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Take the work out of making wings and give these Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings a try! They only require 5 ingredients and a few hours in the slow cooker to get moist, tender wings that fall off the bone.
Make healthier BBQ wings in the crockpot so you can enjoy your guests at the barbecue or game day party without constantly monitoring the wings. They cook in the slow cooker so you have time to prep the house for company or unwind before dinner.
Whether you’re making wings for dinner or a party, you’re going to love this amazing low-sugar recipe!
If you like BBQ recipes, you will love my Low-Sugar BBQ Salmon, or try out my Everything Bagel Chicken Wings if you want a new wing idea!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple, 5 Ingredient Recipe: Not only are these BBQ wings delicious, but they are also so easy to make! You only need 5 basic ingredients and a crockpot.
- Great for Gluten-Free or Paleo Diets: Not only are these wings gluten-free, but they are also great for those who eat Paleo.
- Perfect for Parties and Events: Whether you’re having friends over to watch the big game, hosting a barbecue, or just making dinner, these wings are the perfect protein for any occasion!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken Wings: A package of chicken wings and drummettes is the star of this dish.
- BBQ Sauce: You can purchase a low-sugar BBQ sauce or use my recipe for low-sugar BBQ sauce!
- Mustard: Add a sharp, tangy kick to your sauce with some quality yellow or Dijon mustard.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Up the deep umami flavor of the sauce with a little bit of gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- Hot Sauce: Give your sauce a spicy kick with some of your favorite hot sauce or a little sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Try Making a Different Sauce: While the flavor of traditional BBQ sauce is unbeatable, you can switch out the sauce to make different flavors of wings. Try making buffalo wings, honey and garlic, or teriyaki wings instead!
- Make Legs or Thighs Instead: If you want to have these wings for dinner, try using chicken legs or bone-in thighs instead. The extra meat will ensure there’s more protein in your dinner. You could also just make shredded BBQ chicken in the crockpot.
- Use Beef or Pork Ribs: Instead of chicken, try using your BBQ sauce to make beef or pork ribs instead! You’ll need to remove the membrane and separate the ribs, then cook them for an additional 1-2 hours.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Wings in the Crockpot
These BBQ chicken wings in the crockpot are so easy to make, and they only require a little bit of upfront work! You’ll need to line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 450°F before you get started.
- Step 1: Season the Wings. Sprinkle both sides of the wings with salt and pepper, then place them on the lined baking sheet.
- Step 2: Broil the Wings. Place the wings in the oven and broil them for 10 minutes, then flip them over and broil them for another 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Make the Sauce. In your crockpot, combine the BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and hot sauce and stir them until they are mixed.
- Step 4: Add the Wings. Place the chicken wings in the crockpot and coat each wing liberally with sauce. Then place the lid of the slow cooker and cook the wings on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You can save the leftovers and pull the meat off the bones to use in BBQ chicken bowls for a healthy lunch.
Expert Tips
- Broil Your Wings: Broiling your wings, either before or after they cook, helps the skin crisp up so the wings still have that classic crunch without frying them.
- Use A Sauce You Like: I recommend a lower sugar BBQ sauce to make healthier wings. Sugar free BBQ sauces don’t taste very good so I don’t recommend that.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Slow Cooker: It may be tempting to load up the crockpot, but you need to allow for some space between the wings so they can cook thoroughly.
- Save Sauce to Finish: Set aside a bit of sauce to brush over the wings just before serving them so they are extra saucy!
- Storing: Keep leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
These slow cooker BBQ chicken wings are perfect for an easy dinner, tailgate parties, or backyard barbecues! Everyone will love how delicious they are, and you’ll love how hassle-free they are to make! Depending on when you’re serving the wings, you can pair them with salads, dips, or dinnertime side dishes.
- If you’re making these crockpot bbq wings for dinner, they pair well with my cottage cheese mac and cheese and roasted vegetables, like roasted broccoli.
- Enjoy a creamy salad to go with the wings! Make a healthy macaroni salad or fresh potato salad that everyone will love.
- No football watch party is complete without wings and a good dip! My healthy French onion dip and healthy cheesy hummus is the perfect addition.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! If you want to make oven-baked wings, you can place them in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes. Be sure to flip them halfway through the cooking time! You can still broil them for a few minutes on each side at the end of cooking to make them extra crispy.
Sure, but you’ll need to thaw frozen wings before cooking them. Frozen chicken sits at an unsafe temperature for too long when it’s cooked slowly in a slow cooker, according to the USDA.
Chicken releases water and moisture into the sauce, which may cause it to thin. You can remove the wings and add the sauce to a small pot and heat it on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes to thicken it.
For the best texture, reheat the wings in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or in the air fryer set to 360°F for 4-6 minutes. Just be sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You’ll also need to thaw frozen wings in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating them.
More Healthy Crockpot Recipes
If you tried this Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb Chicken Wings
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, low sugar
- 2 teaspoons Yellow Mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, gluten free if needed
- 2 teaspoons Hot Sauce, gluten free if needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Turn the broiler to high or oven to 450 F. Place chicken wings on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then flip and sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper.
- Broil on high 10 minutes then flip the wings and broil another 10 minutes.
- Place the remaining ingredients for the sauce in a slow cooker and stir together.
- Transfer the chicken wings to the crockpot and coat liberally with the sauce.
- Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours then serve!
Video
Notes
- Broil the wings, either before or after cooking them in the slow cooker, to crisp the skin for a classic crunch.
- Use a low sugar BBQ sauce for healthier wings. Many sugar free sauces do not taste good. The one linked in the recipe is the one I used or you can make my homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
- Don’t overcrowd the chicken in the crockpot, or else the wings won’t cook evenly.
- Set aside a bit of sauce to brush over the top of the wings before serving if you like them extra saucy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these wings!!! I made a double batch and took them to a church small group. I was so bummed because I had NONE left over to take home! Everyone commented on how good they were.
Oh good! I’m glad you liked them.
where does it say what the serving size is? i need to know how many wings to eat per serving so i don’t over do it. haven’t seen serving sizes on any other recipes either unless i’m missing it somewhere
Hi! All recipes say 1 serving and the number of servings in the recipe card. For example, if it says 1 serving and there are 4 servings then 1/4 of the recipe is a serving. The other way to look at it is if there is 1 lb. of chicken then you eat 1/4 lb. If I have the exact cup size for the serving I add it to the notes. I don’t count the exact number of wings as they will vary in size.
Thank you
I love making wings in the slow cooker! I love the addition of hot sauce in this recipe!
I love hot sauce on everything.