Brown sugar works so well for making a bit of a glaze and locking the moisture in, and I thought that searing the chicken for a few minutes at the end was a nice touch; it really seals in that great barbecue flavor. I also like slow cooker recipes that make a bunch of leftovers, and this recipe makes a bunch.

I thought that the chicken went nicely with traditional baked beans and cole slaw, but I imagine that potato salad or your favorite sides to serve with barbecue will do just fine, too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

one teaspoon minced onion (You can substitute onion powder, but you’ll want to add a bit more.)
one teaspoon garlic powder
one tablespoon brown sugar
one tablespoon paprika
one teaspoon dry mustard
one teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
4-5 lbs chicken (with skin and bones; drumsticks and/or thighs work best)
16-18 ounce bottle barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s original, but choose what you like.)

Directions:
(1) Mix all of the spices together in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Thoroughly coat the chicken pieces in the spice blend by tossing it in the bag with the spices, a few pieces at a time.

(2) Place the chicken in your slow cooker. Pour about eight or nine ounces of barbecue sauce over the chicken, and toss the chicken in the slow cooker to make sure that the chicken is good and coated. Cook chicken covered on low for about six hours.

(3) Heat a skillet over medium high heat (cast iron is best, but if yours isn’t cast iron, just spray some cooking spray like Pam in it, to minimize sticking) and place chicken in the skillet. Brush some barbecue sauce on both sides of the chicken and sear for about one to two minutes on each side.

Thanks to Better in Bulk for this delicious barbecue chicken recipe for the slow cooker.

NEXT PAGE>>