Traeger Pulled Chicken Recipe
If dry shredded chicken has personally offended you before, this Traeger pulled chicken recipe is here to fix that situation immediately. The smoker gives the chicken that deep barbecue flavor while keeping it juicy, tender, and easy to pull apart. Living in Kansas City, the BBQ capital, taught me real barbecue should always bring flavor first, and this recipe does exactly that. Pile it high on sandwiches, sliders, nachos, or straight onto a plate with mac and cheese.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 306kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or sweetener
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste I like to add this once the chicken is cooked and taste repeatedly and adjust.
- 1 cup BBQ sauce Optional for sauced chicken.
- foil
Instructions
- If you plan to marinate the chicken in advance, combine the soy sauce and all of the spices and drizzle it over the chicken in a large bowl or plastic bag. Place the chicken in the fridge (covered) for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
- Add the chicken along with the seasoned liquid marinade to a pan safe for the smoker/grill. I use a cast iron skillet.
- Place the pan on the smoker and smoke the chicken for 1 hour.
- Cover the pan with foil and smoke the chicken for an additional hour or for however long it takes to reach an internal temperature of 175 degrees.Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, but with pulled chicken when the internal temp reaches 175 degrees, it will typically shred easily and yield tender meat. Use a meat thermometer.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding.
- Shred the chicken with forks or tongs. Taste the chicken repeatedly and adjust the spices as necessary to suit your taste. Drizzle BBQ sauce throughout if preferred.
Notes
If you don't have time to marinate the meat in advance, you may consider adding the spices to the chicken after it's cooked. You should still smoke the chicken in the liquid marinade (soy sauce).
I've found that the spices don't fully penetrate the meat without marinating. For the best flavor it's best to marinate and allow the spices to seep in or add the spices after you have shredded the chicken.
Foil helps keep the chicken from drying out.
You can use a store bought BBQ seasoning or rub if preferred.
You can use apple cider vinegar instead of soy sauce if preferred.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 8g