Made with slow-cooked, juicy chicken and a tangy, creamy, white BBQ sauce, these Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce are the ultimate recipe for entertaining at parties or feeding a crowd!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce on a plate beside pasta salad.

After falling in love with white BBQ sauce at a local restaurant, I wanted to recreate it at home, and this recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce is what came of it!

The slow cooked chicken is slightly smoky and the white BBQ sauce is tangy, creamy, and slightly spicy. Together, it’s a super flavorful sandwich!

While great any time of year, my family has been eating these sandwiches on repeat all summer long! Slow cookers are great for not heating up the house!

There are many variations on Alabama white BBQ sauce.

My version has a little kick from cayenne pepper and horseradish, a little tang from vinegar, and a touch of brown sugar to balance the flavors.

Another favorite slow cooker sandwich is made with Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken!

Ingredients needed to make Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce.

Ingredients needed(scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Butter
Liquid smoke
Broth
Worcestershire
Mayo
Horseradish
Apple cider vinegar
Brown sugar
Spices (onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne)

📍The full recipe with exact ingredient amounts and instructions is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What is Alabama White BBQ Sauce?

According to AL.com (state of Alabama’s website), Bob Gibson, the founder of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, used his white sauce to keep his smoked chicken moist and prevent it from drying out.

Apparently, Bob Gibson loved vinegary sauces and this white sauce paired well with his smoked chicken.

While each recipe varies, it is usually made with mayo, vinegar, spices, and a touch of sugar.

This delicious sauce is tangy from the vinegar, creamy from mayo, slightly spicy from both horseradish and cayenne, a little peppery, and has just a touch of sweetness from brown sugar.

A bowl of prepared Alabama White Sauce ready for Slow Cooker Alabama Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce.

Because Bob Gibson, the creator of white BBQ sauce, used his sauce to coat smoked chicken, I wanted to create a “smoky” chicken to pair with the sauce.

This slow cooker chicken gets its smoky flavor from smoked paprika and liquid smoke.

Cooked and shredded chicken in a slow cooker ready for Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce.

How to serve Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce:

You can serve this slow cooker chicken as a sandwich on your favorite roll or hamburger bun topped with Alabama white sauce.

Some great toppings for these sandwiches are:

Garlic Dill Pickles
Coleslaw
Bacon
Spicy Pickled Red Onions
Sliced cheese

Alternatively, you can serve this BBQ-style with a slice of white bread and serve with pickles and sauce on the side.

A photo of a sandwich loaded with Slow Cooker Alabama Chicken with Alabama White Sauce and some pickled red onions.

How to store slow cooker chicken and Alabama white sauce:

Store the chicken and Alabama white sauce separately. Both the chicken and the sauce can be stored in air-tight containers for up to 4 days.

The chicken can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 2-3 months.

Discard any sauce not used up within 4 days.

Looking for more sandwich recipes? Here are some favorites:

NOTES:

This recipe includes my version of Alabama white sauce. I am not claiming it to be authentic to the original, just delicious.
If you do not like spicy food, feel free to omit the cayenne pepper and horseradish.
I developed this recipe with chicken breasts, but feel free to use a combination of breasts and thighs or all thighs.
I have only made this with the Stubb’s liquid smoke that is linked in the recipe card.

Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches with Alabama White Sauce on a plate with pasta salad on the side.

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