Dr. Pepper BBQ Pulled Chicken

Even though I am really into the autumn spirit, I'm not quite ready to let the summer go until I make one more barbeque dish. This one will really hit the spot on a chilly fall evening like tonight. I first came across Dr. Pepper BBQ sauces a while ago, they have been all the rage lately it seems.

The recipe I used for the sauce is adapted from Noble Pig, a blog I am so in love with.

Dr. Pepper BBQ Pulled Chicken

What You'll Need:

3 Tbs butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 Tbs lemon juice
3 Tbs honey
2 tsp chile powder (use Chipotle or other for more hotness if you prefer)
1 tsp ground pepper
1 can Dr. Pepper
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

The Process:

Cook the onion and garlic in the butter to soften them. Whisk together remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. If you're making the sauce ahead, simmer for 40 minutes until thickened. You can then store it in the refrigerator. If you're making the chicken that day, after you've simmered the ingredients together and they're well blended, you can just pour it straight into the crock pot.

Add in your chicken breasts to the pot. Make sure they are well coated and nearly covered with sauce. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for 4 if you're in a hurry. If you cook it on high, you do risk burning the bottom chicken piece, so about halfway through you should rotate them.

I find that the chicken pulls apart better if it's been cooked longer on lower temp. Once they're cooked, grab two forks and pull the chicken apart. Mix the chicken pieces back into the pot with the sauce to coat them. Serve on toasted buns and enjoy!