Pulled Chicken Slaw Sandwich (Printable version)
Tender chicken coated in barbecue sauce and topped with crisp slaw on soft sandwich buns.
# What you need:
→ For the Pulled Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
03 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ For the Slaw
10 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
11 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
12 - 1 medium carrot, grated
13 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
14 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 tsp sugar
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Assembly
18 - 4 soft sandwich buns
19 - 1 tbsp butter or olive oil (optional, for toasting buns)
# How To:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Add chicken breasts, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - Remove the chicken from the skillet and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pan, add barbecue sauce, and stir to coat. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld. Remove from heat.
04 - While the chicken is cooking, prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, combine green and red cabbage, grated carrot, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, then toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Lightly butter or oil the inside of each bun and toast in a skillet or under the broiler until golden.
06 - Pile pulled chicken onto the bottom half of each bun. Top generously with slaw, then finish with the top bun. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between warm, saucy chicken and cold, crisp slaw hits every perfect texture note
- You can have this on the table in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have
02 -
- Letting the chicken cool slightly in the broth before shredding makes it much more tender and easier to pull apart
- The slaw needs at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop properly
03 -
- Use rotisserie chicken and skip straight to shredding to cut the cook time down to 15 minutes
- Mix a tablespoon of honey into your barbecue sauce for a subtle sweetness that complements the smoky paprika