BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe (2024)

Amazing BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches tossed with a glorious barbecue sauce made with root beer and molasses are sure to delight friends and family this summer! Chicken thighs are generously seasoned with a simple 4 ingredient rub recipe, grilled, and then tossed with an easy from-scratch barbecue sauce that will have you licking your fingers in delight.

Easy chicken recipes are the best! Here are a few more of our favorites: Chicken Marinade, Chicken Salad and this yummy Chicken Piccata Recipe!

BBQ Pulled Chicken

We’re about 2 weeks into summer vacation and I’m already wishing it could last forever. There is just something incredibly magical about lazy days, eating ice cream at will, and grilling almost every night of the week. The first two my kids have covered… I’m in charge of the third.

Happily so, I might add. Except for days when the temperature soars past 100, I’m excited to do much of my cooking outdoors. I get to play in my garden while dinner is cooking and life just seems simple and easy in those moments.

This past week I had a craving for some pulled chicken sandwiches and took a cue from my ever popular Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches and incorporated some root beer into the barbecue sauce. Delish you guys! It adds great flavor and sweetness which I enhanced with just a touch of molasses.

Before heading outdoors to fire up the grill, I pulled together a quick 4 ingredient rub that is wonderful on chicken. It’s a combination of paprika, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Simple enough and yet it really does an amazing job of seasoning the chicken.

Side Dishes To Serve with this Pulled Chicken Recipe

These delicious sandwiches are amazing on their own but even better served with a few tasty side dishes. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Twice Baked Potato Casserole
2. Creamed Peas
3. Baked Beans
4. Green Bean Recipe
5. Broccoli Salad with Bacon

What You’ll Need

For the Chicken

• boneless, skinless chicken thighs – For this pulled chicken recipe, I opted for chicken thighs but, if you prefer, chicken breasts can also be used.
• extra virgin olive oil – A quick drizzle of olive oil really helps the rub adhere to the chicken.
• paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt – this is the four ingredient rub I used on the chicken. You can apply the chicken rub up to 24 hours in advance.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

While the grill was heating up and the rub was flavoring my chicken, I made an incredible barbecue sauce to toss the chicken in.

• extra virgin olive oil – to saute the onion in.
• yellow onion –diced pretty fine, almost a mince. You don’t want large chunks in the bbq sauce.
• chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne – lots of seasoning to give the sauce a kick.
• root beer – this is one of the primary flavor components of the bbq sauce and gives it a nice sweetness.
• ketchup – this is the base of the root beer bbq sauce.
• fresh lemon juice – you can use bottled but fresh is best.
• molasses – adds depth of flavor and pair well with with the root beer.

For the BBQ Chicken Sandwich

• rolls or buns – use your favorite. Brioche, kaiser, sesame seed buns – all are good options.
• coleslaw – optional, but I love the addition of creamy, crispy coleslaw on my bbq pulled chicken sandwich.

How To Make this BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe

Prepare Pulled Chicken

1. Prepare rub in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Drizzle olive oil on chicken and generously season both sides with the rub.
3. Grill over direct heat until cooked through, flipping once or twice.
4. Let chicken cool for a few minutes and then shred the chicken.
5. Toss with barbecue sauce.

Prepare Root Beer BBQ Sauce

1. Sauté diced onion in olive oil until soft and translucent.
2. Stir in chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
3. Pour in root beer and stir to combine.
4. Stir in ketchup, lemon juice and molasses.
5. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
6. Top toasted buns with chicken mixture and coleslaw if you like.

Note: the barbecue sauce only gets better with time. Feel free to make in advance, up to 3 days, and keep refrigerated until needed.

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I grabbed some rolls and lightly toasted them on the grill before piling high that saucy pulled chicken. Toasting the buns helps keep them from absorbing too much of the moisture. Not a deal breaker but a good idea if you happen to think of it.

Storage Information

Refrigerator: Pulled chicken should be cooled and then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Chicken can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave.

Freeze: To freeze, cool the bbq pulled chicken and transfer to a freezer-safe, ziploc bag. Chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Trish’s Tips and Tricks

• I love using chicken thighs because they just have so much more flavor and don’t dry out quickly like chicken breasts can do.
• It’s all about the layers of flavor here. I start with the chicken rub and that creates a base flavor. Grilling adds even more flavor and then that root beer bbq sauce – yassss!
• Let the chicken cool for a few minutes before pulling. It makes it a little easier and if you prefer to pull by hand instead of with two forks, you definitely will want it to be cool enough to handle.
• If you are short on time, both the rub and bbq sauce can be made ahead of time. In fact, I recommend it 🙂
• This recipe is great for a crowd as it can easily be doubled or triple to feed a small army. Definitely a summer staple and already on the menu for the 4th of July!

Let me know if you give it a try and what you think in the comments below OR tag me on social media if you take pics – I’d love to see what you’re making!

More Easy Chicken Recipes

1. Crispy Chicken Sandwich
2. Homemade Chicken Nuggets
3. Chicken Enchilada Soup
4. Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
5. Chicken Piccata
6. Chicken Salad
7. Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
8. Chicken Marinade

How To Make Pulled Chicken

Originally published June 30, 2018.