Selecting the Chicken Parts

• Purchase fresh dark meat chicken parts for slow cooker shredded barbecue chicken. White meat doesn't have the moisture or texture needed to pull off really slow-cooked shredded chicken. It tends to wind up stringy and dry when you shred it. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs and skinless chicken legs work best for shredded chicken. If you want to have some white meat, you can include it, but the majority of the chicken should be dark, for the best results.

Seasoning and Browning

• Season the chicken generously with spices of your choice. The basic seasonings to add include salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Heat oil in a Dutch oven on the stove and add the chicken pieces, browning all sides. You can slice up some onions and chop fresh garlic to saute in the oil at this point as well. Pour a generous amount of barbecue sauce all over the chicken and bring it to a simmer.

Cooking the Chicken

• Pour the chicken and barbecue sauce into your slow cooker and cover with the lid. Cook the chicken on low for five to seven hours. The chicken is ready if it falls apart easily when you pull at it with a fork. It also must be at an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a large platter. Use forks or your gloved hands to shred the chicken from the bones. Discard the bones and pour more barbecue sauce on the chicken before serving. You can also pour the juices from the slow cooker into a saucepan, boil and reduce to half, and pour that over the chicken.

Serving Options

• Typically, shredded barbecue chicken is served like pulled pork on burger buns. You can use additional ingredients to complement the pulled chicken sandwich, such as any type of coleslaw, a typical topping for pulled meat in many parts of the South. You can also add raw or grilled onions, a vinegar pepper sauce, or spicy mustard sauce. Other ideas include adding sauerkraut instead of coleslaw, jalapeno peppers and a slice of Swiss cheese.