This Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken is a healthy spin on a Southern Classic. Fork-tender chicken in a homemade sweet peach barbecue sauce. Serve it on a burger bun for a casual dinner, or with some salad and veg for a light summer meal.
After making yet another batch of this healthy Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken for dinner tonight, I can confirm two things:
It's pretty scrumptious and it's definitely a really easy meal to prepare. Don't be fooled by the one hour+ total time because, during most of this time, you actually don't have anything to do other than enjoying the smell of your homemade peach bbq sauce.
To make the peach bbq sauce, simply combine all the ingredients in a pot and simmer for one hour – the only prep being peeling and chopping two garlic cloves. You've done more difficult than that, I'm sure!
While the peach bbq sauce is cooking, prepare the pulled chicken. Again very easy! This is not a crock pot or slow cooker pulled chicken recipe. We use basic utensils - a pot. Put the chicken in, cover it with water and cook for about 30 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, you'll just have to shred it, using two forks.
When the peach bbq sauce is done, you combine the two and tada your BBQ Pulled Chicken is ready! You can serve the juicy shredded chicken with buns, as shown in the first picture or simply "naked" with a side of veggies or a salad. Both ways are delicious.
One of the reasons, why this BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe is healthy, is because we toss it with a homemade bbq sauce instead of store-bought sauces.
However, most of the BBQ sauce recipes you'll come across also contain a lot of refined sugar but not this peach bbq sauce! Thanks to the sweet canned peaches, there's no need to add any, as they act as a natural sweetener.
When buying your canned peaches, make sure you choose the ones in juice and not the ones in syrup because fruits in syrup always have added sugar in. You could probably use fresh peaches if they are in season where you live but I haven't tried.
If you decide to give it a go, my guess is that you should peel them first and add about one cup of water to replace the juice. Anyways, I hope you'll try this healthy recipe for Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken soon.
If you tried this Healthy Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!
Healthy Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken
This Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken is a healthy spin on a Southern Classic. Fork-tender chicken in a homemade sweet and spicy peach barbecue sauce. Serve your healthy pulled chicken on a burger bun for a casual dinner, or with some salad and veg for a light summer meal.
Ingredients
For the peach BBQ sauce
- 1 28- oz canned peaches in juice 800 g, in juice, not in syrup, to avoid added sugar
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the chicken:
- 2 lb chicken breast 900 g
Suggested serving:
- burger buns to serve, optional (not included in nutrition facts)
Instructions
For the sauce:
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Combine all the sauce ingredients (including peaches' juice) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat and simmer for one hour.
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Transfer sauce to a blender or a food processor and pulse until the sauce reaches a very smooth consistency. If you have an immersion blender, it's even easier, you can blend the sauce directly in the saucepan. Set aside.
For the chicken:
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While the sauce is cooking, prepare chicken. Place chicken breast in another pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is very tender and no longer pink inside.
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Drain water, transfer cooked chicken on a cutting board and shred it using two forks (use one fork to hold the chicken steady and the other one to tear it apart).
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Transfer shredded chicken in the sauce and mix well to coat. Serve as is or as sliders in a bun (not included in nutrition facts).
Recipe Notes
- The sauce would be great with beef and pork too!
- You could use fresh peaches (about 6 medium) but I haven't tried. If you give this a try, peel them first and add one cup water to the sauce.
- Adapted from Civilized Caveman Cooking
Susan
This sounds delicious. I just recently found a 'regular' BBQ sauce recipe I like, but I think I'll try this one, too, just for fun. Peaches are one of my very favorite flavors.
marie
Thanks Susan 🙂 I love peaches too!
Kelly Whalen
Can I use fresh peaches? If so, do think about 1 or 2?
marie
I think you could but I haven't tried. My guess is that you should use about 6 medium peaches, peel them and add one cup of water to the sauce to replace the juice. If you try it, I would love to know how it turns!
Immaculate
Marie, I love pull pork and especially love the fact that yours is healthy, with only 259 calories. Perfect for lunch.
Kelly Whalen
One last question...I usually go my shredded chicken in my crockpot with the sauce on it. Should I make the sauce as advised in the recipe (i.e. cook on the stove first) and put it on the raw chicken. Or, can I combine and puree the sauce, top the raw chicken and have them cook together? Am I explaining myself well?
marie
I totally understand what you're saying 🙂 I think cooking the sauce and chicken together in the crockpot should work just fine, but I haven't tried so I'm not positive. And yes, I would combine and puree the sauce first and then top the raw chicken with it. Hope this helps!
40A.
I love pulled chicken and we usually always end up making it when we have leftover rotisserie chicken. Your homemade peach bbq sauce sounds SO GOOD! Will definitely try this one!