Description
Pulled chicken perfection brings Southern comfort straight to your dinner table with tender, juicy meat drenched in rich barbecue sauce. Succulent layers of flavor promise a memorable meal that satisfies hunger and warms hearts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Liquid and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Serving Suggestion:
- Buns or tortillas (optional)
Instructions
- Combine garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to create a robust seasoning blend for the chicken breasts.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or slow cooker over medium heat, carefully placing the seasoned chicken to develop a golden-brown exterior by searing approximately 5 minutes per side.
- Generously coat the chicken with barbecue sauce and chicken broth, ensuring complete coverage for maximum flavor infusion.
- For slow cooker method, cover and maintain low temperature for 6-8 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours. Alternatively, stovetop preparation requires covered simmering for 20-25 minutes until chicken reaches perfect tenderness.
- Extract chicken from cooking liquid and meticulously shred using two forks, creating delicate, stringy texture.
- Reintroduce shredded chicken into the remaining sauce, gently mixing to ensure thorough flavor distribution.
- Present pulled chicken on soft buns, warm tortillas, or fluffy rice, complemented by additional barbecue sauce for enhanced taste experience.
Notes
- Control salt levels by using low-sodium barbecue sauce for a healthier version.
- Experiment with different spice blends like Cajun or Mexican seasoning for varied flavor profiles.
- Swap chicken breasts with thighs for richer, more tender pulled meat that absorbs sauce better.
- Freeze leftover pulled chicken in airtight containers for quick meal prep up to 3 months later.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (or up to 8, depending on cooking method)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 307
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg