Apricot Hickory BBQ Chicken Bites: Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Dinner Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion. Measure the apricot preserves and BBQ sauce. Have your slow cooker ready.

This recipe is all about prepping the ingredients and letting the cooker do the work. No need to brown the chicken first — it will cook perfectly in the sauce.

Instructions

Layer and Dump

1. 1Prep the Chicken and Aromatics
   Place the cubed chicken breast pieces into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Spread the diced sweet onion over the chicken. Spoon the apricot preserves over the top, making sure to cover the chicken and onion as evenly as possible.
   Look for The chicken should be mostly covered with the preserves and onion.
   Tip Cut the chicken into uniform 1-inch cubes so they cook evenly.
2. 2Add the BBQ Sauce
   Pour the hickory BBQ sauce over the chicken and onion mixture. Stir gently to coat all the chicken pieces with the sauce. The mixture will look saucy and glossy.
   Look for The chicken should be fully coated in the sauce.
   Tip Use a spatula to scrape every bit of sauce from the measuring cup.
3. 3Cover and Cook on Low
   Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Do not lift the lid during the first 2 hours of cooking to keep the heat steady.
   Look for The sauce will be bubbling gently around the edges.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip If using high, start checking for doneness at the 2-hour mark.

At the end of this phase, the slow cooker contains raw chicken, onion, apricot preserves, and BBQ sauce.

The mixture looks glossy and colorful, with the chicken fully coated. The aroma is sweet and smoky. The chicken is raw, so the slow cooker is on and heating up.

Slow Cook and Thicken

4. 4Check for Doneness
   After the cooking time, check the chicken by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest piece. The internal temperature must reach 165°F (74°C) for safe poultry. The chicken should be tender and easily pull apart with a fork.
   Look for The chicken is opaque and the sauce is thick and glossy.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip If the chicken is not yet done, cover and cook for 15 more minutes, then check again.
5. 5Stir and Thicken the Sauce
   Stir the chicken and sauce gently. If the sauce seems thin, leave the slow cooker on low with the lid off for 10–15 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
   Look for The sauce clings to the chicken and looks sticky.
   Tip Do not over-reduce; the sauce will thicken as it cools slightly.

After 4–5 hours on low, the sauce is bubbling gently around the edges. The chicken is cooked through and tender, and the sauce has reduced to a thick, sticky glaze. The kitchen smells of sweet apricot and hickory smoke. The chicken should register 165°F (74°C).

Serve and Enjoy

6. 6Serve Over Rice
   Spoon the warm jasmine rice onto plates. Top with a generous portion of the apricot hickory BBQ chicken bites. Drizzle with extra sauce from the slow cooker. Serve immediately.
   Look for The chicken is glossy and the rice is steaming.
   Tip For a complete meal, add a side of steamed green beans or a simple salad.

The chicken bites are plated over steaming jasmine rice, with extra sauce spooned on top. The glaze is glossy and clings to the meat. The dish looks vibrant and inviting. The first bite is sweet, smoky, and savory — the chicken is juicy and the sauce is rich.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is lifting the lid too often during cooking, which lets heat escape and extends the cooking time. Another is cutting the chicken into uneven pieces, which leads to uneven doneness.

Finally, don't skip checking the temperature — visual cues alone aren't enough for poultry. Always use a thermometer.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The meat should be opaque throughout and tender enough to pull apart with a fork.

The sauce should be thickened and glossy, not watery. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and cook on low for 10–15 minutes to reduce.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part