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Pulled chicken burgers feature tender, flavorful shredded chicken breast cooked in a Dutch oven with tangy barbecue sauce. Served up on a bun with a kale slaw these pulled chicken sandwiches are sure to be a hit!
Table of contents
Why Make This Pulled Chicken Sandwich Recipe
- Family Favorite: These shredded chicken sandwiches taste like summer with the tender, shredded barbecue chicken breast. They’re a hearty and delicious meal you can enjoy any time of the year!
- Stove Top Recipe: The chicken breast is cooked in a Dutch oven before pulling it to make the best shredded chicken sandwich recipe. Cooking it in a Dutch oven locks in the flavor and moisture in while cooking. It’s a semi-quick method versus the typical crockpot method for making pulled chicken.
- So Easy and Great to Make Ahead: Most of the time making this pulled chicken burger recipe involves cooking the chicken which is largely hands-off. You can also make the chicken ahead of time to use later during the week to make mealtime even quicker or freeze it for later.
- Flexible Serving: I love serving this pulled BBQ chicken sandwich with this optional Kale Coleslaw but you can definitely change it up for your favorite shredded chicken burger toppings.
Looking for more chicken sandwiches? Try my Grilled Chicken Wraps or Spicy Chicken Burgers.
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Breasts. Many pulled chicken recipes use chicken thighs, I like chicken breasts and white meat so I use chicken breasts. However, my recipe also works great with chicken thighs in place of the breast. You may just need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
- Seasoning. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin powder.
- Barbecue Sauce. Use your favorite! I love Kinders BBQ sauce.
- Whole Grain Dijon Mustard. Yum! This gives the barbecue flavor a little more kick and tang.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. This will be added to the pulled chicken in the Dutch oven, it adds some acidity to balance the flavors. You can also use pickle juice for a similar effect.
- Buns. Use any buns of your choice! Brioche or potato rolls are my go-to. You can also put this on my Garlic Rolls which I highly recommend.
- Cole Slaw: This is completely optional but I love adding this crisp vegetable mixture on top and my favorite is a quick Kale Slaw.
- Pickles or Jalapenos: Another optional topping to add more flavor or spiciness.
Recipe Variations
- Buffalo Sauce. You can easily serve up a pulled buffalo chicken sandwich instead by adding some to the sauce mixture during cooking or replacing the BBQ sauce with it.
- Low-Sugar or Sugar-Free: Choose a BBQ sauce that’s low in sugar or sugar-free to make this suitable for this type of diet.
- Different Toppings. If you don’t want to make or use coleslaw, there are so many great toppings to enjoy in place. I love fresh romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, or pickles on top of the burgers.
- Low-Carb. Skip the bun and serve it up in wraps or even lettuce wraps!
- Shredded Chicken Sliders: For mini-sized chicken burgers you can swap the regular-sized buns for your favorite slider buns. This method works great for parties or any time you’re serving a crowd.
How to Make Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
This recipe goes together quickly but I often will meal prep it on the weekend to use during the week for meals. It makes mealtime much easier. Here’s a look at the main steps. So start your oven preheating at 350° F and let’s start cooking.
- Step One. Mix the seasonings in a small bowl. Clean and pat the chicken breasts dry. Rub the seasoning mix all over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Step Two. Place the breasts in the Dutch oven drizzled with some olive oil. It’s okay for them to be snug and touching but try not to overlap the breasts so they cook evenly. If they overlap a little no worries, they will just need some more time to cook through. Add water, barbecue sauce, dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar to the breasts in the pot.
- Step Three. Cook chicken for 35 – 40 minutes, covered, or until they are cooked through and reach an internal temp of 165º. Remove the chicken from the oven, place them on a cutting board, and let them rest. Put the Dutch oven on the stovetop and simmer the sauce and juices on low for about 3-4 minutes or until it thickens up. Remove the heat and set it aside.
- Step Four. Use two forks to pull the chicken apart, shredding it into pieces.
- Step Five: Add the shredded chicken back to the Dutch oven and stir it into the sauce. Once the chicken is covered in the sauce, feel free to add more barbecue if needed. Build your burgers, top with optional coleslaw, and enjoy.
Recipe Pairings
Pair your chopped chicken sandwiches with crispy homemade fries, air fryer zucchini fries, or homemade baked beans.
Enjoy with a tasty summer no-cook side dish for a boost of veggies. Try my spicy cucumber salad or Greek cucumber salad if you want one that’s quick and easy.
Recipe Tips
- Cooking Time: This is slightly variable and will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. If you use thighs the cooking time may be slightly longer as dark meat takes longer to cook. Use a thermometer to check the temperature using 165° F as the goal.
- Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months. To reheat, first thaw it out in the fridge overnight, and then heat in a skillet on the stove. You may need to add some liquid and/or more BBQ sauce during reheating. Alternatively, you can reheat the chicken in the microwave.
Recipe FAQ’s
Can i make a double batch of pulled chicken?
Yes, but for the best results I’d suggest using a large Dutch oven so you can avoid stacking the chicken. If that’s unavoidable simply extend the cooking time until your chicken is done. I do this often and freeze the extra batch to use in the future.
Can i make this in a crockpot?
Yes, you can! If you prefer to use the slow cooking method that works as well. Follow all the instructions as listed in the recipe but swap the Dutch oven for a slow cooker. Cook the chicken breasts for 3-4 hours on high heat, 6-7 hours at low heat or until fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F.
More EAsy Chicken Recipes to enjoy
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Pulled Chicken Burger
Pulled chicken burgers feature tender, flavorful shredded chicken breast cooked in a dutch oven with tangy barbecue sauce.
Servings: 4
Calories: 434kcal
Equipment
- 4-6 qt Dutch oven or a similar oven safe dish
Ingredients
Pulled Chicken In The Dutch Oven
- 2-3 chicken breasts about 1-1.5 lb, or chicken thighs also work
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- 1½ Tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or pickle juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Toppings & More
- 4 buns
- 1 batch Kale Coleslaw optional, any coleslaw will work
- pickles or pickled jalapeños optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Mix seasonings in a small bowl, clean and pat chicken breasts dry. Rub seasoning mix all over both sides of chicken. Pour a little olive oil into the bottom of the dutch oven
- Lay the breasts in the dutch oven. It's okay for them to be snug and touching but try not to overlap the breasts so they cook evenly. If they overlap a little no worries, they will just need some more time to cook through. Add 2 tbsp water, 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. Cover the dutch oven with the lid.
- Cook chicken for 35 – 40 minutes or until they are cooked through and reach an internal temp of 165º. Pull them from the oven, place them on a cutting board and let them rest. While they rest, put the dutch oven on the stovetop and simmer the sauce and juices on low for about 3-4 minutes or until it thickens up. Take off the heat and set aside.
- Pull the chicken with two forks. Add it back into the dutch oven and mix up into the sauce with 1/2 cup of bbq sauce.
- Once the chicken is covered in the sauce, feel free to add more barbecue if needed. Build your burgers, top with optional coleslaw and enjoy.
Notes
- Cooking Time: This is slightly variable and will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. If you use thighs the cooking time may be slightly longer as dark meat takes longer to cook. Use a thermometer to check the temperature using 165° F as the goal.
- Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months. To reheat, first thaw it out in the fridge overnight, and then heat in a skillet on the stove. You may need to add some liquid and/or more BBQ sauce during reheating. Alternatively, you can reheat the chicken in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1burger | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1331mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 12mg
Perfect sandwich to get me ready for summer! So easy to make!
So happy you enjoyed this one!
Can you cook it in a slow cooker instead ?
Hi Lisa,
Yes! You can pop it into the slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6 hours.
Am psyched for this! Making it now…
Question: Do you mean for the chicken to be placed in the dutch oven and then COVERED? (Otherwise I believe they would dry out…).
Als, an FYI: In “Step Two” you say “1/3 Cup barbecue sauce” but in the print-ready version of the recipe, you say “1/4 Cup barbecue sauce.” 🙂
Hi There!
I am so sorry, I updated the post to reflect your questions, it’s a brand new one (so thanks so much for catching the errors!) Yes, cover the chicken in the dutch oven while cooking, and use 1/3 cup of bbq sauce. Let me know what you think. Happy Cooking, Bailey.
Hello Bailey — Thanks for answering the question about using a covered Dutch oven. I figured it needed to be covered, but wanted to double-check. Thank you, also, for tweaking the amount of barbecue sauce called for.
When I made this recipe in May, it was an enormous hit with my husband (and with me!). He’s from eastern North Carolina, and the barbecue there (pork) is to die for… but hard to find in New England where we live. Plus, there is the issue of pork vs. chicken in terms of healthy eating……… So we are happy with this recipe, and I’ve made it a few times. In fact, I just put a double batch in the oven now. 🙂
I appreciate so many of your recipes. They are just great. Keep up the good work!!
This was phenomenal! We entertained on Friday and I made this. Everyone agreed it was a hit. Even the slaw was perfect on top, Thank you so much.
I am so happy to hear it as a hit! Thanks for letting me know
These were delicious. Saving the leftovers for a salad tomorrow and I’m so excited for it.
This sandwich is so good and is a perfect summer bbq dish!
Delicious I didn’t make the burgers but I ate the pulled chicken over rice. It was fantastic.
This was delicious, I made the slaw you suggested with it and it added a great creamy texture. A new favorite in our household. Trying the Kung Pao Shrimp next.
Love to hear this, thank you so much for the feedback.
This was SO GOOD I am trying your Turkey Bacon Ranch sliders next, love your recipes.
Thank you, I always appreciate the feedback.