Breakfast smoothie?
Chilled beet soup a refreshing summer spectacle
Not everyone has access to an outdoor grill so here are three ways to make the indoor version of classic barbecue pulled chicken.
Whether you have a slow cooker, a simple stovetop or a newfangled Instant Pot, here’s how to make a succulent pulled chicken complete with homemade barbecue sauce.
Each of these recipes yields 10 to 12 generous servings, perfect for summer entertaining or a week of meals. Pulled chicken freezes well and goes great on burger buns with pickles; in a grain bowl with sliced avocado and cilantro; or paired with a crunchy slaw.
I prefer a 50-50 or 40-60-per-cent ratio of chicken breasts and thighs that are boneless and skinless to ensure easier shredding and less fat. Don’t worry if there’s a lot of liquid while cooking — the more the chicken is shred, the more sauce is soaked up.
Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Chicken
Barbecue sauce is easy to make and tastes better than the store-bought stuff. This base recipe can be a launching pad for variations — for example, cooks can add fruit preserves such as peaches and apricots, a pinch of dried herbs or a sprinkling of hot chili powder. This recipe makes just enough for the pulled chicken but can keep for weeks in the fridge thanks to the sugar and vinegar so you might want to double it.
2 cups (500 mL) ketchup
½ cup (125 mL) apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) tomato paste
¼ cup (60 mL) fancy molasses
2 tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp (20 mL) Tabasco 2 tsp (10 mL) garlic powder
2 tsp (10 mL) onion powder
2 tsp (10 mL) mustard powder
In a medium-sized pot over mediumhigh heat, bring all ingredients to a gentle boil. Be careful as the sauce may splatter as it boils. Bring heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until it cooks down to a darker colour and has a consistency slightly thicker than syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Remove and let cool completely before transferring to a jar and storing in the refrigerator.
Makes 2 cups.
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Use this recipe if you prefer the “set it and forget it” approach to cooking. Put it on the low setting to let it cook overnight, or set the cooker on high a few hours before guests arrive while you take a nap.
3 lb (1-1/2 kg) mix of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) hot chili powder or cayenne
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and stir. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours, or until meat can easily be pulled apart with forks.
Remove lid and, using two forks, shred meat into fine threads. Serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
The magic of pressure cooking is that it can cook a large amount of food in a relatively short amount of time. It’s fast enough that this can be prepared on a weeknight, yet it will yield enough chicken to last the rest of the week.
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
2 tsp (10 mL) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) hot chili powder or cayenne
3 lb (1-1/2 kg) mix of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts
Heat oil in pressure cooker using sauté function. Sauté garlic until fragrant. Stir in barbecue sauce, paprika and hot chili powder.
Add chicken. Stir. Seal pressure cooker with lid and cook on manual high pressure for 10 minutes. Use natural pressure release and remove lid.
Shred chicken with forks. If there is too much liquid remaining, turn on sauté function and stir chicken until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Stovetop Pulled Chicken
Pulled chicken is essentially chicken poached in barbecue sauce until it’s tender enough to pull apart, so of course it can be done on the stove. Be sure to use a pot that doesn’t have a special non-stick coating that could be damaged when the chicken is shredded.
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
2 tsp (10 mL) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) hot chili powder or cayenne
3 lb (1-1/2 kg) mix of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts
In a large pot, heat oil over mediumhigh heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barbecue sauce, paprika and chili powder. Turn heat down to medium-low.
Stir in chicken. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and meat can easily be pulled apart with forks.
Remove lid and, using two forks, shred meat into fine threads. Serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.