Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Crunchy Slaw

These pulled chicken sandwiches skip the bottled sauce and simmer the chicken right in a smoky chipotle-orange BBQ sauce until it’s tender enough to shred. Piled on a toasted brioche bun with a crisp no-mayo slaw, they’re messy in the best way.

These pulled chicken sandwiches skip the bottled BBQ sauce entirely, and they’re so much better for it. The chicken breasts simmer right in a homemade sauce of orange juice, garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo, Worcestershire, and Dijon until they’re tender enough to shred with two forks. That orange juice does double duty: it’s the liquid the chicken cooks in, and as it reduces, it becomes a sweet, tangy, smoky sauce that clings to every strand.

Chipotle peppers make these special, and they’re easy to dial in. Use two for gentle warmth, or work your way up to six if you like real heat; either way, you get that deep, smoky flavor that tastes like it came off a smoker rather than out of a saucepan. Because the chicken shreds and soaks up the sauce as it sits, it actually tastes better the longer it hangs around.

Then there’s the coleslaw, and I make mine without any mayo. Shredded cabbage and carrot get tossed with lime juice, honey, and cilantro, so it stays crisp, bright, and light instead of heavy. Piled onto the warm, rich chicken on a toasted brioche bun, that cool crunch is the contrast that makes the whole sandwich work. It’s messy in the best way, and it packs up beautifully for lunches or a day at the beach, chicken in one container, slaw in another.

For a different twist, try my BBQ pulled pork sandwich.

A few serving ideas

Here are some of my favorite things to serve with pulled chicken sandwiches:

• Potato salad: Creamy, tangy, and perfect alongside that sweet and saucy chicken.
• Corn on the cob: Especially good in the summer, brushed with butter and a little salt.
• Baked beans: Warm, cozy, and a natural match for anything BBQ-inspired.
• Crispy potatoes or fries: Whether they’re oven-baked or air-fried, they’re always a hit.
• Simple green salad: Something fresh and crunchy to balance out the richness of the sandwich.

If I’m serving these for a crowd, I’ll often set everything out buffet-style and let everyone build their own plate. It keeps things relaxed and makes the whole meal feel extra fun.

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Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Crunchy Slaw

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

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Tender pulled chicken simmered in a smoky, tangy chipotle-orange sauce, piled onto toasted brioche buns with a crisp, no-mayo cilantro-lime slaw. They're easy to make, adjustable for any spice level, and perfect for dinners, lunches, and picnics.

4

Ingredients

The Pulled Chicken

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 2-6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (finely minced – see notes)
• ▢ 2 cups orange juice
• ▢ ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ Optional: 2 tablespoons brown or coconut sugar (see notes)
• ▢ 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

The Coleslaw

• ▢ 2 cups finely shredded cabbage (I like a mix of purple and green cabbage)
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ▢ 1 medium carrot (grated)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons honey
• ▢ Pinch salt and pepper

The Buns

• ▢ 4 brioche buns (preferably toasted with a little butter)

Instructions 

• Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chipotle peppers and cook for 1 more minute.
  1 teaspoon cooking oil, 6 cloves garlic, 2-6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  
• Add the orange juice, Worchestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and if using, the sugar to the pot and stir – see notes. Put the chicken breasts into the pot and turn the heat to high. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender.
  2 cups orange juice, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, Optional: 2 tablespoons brown or coconut sugar, 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  
• Remove the chicken from the pot (save the liquid in the pot!) and shred it using 2 forks. Return the pot to high heat and boil, uncovered, until the liquid is as thick as BBQ sauce – it will thicken when it cools.
  
• Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and gently mix. If you'd like it saucier, add a little more sauce.
  
• Mix the coleslaw ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
  2 cups finely shredded cabbage, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 medium carrot, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons honey, Pinch salt and pepper
  
• Top the buns with the pulled chicken and coleslaw and eat right away!
  4 brioche buns
  

Video

Notes

Chipotle peppers: 6 chipotle peppers pack quite a punch. If you don’t love spicy food, opt for fewer peppers. 

Sugar: We usually skip the optional sugar, as the orange juice provides plenty of sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce, you may want to add it. 

Smoothness: Depending on how finely you mince the chipotle peppers, the sauce may be slightly chunky. It won’t affect the taste, but you can use a blender or an immersion blender if you want the sauce completely smooth.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sandwich (¼ of the recipe), Calories: 544kcal (27%), Carbohydrates: 64g (21%), Protein: 24g (48%), Fat: 22g (34%), Saturated Fat: 11g (69%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 180mg (60%), Sodium: 775mg (34%), Potassium: 737mg (21%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 18g (20%), Vitamin A: 4028IU (81%), Vitamin C: 81mg (98%), Calcium: 114mg (11%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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