Description
Hearty pioneer woman shredded chicken sandwiches deliver classic comfort with tender pulled chicken and zesty seasonings. Crisp buns and tangy sauce complete this satisfying meal home cooks will eagerly devour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 large bottle barbecue sauce
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) canola oil
- 1 tbsp (15 g) sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) white vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 onion, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic (more if desired), peeled
- ½ head green cabbage, thinly sliced
- ½ head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) mayonnaise
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Coleslaw Preparation: Combine red and green cabbage in a mixing bowl. Whisk together milk, mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper to create a creamy dressing. Coat cabbage thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for flavor development.
- Chicken Searing: Season chicken with pepper and salt. Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on both sides, creating a caramelized exterior, about 5 minutes per side.
- Flavor Building: Reduce heat and sauté onions and garlic in the same pot until onions become translucent. Return chicken to the pot and generously coat with barbecue sauce, ensuring complete coverage.
- Slow Cooking: Preheat oven to 300°F. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Slow-cook chicken for 1.5 hours until meat becomes incredibly tender and easily shreddable.
- Chicken Processing: Remove pot from oven and let chicken cool slightly. Shred meat using two forks, discarding bones. Skim excess fat from remaining sauce and reintegrate shredded chicken, stirring to combine.
- Sandwich Assembly: Butter and toast Kaiser rolls until golden brown. Layer shredded chicken on roll bottoms, top with prepared coleslaw, and add roasted garlic cloves. Complete with top roll half and serve immediately.
Notes
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Let coleslaw chill for at least 2 hours to develop deeper, more complex taste profiles.
- Perfect Chicken Searing: Use medium-high heat to achieve a golden-brown exterior that locks in moisture and creates rich caramelization.
- Low and Slow Cooking Technique: Oven braising at 300°F transforms tough chicken into melt-in-your-mouth tender meat with minimal effort.
- Sauce Integration Tip: Skim excess fat from cooking liquid before mixing with shredded chicken to ensure a cleaner, more concentrated flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg