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Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken

Say goodbye to boring, flavorless boiled chicken breast and hello to juicy Dutch oven pulled chicken. Whether you’re planning a quick family dinner or need something easy for meal prep, this easy pull-apart chicken has you covered!

Dutch oven pulled chicken in a bowl.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Additions and Substitutions

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Prepare the easy shredded chicken recipe in a ceramic or cast iron Dutch oven for even heat distribution. You will also need two forks, shredder claws, or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to pull the chicken.

How to Make Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Season the Chicken

Step 1: Season the chicken breasts on both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.

Sear the Chicken

Step 2: Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, carefully add the chicken breasts and sear for 5 minutes.

Chicken breasts searing in the Dutch oven.

Braise the Chicken

Step 3: Use tongs to flip the chicken breasts. Deglaze with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits bottom of the dutch oven.

Cover and braise for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Chicken breasts braising in chicken broth.

Tip: You may need to increase the cooking time for larger chicken breasts and reduce the time for chicken thighs.

Easy Ways to Shred Chicken

Step 4: Remove the chicken from the pan and shred it using two forks or shredder claws.

A chicken breast shredded on a cutting board.

Tip: You can also place the cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer and process the chicken with the paddle attachment in a fraction of the time. Be sure to lock the tilt-head down if your stand mixer has one.

Toss and Serve

Step 5: After shredding, toss the chicken with the cooking juices to let it soak up even more flavor.

Dutch oven shredded chicken in a bowl.
Dutch oven shredded chicken in a bowl.

Expert Tips

  • Check for doneness: Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken; the USDA recommends cooking chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • Make shredding easy. Shred the chicken while it is still warm for quicker shredding.

If you enjoy the shredded chicken recipe, try more Dutch oven recipes!  

Dutch oven sourdough bread on a cutting board.

Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread

Dutch oven shredded chicken in a bowl.

Ways to Use Shredded Chicken

Turn the juicy pulled chicken into your favorite dishes like chicken tinga tacos in warm corn tortillas, enchiladas, quesadillas, taco bowls, or a loaded plate of nachos.

Toss the Dutch oven pulled chicken with homemade barbecue sauce recipes such as raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce, Carolina gold BBQ sauce, or Cheerwine BBQ sauce to make shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches.

Pair the chicken with your favorite sides to complete the meal—corn on the cob, vinegar coleslaw, Dutch oven mac and cheese, potato chips, or jalapeno mashed potatoes.

What to do with the Leftovers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the recipe ahead of time?

Pulled chicken is a perfect make-ahead recipe. Prepare the chicken in the Dutch oven and keep it in the fridge up to four days in advance.

Why is chicken sticking to the dutch oven?

There are two things to keep in mind when cooking chicken in the Dutch oven. First, heat the pan before adding the olive oil and chicken to get a nice sear. Second, when you add the chicken broth or stock, deglaze the pan by scraping up any flavorful bits left from searing.

More Chicken Recipes: 

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Dutch oven pulled chicken in a bowl.

Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken

Tressa Jamil
No more flavorless boiled chicken with juicy Dutch oven pulled chicken. The easy pill-apart chicken is great for a quick dinner or weekly meal prep.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 133 kcal
Ingredients
  
Instructions
 
  • Season the chicken breasts on both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.
  • Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, carefully add the chicken breasts to and sear for 5 minutes.
  • Use tongs to flip the chicken breasts. Deglaze with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits bottom of the dutch oven. Cover and braise for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
    Tip: You may need to increase the cooking time for larger chicken breasts and reduce the time for chicken thighs.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and shred it using two forks or shredder claws.
    Tip: You can also place the cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer and process the chicken with the paddle attachment in a fraction of the time. Be sure to lock the tilt-head down if your stand mixer has one.
  • After shredding, toss the chicken with the cooking juices to let it soak up even more flavor.
Notes
Expert Tips;
  • Check for doneness: Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken; the USDA recommends cooking chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • Make shredding easy. Shred the chicken while it is still warm for quicker shredding.
Nutrition Disclosure:
  • The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 133 kcal | Carbohydrates: 1 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 36 mg | Sodium: 412 mg | Potassium: 235 mg | Vitamin A: 144 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 9 mg
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