Description
Shredded BBQ Chicken becomes your weekend game-day star, delivering smoky, tender meat that melts right into your sandwich or plate. Packed with flavor and easy to make, this crowd-pleasing recipe turns simple chicken into a mouthwatering main dish everyone craves.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasoning:
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
Additional Serving Items:
- Hamburger buns
- Coleslaw
Instructions
- Dry chicken breasts with paper towels and season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper on both sides.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and sauté 1 chopped onion for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, chopped green and red bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Pour in 14.5 oz diced tomatoes and 8 oz tomato sauce. Scrape skillet bottom to release browned bits. Add ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and spices.
- Simmer sauce at 200°F for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Stir ingredients thoroughly to blend flavors.
- Return chicken to skillet, ensuring it’s mostly covered by sauce. Cover and cook at 250°F for 22-25 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Remove chicken and let rest 5 minutes. Shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
- Mix shredded chicken back into sauce. Stir in 1 cup BBQ sauce and simmer for 7 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Warm for additional 3 minutes.
- Serve on hamburger buns with optional coleslaw topping. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Pat chicken dry thoroughly to ensure a perfect sear and help the seasoning stick better.
- Letting the chicken simmer slowly in the sauce develops deeper, richer flavors and creates incredibly tender meat.
- For a healthier version, swap regular BBQ sauce for a low-sugar or homemade alternative to reduce overall calories.
- Make this dish ahead of time and store in the refrigerator – the flavors actually improve after sitting for a day, making it perfect for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 51-67 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg