CHERRY APPLE CIDER BBQ PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICH
I’ve been making my cherry BBQ sauce for years, and it’s always been one of those sauces I come back to. But this time, with fall right around the corner, I wanted to switch it up a little and give it more of that cozy fall flavor.
So I added apple cider, and honestly, I don’t think I can go back.
The cherries already give the BBQ sauce this sweet, slightly tart flavor, and the apple cider just works with it. It still tastes like the cherry BBQ sauce I’ve always loved, but now it has that little fall twist that makes it perfect for this time of year.
Then came the sandwich.
We’re really not pulled pork people in our house, but I’ve always loved the idea of those big, saucy pulled BBQ sandwiches piled high with slaw. So chicken is my answer. I slowly cook chicken thighs in the Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce with red onion, garlic and a little apple cider beer until they’re so tender they practically fall apart on their own.
And the Honeycrisp Poblano Slaw is the perfect finishing touch. It’s fresh, tangy and flavorful, with that crisp apple cutting through all of the rich, saucy chicken. You really need that crunch on top.
Pile everything onto a toasted potato roll, drizzle on a little extra BBQ sauce and it is messy in exactly the way a BBQ sandwich should be.
Sweet, smoky, tangy, saucy, crunchy — and basically my version of the perfect pulled BBQ sandwich.
Just without the pork. ♥
Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 1 hr | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for searing
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1½–2 cups Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce (see recipe)
- ½ can apple cider beer, plus more as needed
- Honeycrisp Poblano Slaw (see recipe)
- 4 potato rolls, toasted
Directions
- Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear until nicely browned on both sides.
- Add the sliced red onion and cook for 1–2 minutes, until it begins to soften and lightly brown. Add the smashed garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Pour the Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce over the chicken, followed by ½ can of apple cider beer. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and beginning to fall apart. Add a little more apple cider beer as needed while cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and shred with two forks. Return it to the pan and toss until completely coated in the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper if needed.
- Toast the potato rolls. Layer each with pulled chicken, an extra drizzle of Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce and Honeycrisp Poblano Slaw. Finish with the top bun.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
- Sweet, smoky pulled chicken, tangy slaw and a toasted potato roll — this is one messy sandwich that is completely worth it. ♥
What I Used
I used my Caraway Stainless Steel Sauté Pan to sear the chicken and let everything slowly cook together in that Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce.
- Caraway Stainless Steel Sauté Pan — Shop Amazon
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Jesse’s Kitchen Tip
Keep the heat low and give the chicken time to slowly become tender. Stir occasionally and add a splash more apple cider beer if the sauce gets too thick. Once shredded, toss the chicken back into the sauce so it can soak up all that flavor.
No apple cider beer? Apple cider works too and still gives the chicken that fall apple flavor.
Serving Suggestions
♥ Honeycrisp Poblano Slaw
♥ Crispy fries or potato wedges
♥ Corn on the cob
♥ Pickles
♥ Honeycrisp Apple Ginger Fizz
Storage
Store pulled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating. Keep slaw and rolls separate until ready to serve.
Make Ahead
Make the pulled chicken 1–2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of apple cider beer or extra BBQ sauce if needed. The BBQ sauce can also be made ahead.
Variations
♥ Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs
♥ Swap potato rolls for brioche buns
♥ Add sliced pickles for extra tang
♥ Add extra BBQ sauce for an even saucier sandwich
♥ Serve the pulled chicken and slaw in a bowl instead of on a bun
Baby Friendly?
For baby, serve tender shredded chicken with a small amount of the BBQ sauce and soft slaw ingredients as appropriate for their stage. Serve everything deconstructed and modify the bun as needed for your baby.
RDH Tip
BBQ sauce can be sticky and contain added sugar, which can linger on teeth. Enjoy it as part of the meal, offer water afterward, and brush at your regular brushing time.
FAQ
Can I make this without apple cider beer?
Yes. Substitute regular apple cider. It will still add plenty of apple flavor to the chicken and sauce.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but thighs stay especially juicy and tender during the longer cooking time.
How do I know when the chicken is ready to shred?
It should be extremely tender and pull apart easily with two forks.
Can I make the pulled chicken ahead of time?
Yes. It’s actually a great make-ahead recipe because the chicken reheats right in its sauce.
Do I have to make the slaw?
No, but I highly recommend it. The fresh, tangy crunch balances out the rich BBQ chicken perfectly.
The Perfect Fall BBQ Sandwich ♥
This is exactly what I wanted when I decided to give my longtime cherry BBQ sauce a fall spin — something saucy, cozy and a little different, but still easy enough to make for dinner.
And between the Cherry Apple Cider BBQ Sauce and that Honeycrisp Poblano Slaw, there’s a little bit of fall in every bite.
- From our kitchen to yours ♥
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