Description
Tender pulled chicken glazed with sweet-tart pomegranate sauce creates an extraordinary sandwich. This restaurant-quality dish features juicy chicken thighs and crisp apple slaw.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- Brioche buns for serving
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 apples, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 head napa cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Rub this spice blend thoroughly over chicken thighs.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until deeply golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. Cover skillet while cooking to ensure chicken cooks through.
- Remove chicken and shred using a stand mixer or two forks. Return shredded chicken to skillet with drippings, toss well to coat. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of prepared glaze.
- For the glaze, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk together until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low.
- Simmer glaze for 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If too tart, add extra honey and cook a few minutes more. Cool at room temperature to thicken further.
- Prepare apple slaw by tossing apples, scallions, cabbage, and cilantro in a bowl. Whisk olive oil, vinegar, and honey together. Drizzle over slaw, season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble sandwiches on brioche buns with pulled chicken, extra glaze, and apple slaw.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs exclusively – they stay moist and shred beautifully compared to chicken breasts
- Don’t skip browning the chicken; those caramelized bits add incredible flavor to your final dish
- Make extra glaze and store it – it keeps for weeks and works great on grilled vegetables too
- Slice apples just before serving to prevent browning, or toss with lemon juice if preparing ahead
- Toast your brioche buns lightly for extra texture and to prevent sogginess from the glaze
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American-Middle Eastern Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: pomegranate glazed chicken sandwich, pulled chicken with fruit glaze, sweet and tangy chicken recipe, shredded chicken pomegranate, middle eastern chicken sandwich, glazed chicken thighs recipe, pomegranate molasses chicken