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    Home » Chicken Recipes » Pulled Chicken

    Pulled Chicken

    Last updated: Jun 6, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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    This deliciously succulent pulled chicken is smothered in a tasty homemade barbecue sauce and baked in the oven until wonderfully tender.

    It's great on its own, in a bun or a sandwich, or as a tasty filling for a lettuce wrap.

    Pulled chicken served in a white bowl.

    There's something about slowly cooked meat. It's true for beef (pot roast, beef cheeks, goulash) and pork (pork roast), and it's also true for chicken.

    Add some barbecue sauce, and you're in for a real treat. The homemade barbecue sauce I use here is delicious and very easy to make, but you can use any sauce that you like.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Pulled Chicken Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storing Leftovers
    • More Chicken Recipes
    • Recipe Card

    Ingredients

    Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

    Fresh chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. I don't recommend using chicken breast. It's too dry to use in a slow-cooked recipe.

    For the homemade bbq sauce: Tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a sweetener. I use stevia, but you can use your sweetener of choice to equal 2 tablespoons of sugar.

    The ingredients needed to make pulled chicken.

    Variations

    One way to vary this recipe is to tinker with the homemade barbecue sauce seasonings. Sometimes I add cayenne pepper to make it spicy.

    Other good additions that I've tried and liked include onion powder and just a pinch of ground cumin.

    You can also use a store-bought sauce. In fact, when pressed for time, I often do and it works great. Since there are so many of them, this is another good way to vary the recipe and make it a little different each time.

    Just make sure to check the ingredients list and make sure it fits your way of eating. Some store-bought sauces are very sugary.

    Pulled Chicken Instructions

    The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

    Start by mixing the homemade bbq sauce. (Photos 1-2).

    Now, place the chicken pieces in a baking dish. (Photo 3).

    Add the sauce. Make sure it covers the chicken pieces. (Photo 4).

    A photo collage showing steps 1-4 for making pulled chicken.

    Cover the pan in foil and bake the chicken in a 300°F oven for 3-4 hours, until very tender. (Photos 5-6).

    Once done cooking, shred the meat with two forks or a spatula and mix it well with the bbq sauce. (Photos 7-8).

    A photo collage showing steps 5-8 for making pulled chicken.

    Expert Tips

    How long to cook the chicken:

    I usually bake the chicken for three hours. Baking for four hours works well to make the chicken exceptionally tender. But if you bake for so long, the barbecue sauce sometimes reduces too much despite the foil.

    In fact, pressed for time one afternoon, with only two hours until dinner, I baked the chicken at 400°F, covered, for 2 hours. The result was delicious and moist - so this is definitely an option if you're in a rush.

    Chicken thighs covered in bbq sauce.
    This is what the chicken looks like when it emerges from the oven

    Easy cleanup tips:

    One important tip I have for you is to line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with foil.

    The barbecue sauce gets beautifully caramelized as the dish slowly bakes, which makes for a very tasty dinner, but also for a tough cleanup job later on.

    However, if you prefer not to use foil when cooking, what I usually do is allow the Pyrex baking dish to cool a little (so it doesn't explode), then fill it to the brim with very hot, soapy water.

    I let it soak overnight, on a dishtowel on the counter (never put a hot Pyrex dish directly on a cold counter!). The next morning, cleanup is a breeze.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is pulled chicken as good as pulled pork?

    I think it is! Pulled pork is amazing, no doubt. But when slowly cooked in a rich bbq sauce, then shredded, check is just as good, as long as you make sure to use chicken thighs which are nice and fatty.

    Can I use chicken breasts in this recipe?

    I don't recommend using chicken breast in this recipe. It's too lean and will dry out during the long cooking time. Use that to make a baked chicken breast.

    Chicken thighs are fattier and juicier. They're far more suitable for slow cooking. And they are way more delicious!

    Can you freeze pulled chicken?

    Yes. It's best to portion it out, place it in freezer-safe containers, then freeze it. You can thaw it in the fridge, then reheat it in the microwave in a covered microwave-safe dish.

    Serving Suggestions

    I like to serve this saucy dish on cloud bread, 90-second bread, or thick slices of almond flour bread.

    It's also good on a bed of cauliflower rice, microwave spaghetti squash, or shredded lettuce.

    A tasty yet a bit messy option is to use it as a filling for lettuce sandwiches. I like to add pickled red onions - it's so good!

    Storing Leftovers

    You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. It's best to reheat them very gently so as not to dry them out.

    Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze pulled chicken for up to three months.

    Pulled chicken served in a white bowl.

    More Chicken Recipes

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    👩🏻‍🍳 I typically publish a new or updated recipe once a week. Want the new recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Recipe Card

    Pulled chicken served in a white bowl.
    4.97 from 389 votes
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    Pulled Chicken

    This deliciously succulent pulled chicken is smothered in a tasty homemade barbecue sauce and baked in the oven until wonderfully tender.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time3 hours hrs
    Rest time5 minutes mins
    Total Time3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 306kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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    Ingredients

    • 1.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

    Barbecue sauce:

    • 1 (7 oz) jar tomato paste (¾ cup)
    • ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite (or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup if you don't mind the carbs)

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the chicken thighs in a square 8-inch baking dish. Make a few slits in the chicken with a sharp knife.
    • To make the barbecue sauce, in a medium bowl, mix together the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sweetener.
    • Pour the sauce over the chicken, coating evenly. Use your hands to make sure the sauce not just covers the chicken, but also gets inside the slits.
    • Cover the baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil and place it in the oven. It will start to smell amazing after about 2 hours, but you should cook it for 3 hours, until very tender.
    • Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully remove the foil - hot steam will escape - and allow the dish to cool for about 5 minutes, until easier to handle.
    • Using a knife and a fork, shred the meat while still in the baking dish, and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    If using maple syrup, each serving has about 332 calories, 22g carbs, and 10g sugar.
    How long to bake:
    I usually bake this dish for three hours. Baking for four hours works well to make the chicken exceptionally tender. But if you bake for so long, the barbecue sauce sometimes reduces too much despite the foil. In fact, pressed for time one afternoon, with only two hours until dinner, I baked the chicken at 400°F, covered, for 2 hours. The result was delicious and moist - so this is definitely an option if you're in a rush.
    Cleanup tips:
    The barbecue sauce gets beautifully caramelized as the dish slowly bakes, which makes for a very tasty dinner, but also for a tough cleanup job later on. So you might want to line the baking dish with foil. However, if you prefer not to use foil when cooking, what I usually do is allow the Pyrex baking dish to cool a little (so it doesn't explode), then fill it to the brim with very hot, soapy water.
    I let it soak overnight, on a dishtowel on the counter (never put a hot Pyrex dish directly on a cold counter!). The next morning, cleanup is a breeze.
    Storing leftovers:
    You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. It's best to reheat them very gently so as not to dry them out. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the chicken for up to three months.

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    Nutrition per Serving

    Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 802mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g
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    DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


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