Stovetop Barbecue Pulled Chicken

Make the barbecue sauce: Use a whisk to mix ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper together in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid until well combined.

Cook: Add chicken to the barbecue sauce and use tongs to toss the chicken in the sauce until coated. Place the pot over medium heat and let cook, uncovered, until the sauce is simmering. Use the tongs to toss and stir the chicken, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cover partially with the lid; rest the lid on the edge of the pot, leaving at least a 1-inch gap for steam to escape. Let cook for 20 minutes.

Shred the chicken: Uncover the pot and toss the chicken again. If you squeeze a piece with the tongs, it should just about fall apart. If it doesn’t, cook uncovered for another 5 minutes before testing again. Once it’s very tender, use two forks to carefully shred the chicken directly in the pot. If your pot is too deep, or you’re finding this difficult, you can also take the chicken out of the pot and shred it on a cutting board or in a bowl using a hand mixer with beaters.

Finish and serve: Once the chicken is shredded, turn the heat up to high and keep cooking until the barbecue sauce is thickened and reduced, about 5-10 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the chicken, not so liquidy that it drips off the chicken. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve as desired. If you have leftover pulled chicken, let it cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 5 days. Remember that acidic sauces (like this homemade barbecue sauce) do not mix well with aluminum foil, so don’t use it here. To reheat, simply pop it into a pot with a little bit of water and heat over medium-low until bubbling and hot all the way through. Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!