Pioneer Woman Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

Pioneer Woman barbecue chicken sandwiches take 2 hours 10 minutes and a cut up fryer chicken, barbecue sauce and garlic cloves to make a tender, shreddable main dish. This braised shredded barbecue chicken fits Sunday dinners, summer cookouts and game day parties.

Braising the seared chicken low and slow in the sauce until it falls off the bone is the step that decides everything, because it turns tough pieces into tender, caramelized meat. Cutting that oven time short leaves you with chewy chicken that will not shred properly.

Braising whole garlic cloves right alongside the chicken turns them soft and sweet, almost like candy, so you can tuck a couple into each bun. A quick skim of the fat off the sauce before you stir the shredded chicken back in also keeps the filling rich without being greasy.

Pioneer Woman Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Calories

520

kcal

Fall-apart shredded chicken coated in sticky barbecue sauce piles onto a buttered, toasted roll with soft garlic cloves. A cool, crunchy cabbage slaw on top balances the smoky sweetness in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
  

• Salt And Pepper, to taste
  

• 2 tbsp. Canola Oil
  

• 1 bottle (large) Barbecue Sauce
  

• 1 whole Onion, Sliced
  

• 8 whole Cloves Garlic (more To Taste)
  

• Slaw:
  

• 1/2 head Cabbage, Sliced Thin
  

• 1/2 head Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin
  

• 1/2 c. Whole Milk
  

• 1/2 c. Mayonnaise
  

• 1 tsp. White Vinegar
  

• 1 tbsp. Sugar
  

• 1/4 tsp. Salt
  

• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  

• 1 bunch Cilantro, Roughly Chopped
  

Directions

• Make the slaw: Mix the green and purple cabbage in a large bowl, then whisk the milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and cayenne in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Sear the chicken: Heat the canola oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat and season the cut-up chicken with salt and pepper. Sear it on all sides until the skin is golden brown and some fat has rendered, then pour off the excess grease.
• Cook the aromatics: Add the sliced onion and 8 whole garlic cloves to the pot and stir for 2 minutes. That softens the onion and gives the sauce a sweet base.
• Braise in the oven: Pour in the barbecue sauce, nestle the chicken into it and cover the pot with the lid. Bake at 300°F for 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is falling off the bone.
• Set aside the garlic: Lift the whole garlic cloves out of the pot and keep them in a separate dish. They will be soft and sweet, so save them for topping the sandwiches.
• Shred the chicken: Move the chicken to a board and let it cool enough to handle. Then pull the meat off the bones and shred it finely with your hands or two forks.
• Skim and combine: Carefully skim the excess fat off the top of the sauce. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir it into the sauce and reheat until warm.
• Toast the rolls: Spread butter on the kaiser rolls and toast them on a griddle. The buttered crust holds up to the saucy chicken.
• Assemble and serve: Toss the chopped cilantro into the slaw, then pile a good amount of chicken on the bottom half of each roll. Top with one or two garlic cloves and a big helping of slaw before adding the top bun.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole cut-up chicken?

Bone-in thighs work well here, since they stay juicy through the long braise. Sear them the same way and start checking for fall-apart tenderness a little earlier, because thighs cook faster than a mix of large pieces.

How long do leftover barbecue chicken sandwiches keep?

Store the shredded chicken and the slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep them apart from the rolls, because assembled sandwiches turn soggy quickly.

Can I make the pulled chicken ahead of time?

Yes, the chicken can be braised, shredded and stirred back into the sauce a day ahead. Reheat it gently in a pot until warm, then toast the rolls and assemble just before serving.

Can I cook this in a slow cooker instead of the oven?

A slow cooker works if you sear the chicken and cook the onion and garlic in a skillet first. Then cook everything on low until the chicken falls off the bone, since the skillet step builds most of the flavor.

What is the most common mistake with this recipe?

Skipping the fat skim is the most common one, because the fat rises into the sauce during the long braise. Skimming it off before you add the shredded chicken keeps the sandwiches from tasting greasy.