BBQ Pulled Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender slow-cooked chicken coated in tangy barbecue sauce, ideal for sandwiches or main dishes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

→ Sauce & Seasoning

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz) barbecue sauce (gluten-free if needed)
05 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker base.
02 - Distribute chopped onion and minced garlic evenly over the chicken.
03 - In a bowl, blend barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and optional chili powder until smooth.
04 - Pour sauce mixture over chicken and onions, thoroughly coating the meat.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours until chicken reaches tenderness suitable for shredding.
06 - Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
07 - Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir to coat with sauce, and warm for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
08 - Serve hot as a main course or in sandwich buns.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It cooks itself while you're at work or running errands, no babysitting required.
  • The chicken comes out so tender it practically shreds if you look at it wrong.
  • Everyone gets to build their own sandwich exactly how they want it, which stops dinner table arguments cold.
02 -
  • Don't skip the apple cider vinegar, it's the secret to keeping the sauce from tasting one-note sweet.
  • If your chicken isn't shredding easily after 4 hours, give it another 30 minutes, it's not quite there yet.
  • Stirring the shredded chicken back into the sauce is when the magic happens, don't just dump it on a plate dry.
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker with a liner bag for zero cleanup, it's worth every penny on a busy week.
  • Taste the sauce before pouring it over the chicken, it's easier to fix it now than after it's cooked for hours.
  • Let the chicken rest in the sauce for at least 10 minutes after shredding so it soaks up every bit of flavor.
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