Pulled BBQ Chicken & Pimento Cheese Sandwiches
Ingredients
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
- 10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 28 oz bottle Kinder's BBQ Sauce about 3.5 cups
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste after shredding
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder optional
Homemade Pimento Cheese
- 2 1/2 cups freshly grated mild cheddar cheese about 10 ounces
- 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese about 2 ounces
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups diced pimentos well drained (or use finely diced sweet pickled red peppers); reserve 1 tablespoon of the liquid or brine
- 1 tablespoon reserved pimento liquid or pickled pepper brine
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste if needed
For Assembly
- 16-20 soft potato buns untoasted
- Homemade pimento cheese to taste
- Warm BBQ pulled chicken
- Dill pickle chips
- 1 Red onion sliced into rings, for topping
Equipment
- 1 8-quart slow cooker
Directions
Make the Pimento Cheese
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, reserved pimento liquid (or pickled pepper brine), Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the mild cheddar and sharp cheddar until evenly combined.
- Gently fold in the drained pimentos (or diced sweet pickled red peppers).
- Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to fully develop.
- Taste the next day and add additional kosher salt if needed before serving.
Make the Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Add the chicken thighs and breasts to a large (8-quart) slow cooker.
- Pour the entire bottle of BBQ sauce over the chicken. Add the apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
- Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is tender enough to shred. This is my favorite method.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks or a hand mixer on low speed.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce.
- Continue cooking on LOW overnight. The shredded chicken has more surface area to absorb the sauce, creating an even richer, more flavorful result.
- Before serving, stir everything together and taste for seasoning. Add more kosher salt if needed, until the flavors really pop.
Assemble the Sandwiches
- Leave the potato buns soft and untoasted.
- Spread pimento cheese on each bottom bun to taste.
- Add warm BBQ pulled chicken.
- Top with dill pickle chips, a slice of red onion and the top bun. Serve right away.
Short on time? Cook the chicken on HIGH for about 2 hours, shred, then switch to LOW overnight. If you would rather not go overnight, cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours), shred, and hold on WARM for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: The chicken recipe was developed using Costco Kirkland Signature boneless, skinless value packs: 1 pack of breasts (6) and 1 pack of thighs (10), roughly 13 to 15 pounds total. It is forgiving if your packs run a little larger or smaller and makes about 16 to 20 sandwiches.
Pimento cheese: The full recipe makes 5 cups. Use however much you want on each sandwich. Serve leftovers as a dip with chips, crackers, pretzels, or vegetables, or with crispy roasted potatoes.
Storage: Store both components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze the chicken for up to 3 months. Pimento cheese can be frozen for up to 2 months, thawed overnight in the refrigerator, and stirred well before serving.
Freshly grate the cheese for the creamiest texture and drain the pimentos or pickled peppers very well.