Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
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My shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches are made on the stovetop in only 30 minutes! They’re made with pan-seared chicken breast and homemade Nashville BBQ sauce. I love serving these during the summer!
When I think of summer, I think of BBQ anything, which is why these chicken sandwiches are one of my favorites! They go perfectly with a side of baked mac and cheese or cucumber onion salad.
If you’re looking to fancy them up, add a few slices of cheddar cheese, bacon, and/or pickles. They’re super customizable!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 30-minute meal: From start to finish, you can have these sandwiches on the table in 30 minutes.
- Easy stovetop recipe: Pan-searing the chicken is so simple and easy to do on the stovetop.
- Tastes like restaurant food: The taste and texture are better than most restaurant food, at least in our opinion!
- Made with homemade BBQ sauce: Instead of using pre-made, this recipe includes my homemade BBQ that has zero additives or nasty ingredients.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- avocado oil: or any high heat oil like coconut oil
- large boneless skinless chicken breast: or two small works as well
- sea salt: this is a great wholesome salt option
- ground black pepper: you can use freshly cracked or already ground
For the Homemade BBQ Sauce
- raw honey: raw, unfiltered honey is best
- apple cider vinegar: I like to get a raw apple cider vinegar with the mother
- cayenne pepper: adds a little spice but doesn’t make it too spicy
- sea salt: this is a great wholesome salt option
- ground black pepper: you can use freshly cracked or already ground
- smoked paprika: don’t swap this with regular paprika, it adds a little smokiness
- garlic powder: make sure it’s salt-free
- onion powder: make sure it’s salt-free
Sandwich Items
- sandwich buns: I use my homemade sourdough brioche buns
- pickles (optional): I like to use organic bread and butter pickles
Tools You May Need
- kitchen scissors (my favorite way to cut up chicken)
- stainless steel skillet
- tongs
How to Make Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Start the chicken by slicing it in half horizontally almost all the way through so the breast opens up into 1 large piece (AKA butterfly it). This helps with even cooking. Set aside.
Add avocado oil to skillet and heating over medium heat. While pan is heating, season entire chicken breast (both sides) with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Once pan is hot, add chicken and cook on medium heat for 7 minutes until a dark golden brown crust forms. Do not move chicken while cooking.
While chicken is cooking, place all sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside for now.
Flip chicken and cook another 7-8 minutes or until seared dark golden brown and fully cooked all the way through (do not move it again during this cook time).
Once chicken is cooked, remove from heat and let rest for 3 minutes in the pan. Then shred with forks or a hand mixer.
Add bbq sauce to the pan with shredded chicken and stir to evenly coat. Warm over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Optional: Toast buns by warming a tsp of butter in a skillet until melted. Slice buns in half then lay crumb side down into pan. Toast on medium heat until crumb is golden brown. Remove from heat.
Evenly divide shredded BBQ chicken between 2-3 buns. Add pickles if desired and enjoy!
Variations
- Instead of red BBQ sauce, use Alabama white BBQ or Carolina gold BBQ
- Add the shredded BBQ chicken to french bread or pizza dough for pizza instead of sandwiches
What to Serve with Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Old Fashioned Cucumber and Onion Salad
- Pesto Mac and Cheese
- Old-Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
My Tips
- Read the recipe before getting started so you know what to expect.
- Wait to make any adjustments until you’ve made it once.
- Use avocado oil when pan-searing the chicken. It’s wholesome and has a high smoke point, keeping it a safe oil when searing on a higher heat.
- Be sure to butterfly the chicken breast so it cooks evenly in the pan. If you just toss the chicken breast in there, it won’t cook evenly.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftovers
Storing Instructions
You can store leftover sandwiches in the fridge for 2 days. I recommend using a glass storage container.
Freezing Instructions
I recommend wrapping each one in parchment paper, then sticking them in a freezer-safe container, preferably glass. They’ll last up to 3 months in the freezer.
How to Reheat
The best way to reheat is to place leftover sandwiches in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they’re warm. This keeps the flavors and textures similar to the day you made them! If they were frozen, there is no need to thaw them before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
You can add pickles, slaw, shredded lettuce, cheese, and even bacon.
You’re more than welcome to, but I highly recommend making this homemade sauce. It only takes a few minutes.
Sure! Just add the seasoned chicken breast (no need to butterfly it) to a crockpot or slow cooker along with the homemade BBQ sauce. Make sure you’ve mixed the sauce before adding it in. Cook on low for 2.5-3.5 hours or high for 1.5-2 hours. When it’s finished cooking, shred and enjoy!
More Sandwich Recipe
- Teriyaki Chicken Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches)
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
- Smoky Pulled Chicken Sliders (with Nashville-Style Vinegar Slaw)
- Sourdough Chicken Minis (Inspired By Chick-fil-A)
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Recipe
Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 tsp avocado oil (or any high heat oil like coconut oil)
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
For the BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup (organic with clean ingredients)
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (I use raw, unfiltered)
- tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, 1/16 tsp
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
For the Sandwiches
- 2-3 buns (I like using sourdough brioche buns, recipe link in notes)
- (optional) pickles
Instructions
- Start the chicken by slicing it in half horizontally almost all the way through so the breast opens up into 1 large piece (AKA butterfly it). This helps with even cooking. Set aside.
- Add avocado oil to skillet and heating over medium heat.
- While pan is heating, season entire chicken breast (both sides) with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
- Once pan is hot, add chicken and cook on medium heat for 7 minutes until a dark golden brown crust forms. Do not move chicken while cooking.
- While chicken is cooking, place all sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside for now.
- Flip chicken and cook another 7-8 minutes or until seared dark golden brown and fully cooked all the way through (do not move it again during this cook time).
- Once chicken is cooked, remove from heat and let rest for 3 minutes in the pan. Then shred with forks or a hand mixer.
- Add bbq sauce to the pan with shredded chicken and stir to evenly coat. Warm over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- Optional: Toast buns by warming a tsp of butter in a skillet until melted. Slice buns in half then lay crumb side down into pan. Toast on medium heat until crumb is golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Evenly divide shredded BBQ chicken between 2-3 buns. Add pickles if desired and enjoy!