Different barbecue sauces and baked beans ready for recipe variations
Different barbecue sauces and baked beans ready for recipe variations
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts; they stay very moist and are more forgiving if held on warm for a long potluck. If you’d like a bit of texture, stir in a handful of cooked, crumbled bacon right before serving (this would be an extra ingredient, so think of it as a bonus flourish rather than part of the base recipe).
To keep the dish food-safe, always start with fully thawed chicken—never frozen—and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to load the slow cooker. Make sure the slow cooker stays covered while cooking so it can maintain a safe temperature, and use a meat thermometer to confirm the chicken has reached at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
Meat thermometer checking cooked chicken in the slow cooker
Meat thermometer checking cooked chicken in the slow cooker
At a potluck, keep the slow cooker on the WARM setting and try not to leave the dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Leftovers should be cooled promptly, stored in shallow containers, and refrigerated within 2 hours; they’ll keep safely for about 3 to 4 days and reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
