Tender Pulled Barbecue Chicken (Printable View)

Tender barbecue chicken shredded and piled on brioche with crisp slaw. Easy weeknight dinner ready in just one hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pulled Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.2 lbs)
02 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
03 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Slaw

09 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
10 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
11 - 1 medium carrot, grated
12 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 teaspoon honey
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Assembly

17 - 4 brioche buns
18 - 1 tablespoon butter, optional for toasting

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
02 - Pour chicken broth into the baking dish around the chicken. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - While chicken cooks, combine shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and grated carrot in a large mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until assembly.
04 - Remove chicken from oven and shred using two forks, discarding excess liquid. Transfer shredded chicken to a bowl and mix thoroughly with barbecue sauce until well coated. Return to oven, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes to heat through and intensify flavor.
05 - If desired, butter the brioche buns and toast them lightly in a skillet over medium heat or under the broiler until golden brown.
06 - Pile pulled barbecue chicken generously onto the bottom half of each toasted brioche bun. Top with a generous portion of slaw and cover with the top bun half. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays incredibly moist because it bakes in broth before you ever touch the barbecue sauce.
  • You get that slow-cooked pulled texture in under an hour, no smoker or slow cooker needed.
  • The crunchy, tangy slaw turns this into a full experience instead of just another sandwich.
  • It's flexible enough to use rotisserie chicken when you're really short on time.
02 -
  • Don't skip the final uncovered bake after adding the sauce, it's what gives the chicken that sticky, caramelized edge.
  • Make the slaw ahead and let it sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so the flavors can marry and the cabbage softens just a bit.
  • If your chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them gently so they cook evenly and shred uniformly.
03 -
  • Use two forks to shred the chicken while it's still hot; it pulls apart much easier than when it cools.
  • If you want extra smokiness without a grill, add a tiny pinch of liquid smoke to the barbecue sauce.
  • Toast the buns cut-side down in the same skillet you used for anything else; the residual heat and a little butter make them golden and crisp in under a minute.
Return