Juicy, tender and dripping with the perfect homemade keto BBQ sauce, this keto pulled chicken will make flavor history at your dinner table.
Looking for more keto chicken recipes? Try this keto chicken salad, keto chicken soup, and this keto chicken casserole.
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Keto Pulled Chicken Video Tutorial
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All-American Classic Has Gone Sugar Free
There’s something about BBQ sauce that makes me feel so… American. So… summertime-y. So… happy. It’s nostalgic. It’s delicious. It’s irreplaceable. It makes me what to lick my fingers. It makes me want to eat all the meat. It screams beer, warm days, friends, laughter, and grilling.
But today, it’s only screaming one thing: sugar free BBQ sauce can be just as delicious as the traditional kind. You just need the right recipe.
So look no further, because this low carb pulled chicken is drenched (seriously, drenched) in a sweet, smokey, tomato flavored sauce that’ll rival the best of ’em.
Now I know, I know, what constitutes BBQ sauce is hotly debated… So feel free to taste and adjust to your liking. But the base is there in all its saucy, smokey glory. And this juicy pulled chicken is one of the few dishes worthy of it.
But wait, there’s more!
Toss the ingredients for this keto pulled chicken into your crockpot, and go about your day. Come dinnertime, just stir together your sauce ingredients, and become the family BBQ master (no BBQ required) with only 20 minutes of work. Enjoy 🍗🔥 – Linds x
What You’ll Need
This ingredient list may look long, but fear not, it’s full of spices– All of which are KEY in getting the BBQ sauce tasting just right. Know that you can always sub in a store-bought sugar free BBQ sauce, just taste test first to make sure you like the flavor.
- Onion, sliced
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Chicken breast, boneless skinless
- Spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- Tomato paste
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce – this is a fermented, vinegar-based condiment. Don’t skip! Its got a unique flavor profile that adds a lot to our keto pulled chicken.
- Mustard – Regular yellow mustard, although you can sub in dijon for a bit for zest.
- Liquid monk fruit or stevia – I find liquid keto sweeteners are easiest to blend into sauces. You can also use confectioners Lakanto or Swerve. Start with 3 Tablespoons and add more to your liking.
- Liquid smoke – is a product made from condensed smoke from burning wood. It adds a lot of flavors here, without much work on our end.
Customize Your Keto BBQ Sauce
After whisking together the BBQ sauce ingredients, feel free to adjust the flavor to your liking! More sweet, more smoke, more vinegar. Your low carb pulled chicken, your rules. Here are some ideas for you:
- Carolina typically has more vinegar, and a bit more sweetener.
- Sweet Baby Rays is VERY sweet.
- Nashville is a lot smokier than most hot sauces.
- Texas is heavy on the spices, so add more in if that’s what you like!
Storing, Reheating + Freezing
Storing – Store any leftovers you have in a resealable container in the fridge.
Reheating – Reheat in the microwave until your low carb pulled chicken is warmed to your liking. Be sure to toss the chicken in the sauce before serving it.
Freeze – Freeze is a resealable baggie, with as much air removed as possible. Reheat from frozen in the microwave– again tossing to make sure your keto bbq chicken is well coated in sauce.
Serving Recommendations
There are a handful of ways to serve this keto pulled chicken recipe. The great news is, it makes a giant batch of keto dinners, so you can enjoy it every way before having to make it again! My 2 favorite ways to eat it are:
- As a sandwich. Use my keto hamburger buns, and add some keto coleslaw for addicting keto shredded chicken sandwiches.
- As a BBQ plate, alongside cauliflower mac and cheese, keto cornbread, and maybe some keto green beans.
You can also use the chicken in lettuce wraps. Or top a salad with it.
More Keto Chicken Recipes
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- Keto Tacos
- Salsa Verde Stuffed Peppers without Rice
- Chicken Crust Pizza
- Mexican Chicken Salad
Keto Pulled Chicken
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Chicken:
- 1/4 Onion sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
- 4 Chicken Breasts 6-8 ounces each. boneless + skinless
Spice Mix:
- 1/2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoons Salt
Homemade BBQ Sauce: (note 1)
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Cup water
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mustard
- 5 teaspoons onion powder
- 5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon liquid monkfruit or stevia (note 2)
- 1 teaspoons liquid smoke
Serving Recommendations:
- Keto Hamburger Buns
- Keto Coleslaw
- jalapeno coleslaw
- hamburger style pickles
Instructions
- Prep. Place sliced onion (1/4), garlic (2 cloves) and chicken broth (1/2 cup) in a slow cooker.
- Season + cook. Combine spice mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle both sides of each breast (4) with spice mix, pressing to adhere. Lay seasoned chicken in a single layer over the onions. Seal the slow cooker (see note 3 for instant pot instructions), and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours-- you'll know the chicken is done once it's tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Dice + shred. Remove cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. Use tongs to remove sliced onions to a cutting board. Discard cooking liquid, and use paper towels to clean out the inside of your slow cooker. Once cool enough to handle dice the onions and add them back to the slow cooker. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- BBQ sauce + heat. Add remaining BBQ sauce ingredients to the slow cooker with your cooked onions and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Add shredded chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on high until wramed through. Enjoy!
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Lindsey's Tips
- Have a store-bought BBQ sauce you love? Use 2.5-3 cups, depending on how saucy you like your chicken.
- Liquid monk fruit or stevia – I find liquid sweeteners are easiest to blend into sauces. You can also use confectioners Lakanto or Swerve. Start with 3 Tablespoons and add more to your liking.
- Instant pot instructions - Follow the instructions above, just in your instant pot! Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, the quick release should take about 10 minutes.
- Reheat in the microwave until warm to your liking. Be sure to toss the chicken in the sauce before serving it.
- Nutritional information is for 1/6th of the chicken and sauce, and does not include any of the serving recommendations:
