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A classic Southern-style BBQ pulled chicken featuring tender, slow-cooked chicken coated in a sweet, tangy, and smoky homemade BBQ sauce. Versatile and perfect for sandwiches, bowls, and more.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 to 5 lbs whole chicken (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs)
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder (plus optional extra for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp onion powder (plus optional extra for sauce)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (plus optional extra for sauce)
  • 1 tsp chili powder (plus optional extra or cayenne pepper for spiciness)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup ketchup or tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
  • 2 tbsp molasses or additional brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard
  • Optional fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley
  • Optional broth or cooking liquid as needed

Instructions

  1. Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to make the dry rub.
  2. Whisk together ketchup or tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, molasses or brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon or yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, optional chili powder or cayenne, salt, and pepper to make the BBQ sauce.
  3. Trim excess fat and skin from the chicken, rinse under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Rub the dry spice blend all over the chicken, coating every surface and into crevices.
  5. Optionally marinate the seasoned chicken in a mixture of BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh herbs for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
  6. For the slow cooker: place the seasoned or marinated chicken in the slow cooker, pour BBQ sauce over the top, and cook on low for 6–8 hours until very tender.
  7. For the Dutch oven: sear the chicken in the Dutch oven until browned, add BBQ sauce and a splash of broth, cover and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 2–3 hours until tender.
  8. For the Instant Pot: add the chicken, BBQ sauce, and some broth to the Instant Pot and pressure cook for about 30–45 minutes total using natural release as needed.
  9. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken.
  10. Use two forks or a stand mixer on low speed for 20–30 seconds to shred the cooked chicken into strands gently.
  11. Reserve some cooking liquid, then fold in BBQ sauce a little at a time and add reserved cooking liquid or broth as needed to coat the chicken without overmixing.

Notes

Avoid overmixing shredding chicken to maintain tender strands., To adjust spiciness, add chili powder, cayenne, or hot sauce to the BBQ sauce., For sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar or honey., Chicken thighs provide more moisture and forgiving texture than breasts., Leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months., Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and buns to make recipe gluten-free., Reheat gently with broth or water covered to keep chicken moist.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/bbq-pulled-chicken-recipe/