BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with a Simple Slaw
Pulled Chicken Ingredients:
1.5 lbs (or 2 large ones) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp + 1 pinch of cumin
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt & black pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 tbsp of grapeseed oil
3 shallots, minced finely
1 (14.9 oz) can of Guinness beer
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of tomato paste
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of packed brown sugar
2 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
Preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with tin foil. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tsp of paprika, 1/2 tsp of cumin. 1/2 tsp of cayenne, 2 tsp of kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix again.
Place your chicken breasts and thighs on the baking sheet and pat them dry with a paper towel. With a pastry brush (or spoon), coat the chicken in the spice and oil mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes. When cooked, pull the pan out, and let cool slightly. Set aside.
In the mean time, let’s make the BBQ sauce. In a Dutch oven, on medium heat, heat up the grapeseed oil. Add in your diced shallots and cook until glossy for about 3-4 minutes. Add in your beer, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, honey, mustard, garlic, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, 1/2 tsp of paprika and a pinch of cumin.
Whisk the mixture together until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While your sauce is cooking down, shred your chicken pieces. When your sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, add your shredded chicken to the sauce and let simmer again, shredding occasionally. Simmer for an additional hour until the sauce has thickened and coated the chicken pieces.
Slaw ingredients:
2 cups of shredded cabbage (I used a combo of red and green cabbage)
1/2 of a jalapeños, finely minced
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt & pepper
For the slaw, toss all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well so that the mayo coats all of the cabbage. If you want a spicy slaw, add a couple of glugs of your favorite hot sauce, or even some sliced onion! Place the slaw in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your sandwiches.
To assemble your sandwich, take a bun of your choice (I prefer a brioche bun) and add a big scoop of the pulled chicken, top with slaw and enjoy!
If you are looking for some sando variations, you can add some cheese on top of the chicken, add some pickled onions or jalapenos or even add some ranch dressing on your bun! This is the perfect meal to make for a group and to enjoy during the summer with some corn on the cob!