Chef notes
One of the most beloved all-American foods is barbecue chicken. And while we can’t get enough of this classic dish, it’s not always accessible on a weeknight. This recipe takes a shortcut by making use of rotisserie chicken, which cuts down on cooking time while still getting all that great classic barbecue flavor. Whether you’re making this for Tuesday dinner or serving this for a Sunday barbecue, it’s sure to be a hit.
Since the chicken is ready to go, the active time to make the rest of the sandwich components is minimized. Start by making the homemade barbecue sauce. All of the sauce ingredients such as ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, and vinegar, are added to a pot and simmered until the sugar has dissolved. The sauce makes more than is required for this recipe, so go ahead and save any leftovers in the fridge for future meals. Shred the chicken and add the sauce until your desired sauciness level is reached. This is totally up to you, but it’s a safe bet to start by adding ½ cup.
Next, move on to the coleslaw, which combines shredded cabbage and carrots along with the slaw staples like mayonnaise, vinegar and celery seeds. Divide the chicken mixture between the potato buns and top with coleslaw to serve.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Technique Tip: To easily shred chicken, place de-boned chicken into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-low speed until shredded.
Swap Option: If you don’t have the time, or just want a shortcut, you can use store-bought barbecue sauce instead of making your own.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon vinegar-based hot sauce, preferably Frank’s or Crystal
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups finely shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 4 sesame seed potato buns, preferably Martin’s
Preparation
1.In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine all of the barbecue sauce ingredients together. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and set aside.
2.In a small skillet set over medium heat, add celery seeds. Swirl in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3.In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, vinegar, mayonnaise and toasted celery seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cabbage and carrots and toss to coat.
4.In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add shredded chicken and barbecue sauce, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired sauciness is reached. Reserve any remaining sauce for later.
5.Divide warmed chicken amongst the buns. Top with slaw and serve.
