Carolina BBQ Pulled Chicken -

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Carolina BBQ Pulled Chicken

Bring the sweet and tangy flavor of Carolina-style BBQ to the comfort of your kitchen. This no-fuss recipe yields two pounds of melt-in-your-mouth pulled chicken soaked in Carolina's signature vinegar-based BBQ sauce. Instant Pot, Crockpot, AND stovetop instructions included!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq chicken instant pot, bbq chicken slow cooker, bbq pulled chicken, bbq shredded chicken, carolina bbq recipe

Servings: 1/2 cup servings

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Valerie Skinner

Equipment

Instant Pot or slow cooker or large stockpot
Tongs
forks (to shred) or shredding claws

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast
12 ounces Carolina-style BBQ sauce about 1½ cups
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Slow Cooker Instructions

Add chicken stock, broth, or water to the slow cooker (while water is fine to use, stock or bone broth will add additional flavor and nutrients to the chicken). Then, add the chicken breast to the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and slow cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 4-6 hours. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F to consume safely.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to a cutting board, and pull the chicken apart into shreds.
Finally, discard the cooking liquid and add the chicken back to the slow cooker along with the Carolina BBQ sauce. Stir to combine and cook on low for 30 minutes allowing the flavors to absorb. Serve hot.

Instant Pot Instructions

Add chicken stock, broth, or water to the Instant Pot (keeping in mind that stock or bone broth will add more flavor and nutrients to the chicken). Next, add the chicken breasts to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
Set the valve to the SEALING position and pressure cook on manual HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Manually release the pressure or let it naturally release. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken from the pressure cooker to a cutting board, and pull all the tender meat apart into shreds.
Finally, discard the cooking liquid and add the chicken back to the pressure cooker along with the Carolina BBQ sauce. Stir to combine and cook on the WARM setting for at least 15 minutes allowing the flavors to absorb. Serve hot.

Stovetop Instructions

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Then, add to a large, deep saucepot or stockpot. Add enough stock, broth, or water to the pot to fully submerge the chicken with 2" of liquid above.
Set the heat to medium-high and heat the liquid to a rolling boil. Once boiling hard, lower the heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked (15-18 minutes depending on the size of thr breasts).
Using tongs, transfer the chicken from the pot to a cutting board, and pull the tender meat apart into shredded chicken.
Finally, discard the cooking liquid and add the chicken back to the pot. Pour the Carolina BBQ sauce over the top, stir well, and cook for 10 more minutes on medium heat allowing the meat to soak in the sauce. Enjoy!

Nutrition