Poached chicken combines with a homemade seasoning blend to make for a luscious and easy dinner of Pulled Chicken Sliders. Enjoy a quick, easy supper with no hassle!
This recipe has Necessity-is-the-Mother-of-Invention kind of roots. One night I found myself in a bind. It was hockey season, meaning that my Saturday evenings were spent at the hockey rink. When we were lucky, there was some type of break at a decent hour so that we could have supper.
Instead of the usual run through In-N-Out Burger I had a few extra minutes to cook something at home. Just a few. I also had a batch of homemade rolls and a package of chicken tenders. Did I mention I didn’t have a lot of time?
I poached the chicken simply in water, pulled it to shred and then seasoned it with a homemade spice blend. The result was a flavorful and easy meal that we’ve enjoyed multiple times since, especially in the summer months when Sandwich Night takes over for Soup Night.
You can cook the chicken in the crockpot if you need to start it earlier in the day. This recipe for poaching allows you to cook it on the stovetop or in the instant-pot.
Serve the chicken in lettuce wraps for a low-carb/Whole 30 meal.
How to make this good and cheap:
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Instead of paying full price, buy more than you need when you see it on sale. Then you always have it when you want it.
- Shop the stores that have the best prices. When I did my big grocery store showdown, I learned that ALDI and Costco have the best prices for a lot of the things I buy. I regularly stock up on chicken at ALDI because it’s so affordable!
- Buy spices and herbs in bulk. I make my own spice blends because it’s so cheap to do so — and tastes great. Jamie’s Spice Mix, Cajun Spice Blend, and FishMama Spice all go well in this dish.
How I make this recipe easy:
This recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.
Here are the tools that I use for this recipe:
- plastic cutting boards – I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
- Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
- Chef’s pan with lid or an Instant Pot – perfect for poaching!
- Ergo Chef cooking tongs – great for moving food around
Pulled Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken tenders
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 peppercorns
- 1 to 2 tbsp Jamie’s Spice Mix or other favorite spice blend
- 8 slider buns or hamburger buns OR lettuce leaves
- 2 tomato sliced
- 8 lettuce leaves
- 16 dill hamburger sliced pickles
- 4 oz cheddar cheese slices
- condiments for sandwiches : mayo, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce
Instructions
- If making this on the stove top: In a large pot with a lid, place the chicken, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Once the water boils, simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
- If making this in the electric pressure cooker: place the chicken, bay leaf, and peppercorns in the pot with 1 cup of water. Cover and switch the pressure valve. Set to manual for 12 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, discarding the liquid. Shred the meat with two forks. Season to taste with spice mix.
- Serve with buns or lettuce wraps and sandwich toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Other great sandwich recipes
Easy Tuna Melt Sandwiches
Avocado Salsa Sandwich
Egg Plus Salad Sandwiches
Fried Chicken Sandwich
Originally published April 14, 2013. Updated February 9, 2018.
Adrienne
Good basic pulled chicken sandwich. I hit it with a faux CFA sauce I found at Trader Joe’s. Added a bit of cheddar and it was amazing!
Kristy/Mama K MeYeR
Jessica, thank you so much for updating your recipes to include instant pot/pressure cooking instructions! You’re saving my bacon all the time over here!
This recipe has become a family favorite over here at The Man Crew House. Quick, easy, super tasty and totally customizable for everyone’s tastes. That’s a winner in my book any day!!
Jessica Fisher
Yay! Thanks for your feedback! Glad it’s a family fave.
Casandra
Ditto! Love it and so glad you included the IP instructions!
Janelle
How much of the spice mix do you use?
Janelle
Oh wait, I see it in the ingredients! Somehow I skimmed over it!
Miriam
I’ve been looking for a way to cut our grocery budget and put more towards being debt free faster! THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing all of your wonderful ideas and menus with us and FOR FREE! You’ve blessed our family beyond words!
I do have a question though, how would you adjust the poaching time using TJ’s frozen chicken tenders?
Thank you again!!!
Jessica Fisher
I’d add maybe five minutes? Those are my go-to and they really cook quickly.
Amy
We had these for dinner tonight and OH MY! they were so good! These are for sure on my go to list in the future. The spice mix totally made them! I am looking forward to using it on more things in the future.
Jessica Fisher
Having your own spice blends is such a lifesaver. You can use them on anything. I use them a lot for salad dressings and to season meats. Glad you liked the sandwiches!
Annette
Would you mind posting how to make those rolls?
Jessica Fisher
You can make them with these: https://goodcheapeats.com/2014/02/italian-sandwich-rolls/ or these: https://goodcheapeats.com/2009/07/homemade-hot-dog-buns/
annie
Never thought about poaching anything but a roasting chicken before? Are the tenders the frozen kind from a bag or fresh?
Jessica
I typically buy them fresh. I usu do a whole chicken in the slow cooker, bone-in breasts in the oven, and boneless on the grill or poached. 🙂
Joshua Hampton (Cooking Classes San Diego)
I love the easy yet tasty recipes you post here. I hope your kids are fine now.
Sue R
This sounds like the perfect meal for lacrosse nights! I have been looking for a summery easy to tote meal. I’ll add some veggie dippers and we’ll be good. Thanks again!