These easy pulled chicken sandwiches are a weeknight favorite: smoky chicken tossed in BBQ sauce, served on soft buttery brioche buns and piled high with a crisp, refreshing mango slaw.
Just look at this delicious loaded sandwich!
Juicy pulled chicken seasoned with smoked paprika and chipotle, tossed in your favorite BBQ sauce and served on buttery brioche buns. Topped with a bright, crunchy mango slaw for a sweet-tangy contrast—truly the ultimate combo.
All the smoky flavor, fresh brightness, and crunchy texture—this sandwich comes together surprisingly fast. It’s a simple weeknight hack that delivers big, slow-cooked taste without the long cook time.
The secret to tender, juicy, and quick chicken: the broiler. I often use this method for boneless, skinless chicken thighs to get a flavorful meal on the table in no time.
I also borrow a trick from my popular weeknight chicken taco recipe—shredding the chicken and adding spices after it’s cooked. This ensures the seasoning clings to the meat and the flavors really pop.
Shredding hot chicken—whether by hand, forks, or in a stand mixer—makes the texture perfect for saucy sandwiches. When you toss the shredded chicken with BBQ sauce and smoky spices, it tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
This is what I do!
I season boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then broil them for 6 minutes per side. I brush on BBQ sauce and broil one minute per side to caramelize the sauce. That creates a flavorful base for shredding.
Next, I place the hot thighs in the bowl of a stand mixer (you can shred with forks or by hand if you prefer). I run the mixer on medium-low until the chicken is shredded, then stir in smoked paprika, garlic powder, chipotle chili powder and additional BBQ sauce.
That shredded, sauced chicken stores well and makes an excellent meal-prep protein for the week. My favorite finish is piling the pulled chicken onto a buttery brioche bun and topping it with a tangy mango slaw.
I’m a slaw fan—vinegar- or citrus-based slaws add brightness and crunch. For this slaw I shred the cabbage as thinly as possible and combine it with thinly sliced mango, red onion and cilantro. The dressing is simply lime juice, olive oil, a touch of honey, and salt and pepper.
The crunch of the slaw on top of saucy, smoky chicken and a super soft, buttery bun—magic.
There’s nothing like this combination for a fast, satisfying weeknight meal.
Easy Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Weeknight BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Mango Slaw
4 people
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- Brioche buns, for serving
Mango Slaw
- 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 mango, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven broiler to high and position a rack directly beneath it.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Place the sheet under the broiler and broil 6 minutes. Flip and broil another 6 minutes.
- Brush a layer of BBQ sauce onto the chicken and broil 1 minute. Flip, brush the other side, and broil 1 more minute. Repeat once or twice if desired. Chicken should reach 165°F internally.
- Transfer the chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer (or shred by hand or with forks once it’s cool enough). Shred on medium-low speed.
- As the chicken shreds, add smoked paprika, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder so the spices distribute evenly.
- Add ½ cup BBQ sauce and mix until the chicken is well coated. Add more sauce if you like it saucier.
- Pile the pulled chicken onto brioche buns and top with mango slaw. Serve immediately.
Mango Slaw
- Combine cabbage, mango, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, honey and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the slaw, toss, let sit 5 minutes, then toss again. Top the sandwiches with the slaw.
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Making them tonight.