Sweet, spicy, and saucy slow cooker Nashville hot chicken sandwiches are made easy in the crockpot, kept warm to feed a crowd, and served on toasted brioche buns and finished with pickles and ranch dressing. Flavor and comfort have never been this easy!
Spicy, sweet, and saucy are just how I like my Nashville hot chicken sandwiches! If you’re looking to spice up your shredded chicken with a sauce you’re going to want to lick clean, then Nashville hot chicken may just be your new favorite.
Unlike the classic Nashville hot chicken sandwich that is made by deep-frying breaded chicken breast, this dump-and-set crockpot recipe skips the deep frying and heavy breading but keeps all the yummy flavors.
The chicken is slow-cooked until tender, then drenched in the BEST sweet and spicy Nashville hot sauce. We pile it high on a brioche bun and top it with cool and creamy ranch dressing and a couple of slices of pickles.
Slow cooker Nashville hot chicken is similar to my highly rated slow cooker hot honey sandwiches, and I promise you if you love one, you will love the other!
Nashville Hot Chicken
Why you’ll love this recipe
- An easy slow cooker recipe that is basically hands-free.
- Has all the sweet and spicy flavors of the original, in a lighter version.
- Can be served as a hot chicken sandwich or over rice or mashed potatoes.
- It’s make-ahead and freezer-friendly!
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Chicken breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any excess fat, placed right in the slow cooker raw.
- Butter: Gives the sauce a smooth, silky consistency. Also helps to turn hot sauce into more of a Buffalo sauce.
- Hot sauce: I love Frank’s Red Hot, but the options are endless.
- Seasoning: Brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- Hamburger buns: Brioche hamburger buns are soft, buttery, and perfect when lightly toasted.
- Pickles and ranch dressing: For topping.
How to make Slow Cooker Nashville Hot Chicken
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Place chicken into the basin of the crockpot. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter with hot sauce, brown sugar, and seasoning. Once everything is melted and combined, give it a stir.
- Step Two: Pour the butter mixture over the chicken. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Step Three: Once the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees F, remove it from the crockpot and use two forks to shred the meat. Then, return the chicken to the slow cooker. You can also shred right in the slow cooker.
- Step Four: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining butter, sugar, and seasoning and bring it to a bubble. Stir this extra sauce occasionally and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step Five: Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken and use tongs to toss and ensure all the chicken is evenly sauced. Serve on toasted brioche buns with pickles and ranch dressing and enjoy!
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
How to serve it
When served on a bun, we love it with ranch dressing (has that cooling element!) and pickles for tang and crunch; however, if you prefer yours with coleslaw, we think that’s pretty good too.
Side dishes that pair nicely with it are stovetop mac and cheese and slow cooker corn on the cob.
You can also enjoy it wrapped in a tortilla, piled on nachos, or served over rice or mashed potatoes.
- Make it even spicier by using more hot sauce or sprinkling some cayenne pepper to the mixture.
- For less heat, you can swap the hot sauce with Frank’s WING sauce instead. It’s a bit more mellow but still so flavorful.
- You can swap the chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- If you notice the hot sauce starting to separate, it just means it needs to be warmed again.
- For less saucy slow cooker Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, you can skip the extra stovetop sauce.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep leftover crockpot Nashville hot chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze it, once it has completely cooled, transfer the chicken and sauce to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and keep it frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating Instructions
You can reheat this for a quick and easy meal in the microwave or the slow cooker if you’re reheating for a crowd.
Need more slow cooker sandwich recipes? Try these:
Slow Cooker Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandiwches
Click here to view my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Slow Cooker Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup butter divided
- 8 tablespoons hot sauce divided
- 8 tablespoons brown sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder divided
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder divided
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- brioche hamburger buns
- pickles and ranch dressing for topping
Instructions
- Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and lay them into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- To a small microwave safe bowl, add 1/4 cup of butter along with 4 Tablespoons of hot sauce, 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar, and a teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.½ cup butter, 8 tablespoons hot sauce, 8 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt
- Heat until melted, stir together, then drizzle evenly over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the crockpot, shred, and pour out any juices from the crockpot. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- In a small sauce pan over medium high heat add the remaining ¼ cup butter, 4 Tablespoons of hot sauce, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and bring up to a bubble, stirring occasionally.
- Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken and use tongs to evenly coat.
- Serve on a toasted brioche bun with pickles and ranch dressing.brioche hamburger buns, pickles and ranch dressing
Notes
- If you’d rather not serve on a bun, the chicken is also great wrapped in a tortilla, piled onto nachos, or served over rice or mashed potatoes.
- I use Frank’s hot sauce – use your favorite brand.
- If you like even more heat, add additional hot sauce, or cayenne pepper to the mixture.
- If you like less heat, use Frank’s WING sauce instead of hot sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
