Tender Slow-Cooked Pulled Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Slow-cooked tender chicken breast shredded and coated in tangy barbecue sauce for versatile meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.
02 - Scatter the finely chopped onion and minced garlic evenly over the chicken.
03 - Combine barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and chili powder if using in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended.
04 - Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and onions, ensuring thorough coverage.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded.
06 - Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
07 - Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, mix well with the sauce, and heat for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
08 - Serve hot as a main course or piled onto sandwich buns.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender and shreds with barely a touch of a fork, making assembly feel almost meditative.
  • It's genuinely hard to overcook, which means you can forget about it for an extra 30 minutes without consequence.
  • One batch easily feeds a crowd or stretches across several meals, making it perfect for feeding people without the stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of returning the chicken to the slow cooker with the sauce—that final coating is what transforms good pulled chicken into something memorable.
  • If your sauce seems too thick after cooking, thin it with a splash of broth or water; if it's too thin, cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes to reduce it slightly.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken breasts dry before placing them in the slow cooker—it helps them brown slightly at the edges and improves texture.
  • If you have a slow cooker with a high setting but plenty of time, cooking on high for 2.5 to 3 hours produces equally tender chicken and lets you eat earlier in the day.
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