ Chicken
