This is easily my most requested recipe. Each time I make it, I am always asked to provide the recipe so friends can make it themselves at home. It really is yummy- and the best part.... it takes about 3 minutes to prepare, a couple additional minutes to shred the chicken once cooked and then back in the crock-pot it goes to finish soaking up the goodness! Easy-peasy, but oh sooooooo good!
Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
1 bottle BBQ Sauce of your choice (I usually use Sweet Baby Ray's, but this time I used Open Pit to give a little more of a kick)
3 lbs boneless chicken breast, thighs or a combo of the two
1 large onion, sliced into chunks
1 can pineapple (I recommend nibblits or crushed)
*Optional* Up to a half a can of the pineapple juice, depending on how sweet you like your pulled chicken (I did not use any this time because we wanted it more spicy, and a tad less sweet.)
hamburger buns or kaiser rolls
If you use frozen chicken, make sure it is completely defrosted. If you cook it frozen, it will indeed cook but it will make a very "wet" sauce. Place your chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot. Top with onions, then pineapple. Pour entire bottle of BBQ sauce over the whole thing. Turn your crock-pot on LOW and cook for 8-10 hours (or on HIGH for 4-6). An hour or two before it is finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken from the crock-pot and shred it using two forks- watch out, it will be hot! Place chicken back in the crock-pot and stir well to combine. Finish cooking an additional hour or two so the chicken can absorb most of the sauce. Serve on hamburger buns and top with coleslaw if desired.
When I had made it with Sweet Baby Rays and Pineapple juice it was a very sweet Pulled Chicken. It was great, and everyone loved it. But I have to say, this particular recipe (using Open Pit BBQ Sauce and no pineapple juice) was hands down our favorite!! It had just the right amount of sweet and vinegar that we love in a good BBQ. I think I will be making it like this from now on! That is one of the coolest things about cooking.... varying a recipe and coming up with something even better then you had expected. You just never know how the slight change in an ingredient can improve on a dish!
This dish goes perfectly with an Oil and Vinegar Slaw.
This dish goes perfectly with an Oil and Vinegar Slaw.
