Pulled Chicken Slaw Sandwich (Printable)
Tender chicken in barbecue sauce with crisp cabbage-carrot slaw on soft sandwich buns for a flavorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Pulled Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 pounds)
02 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
03 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ For the Slaw
10 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage (about 5 ounces)
11 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage (about 2.5 ounces)
12 - 1 medium carrot, grated
13 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
14 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Assembly
18 - 4 soft sandwich buns
19 - 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (optional, for toasting buns)
# How to Prepare:
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 until fragrant.
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 - 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, if desired.
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 is pure magic
- Everything comes together in under an hour but tastes like it cooked all day
02 -
- Let the chicken rest in the broth before shredding, it absorbs more flavor that way
- The slaw needs at least twenty minutes in the fridge for the flavors to marry
03 -
- Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to shred chicken in seconds
- Let the assembled sandwiches sit for two minutes before eating so the flavors meld