BBQ Baby Shower Pulled Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Tender chicken with tangy barbecue sauce on soft buns, perfect for casual gatherings and celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ BBQ Sauce

03 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
04 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
05 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
08 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
09 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Slider Assembly

10 - 12 slider buns
11 - 1 cup coleslaw mix (optional)
12 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
13 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
14 - 12 pickle slices (optional)

# Method:

01 - Place chicken in a large saucepan or Dutch oven with chicken broth and salt. Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook 20-25 minutes until tender and cooked through.
02 - Remove chicken from pot and shred using two forks. Discard excess cooking liquid.
03 - In the same pot or clean saucepan, combine barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
04 - Add shredded chicken to sauce and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is hot and fully coated.
05 - In a small bowl, toss coleslaw mix with mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Spoon pulled chicken onto bottom half of each slider bun. Top with slaw and a pickle slice if desired. Place top bun on each slider.
07 - Serve sliders immediately while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Chicken shreds into pillowy softness without any fussy techniques or special equipment beyond two forks.
  • The sauce coats every strand with smoke and vinegar tang, tasting like it simmered for hours when it actually didn't.
  • You can prep everything ahead and reheat gently, making it the perfect dish for when you're juggling other things.
02 -
  • If you cook the chicken too fast or at too high a temperature, it'll shred into tough little pieces instead of yielding strands—low and gentle is literally the secret.
  • The apple cider vinegar isn't just flavoring; it's what makes the sauce taste tangy and alive instead of sweet and one-note, so measure it carefully and don't leave it out.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you want foolproof tenderness—they're harder to dry out and cost less, so there's no downside.
  • Warm the buns lightly before serving by wrapping them in foil near the pulled chicken pot; warm bread makes the whole experience feel more intentional and homemade.
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