BBQ Pulled Chicken (Print Version)

Tender slow-cooked chicken shredded in tangy barbecue sauce. Perfect 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 ½ cups barbecue sauce (gluten-free if needed)
05 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp chili powder, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Arrange chicken breasts evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker. Distribute chopped onion and minced garlic over the meat.
02 - Whisk together barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and chili powder until thoroughly combined.
03 - Pour sauce mixture over chicken and onions. Cover and cook on low setting for 4–5 hours until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
04 - Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
05 - Return shredded chicken to slow cooker. Stir thoroughly to coat evenly with sauce and heat through for 10–15 minutes. Serve as a main dish or on sandwich buns.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly tender and juicy without any fancy techniques or constant watching
  • You can feed a crowd with minimal prep and maximum flavor payoff
02 -
  • Liquid smoke is not necessary but a few drops added to the sauce will make people swear you cooked this over actual hickory for hours
  • The sauce thickens naturally as it cooks and reduces so do not worry if it seems thin at the start
03 -
  • Darker barbecue sauces will give your chicken a richer deeper color and more molasses flavor
  • A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds umami that makes simple chicken taste like it came from a restaurant
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