Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Jump to Recipe
These oven-baked pulled chicken thighs are fall-apart tender and full of delicious flavor. They're made with a homemade chipotle and paprika spice rub and finished with a simple sweet and sour sauce. The sauce mellows out the spiciness of the chicken and balances the flavors perfectly.
Ingredients and notes:
Chili powder is a spice blend usually made from ground chili peppers, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and salt. It's widely available in spice shops and you can usually choose between mild, medium and hot.
Sauce ingredients:
How to make it:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Heat the oven and trim excess fat off the chicken thighs. Mix spices and salt together and rub on the chicken. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on it. Place the chicken thighs on the wire rack.
- Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Tightly seal the foil around the edges so the meat doesn't dry out in the oven.
- Bake the chicken for 2 hours, then let it cool a bit. Carefully remove the cover foil. (There will be a lot of hot steam underneath!) Pull the chicken with two forks.
- Heat oil in a pan, then sauté minced onion until soft. Stir in tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, canned crushed tomatoes, honey and salt. Bring to a boil, then toss the chicken with the sauce and serve.
What to serve it with?
- Stuff the pulled chicken into burger buns along with a pickle for some great chicken sandwiches. (For a great pickle recipe, I recommend these refrigerator sweet pickles.)
- Use the chicken in a lettuce wrap or a sandwich wrap.
- Make the pulled chicken a main course and serve with a side dish, like these lemon basil potatoes.
- Use the pulled chicken to make chicken tacos.
Full Recipe
Pulled Chicken Thighs (Oven)
These fall-apart tender, slow-baked oven pulled chicken thighs are made with a homemade spice rub and tossed in a sweet and sour sauce.
Ingredients:
Equipment:
Method:
For the chicken:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Trim excess fat off the chicken. Mix Hungarian paprika, chipotle pepper, chili powder and salt together in a bowl. Rub the spice mix evenly on the chicken.6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika, 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, 2 teaspoons chili powder*, ½ teaspoon salt
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on it. Set the meat on the wire rack and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Make sure to seal the foil well around the edges of the baking sheet.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hours.
- Take the meat out of the oven and let cool a bit.
- Carefully remove the cover foil from the chicken. (There will be a lot of hot steam underneath!)
For the sauce:
- Heat the oil in a pan.2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- Add the onion and saute until starting to soften.¼ cup minced white or yellow onion (you need about ⅓ of a small onion for that)
- Stir in tomato paste, cider vinegar, crushed tomatoes, honey and salt.4 teaspoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup honey, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Bring to a quick boil, then turn the heat off.
- Pull the chicken with 2 forks and toss with the sauce.
- Serve in a bun, a wrap, in tacos or as a main course with a potato side dish.
Recipe notes:
*Chili powder is a spice blend usually made from ground chili peppers, cumin, oregano, dried garlic and salt. It's widely available in spice shops.
Storage: Store leftover pulled chicken tossed with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Did you make this recipe?Please consider leaving a review- THANK YOU!
Nutrition (estimate only):
More spice-rubbed chicken recipes:
- These seasoned Cornish hens are easily roasted in a cast iron pan.
- For a great wing recipe, try this dry rub for chicken wings in the oven.
- This smoked paprika rub for chicken adds amazing flavor and a great texture.
Comments
No Comments