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    Home » Main Dishes » Poultry » Chicken

    Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken Sandwiches (Slow Cooker Prep!)

    Published: Oct 20, 2020 · Modified: Feb 3, 2023 by Jessica Fisher

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    Let your slow cooker do the work with an easy sweet and sour pulled chicken filling perfect for sandwiches and wraps. This simple crockpot recipe will save you time and money!

    sweet and sour pulled chicken on hawaiian rolls on plate this …

    I’ve found that having a plan, and even better, a make-ahead meal, makes for a really relaxed atmosphere in our house. If I know in advance what I’ll be serving and can communicate that to my family so that they can help facilitate or even do some or all the prep work, life feels calm and peaceful.

    I realize that not everyone has seven other people asking them what’s for dinner on any given day. But, still, I think this advance prep would work for you, too.

    Believe me, I’m not so organized that it happens every day, but when it does? Wow! I feel like I’m on top of the world. And it’s just one meal!

    Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken

    Today’s recipe is easy, make-ahead, and perfect for game days, mocktail/cocktail parties and really, any time. It cooks in the slow cooker, pretty quickly on high, makes for a fantastic slow cooker freezer meal, either before or after cooking, and tastes amazing. 

    The last few times, I’ve served it on Sweet Hawaiian Rolls. I think the sweet rolls go along well with the Asian seasonings, and the size is perfect for little hands. The smaller rolls also make it a great finger food for parties and special occasions like New Year’s. Go with what you like.

    You can actually use whatever roll or bread you prefer or even serve the sweet and sour pulled chicken in lettuce cups. Everyone at our house agrees that it would make a fantastic banh mi filling. Just split baguette, layer on the chicken, add sliced cucumbers, julienned carrots and cabbage, and loads of cilantro. Maybe a few slices of jalapeño. Yum!

    dinner table set with bowl of cabbage dish of pulled chicken, rolls, and a plate of sandwiches

    What are sweet sour dishes?

    Sweet and sour is a generic name for sauces and cooking styles commonly used in parts of Asia and England for hundreds of years. The Food Lover’s Companion defines sweet-and-sour as, 

    to describe dishes that have a flavor balanced between sweet and pungent, usually accomplished by combining sugar and vinegar. The flavor is often incorporated into a sauce or dressing that can be served with meat, fish, or vegetables. The Chinese are famous for their sweet-and-sour specialists and the Germans are noted for their delicious sweet-and-sour cabbage dishes.

    What is sweet and sour chicken sauce made of?

    Sweet and sour sauce is typically made with sweet elements, such as brown sugar or honey and sour, or pungent ingredients, such as rice vinegar and sherry. The sauce for this sweet and sour chicken also includes soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger.

    dinner table set with sweet and sour pulled chicken rolls and cabbage with a dinner plate

    How do you serve sweet and sour pulled chicken?

    The sweet and sour pulled chicken filling also goes well in lettuce wraps, in banh mi style sandwiches, and in tortilla wraps as well as a a filling in any kind of bread or roll. You can also serve the pulled chicken in Asian bowls or scattered on a pizza, like this Thai Chicken Pizza.

    What do you eat with pulled chicken?

    Just like with pulled pork, pulled chicken is delicious in a sandwich topped with shredded cabbage or coleslaw and BBQ sauce.

    Alongside, you can serve side dishes, such as cucumber salad, french fries, potato salad, macaroni salad, and chips or crisps.

    step by step photos of making Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken

    How do you make sweet and sour pulled chicken?

    This recipe is super simple to prepare:

    • Lay out all your ingredients so you don’t forget anything.
    • Combine the sauce ingredients, whisking together the soy sauce, sherry, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger.
    • Add the chicken and sauce to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours and on low for about six. The chicken will shred easily once cooked through.
    • Add the shredded chicken back to the sauce in the pan and stir to combine.
    • Serve the chicken as a sandwich or wrap filling or atop rice bowls.

    Can you freeze pulled chicken?

    This makes a fair amount of chicken. You can cool and freeze half of it for another meal or simply invite friends over to share.

    If you do want to freeze it, you have two options:

    1. Freeze the chicken and sauce together, uncooked, in a ziptop freezer bag. Thaw before continuing with the recipe.
    2. Freeze the cooked chicken in its sauce in a ziptop freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw, reheat, and serve according to the recipe instructions.

    plate of sandwiches next to dish of pulled chicken

    If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
    sweet and sour pulled chicken on hawaiian rolls on plate
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    5 from 6 votes

    Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

    Let your slow cooker do the work with an easy sweet and sour pulled chicken filling perfect for sandwiches and wraps. This simple crockpot recipe will save you time and money!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time4 hrs
    Total Time4 hrs 5 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Chinese
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $5
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • ¼ cup dry sherry
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (chopped)
    • 12 sweet Hawaiian rolls
    • 1 cup BBQ sauce
    • cole slaw mix for topping sandwiches optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.
    • In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, sherry, rice vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
    • Cover the crock and cook on HIGH for up to 4 hours and on LOW for 6 hours.
    • The chicken will be very tender and easy to shred. Remove the chicken and shred the meat. Return it to the crock and mix with the juices.
    • Serve on rolls with barbecue sauce, if desired. Chicken mixture is also good inside a lettuce or napa cabbage wrap.
    • To freeze: the shredded meat and any sauce can be frozen for a later date. Simply cool and store in an airtight container. Chill completely before freezing. To serve: thaw completely in the refrigerator. Reheat or serve cold.

    Notes

    Nutritional values are approximate and are based on 1/12 of the recipe. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    This post was originally published on December 26, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    pinterest image for sweet and sour pulled chicken

    Have YOU got a favorite make-ahead meal?

    I’d love to hear about your favorite make-ahead meal in the comments. Be sure to share your starred rating on the recipe card after you’ve prepped the recipe. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

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    Comments

    1. Adrienne

      October 17, 2021 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy. Makes 5-6 sandwiches on gluten free hamburger buns.

      Reply
    2. Theresa M.

      September 08, 2015 at 11:37 am

      I’ve just recently found your blog and love it! I made this recipe x4 for a family gathering of 25 people this past weekend and it was a hit! My 6-yr old nephew deemed it “most awesome sandwich ever!” There was some leftover and I served it for supper last night as wraps: rolled it in some burrito-sized tortillas topped with some crunchy broccoli slaw. THAT was really good! Thanks for the inspiration to serve something different and delicious to my family!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 10, 2015 at 7:44 am

        Those wraps do sound delicious. Great tweak!

        Reply
    3. Velvet

      June 05, 2015 at 7:59 am

      If you are going to use napa cabbage instead of rolls do you have to cook the cabbage first?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 06, 2015 at 8:45 am

        No, the cabbage acts like a crispy wrap for the filling. You’ll just spoon the filling into a leave, add any toppings you want, and then eat. Like here: https://goodcheapeats.com/2013/04/chicken-salad-wraps/

        Reply
    4. Jessica

      November 09, 2014 at 4:14 am

      Hey Jessica, this recipe looks great! I have a hard time keeping chicken breats moist in the crockpot. Even with juices, it always tastes dried out. How do you keep that from happening? Since crockpots heat at different temperatures, how do you know when the chicken is done and not overcook it? Should I pull at it with 2 forks at various times and turn it off when it gives easily? I’ve found even when the thermometer says its done, it is not tender enough to shred at that point. Any tips anyone can offer for cooking moist chicken breasts in the crockpot would be much appreciated! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 09, 2014 at 4:50 am

        I think my first question would be what kind of chicken do you buy? I’ve found that the big grocery store breasts get tough more easily than the ones that I buy at Trader Joe’s. It might not be you; it might be your chicken.

        Reply
        • Jessica

          November 09, 2014 at 10:43 am

          Good to know! I have been buying Costco organic frozen chicken breasts lately and they are bigger. Which ones do you buy from Trader Joes? Are they frozen?

        • Jessica Fisher

          November 10, 2014 at 6:02 am

          If you’re getting organic, it probably doesn’t get better than that. It must be that your crockpot cooks fast. I would adjust your time and see how quickly it’s cooking.

    5. Laura Strohm

      August 09, 2014 at 11:18 am

      Trying out this recipe as we speak. I did go and buy rice vinegar but I did not have Sherry so I used white wine.
      I am having 2 couples over so I will let you know! THanks. LS

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 09, 2014 at 11:43 am

        Bon appetit!

        Reply
        • Julia

          May 24, 2022 at 5:30 pm

          5 stars
          This was a hit with my family!!

    6. Jean Breneman

      August 08, 2014 at 11:31 am

      Just wondering if I could substitute regular vinegar for the rice vinegar? Even if I substitute something else for the sherry? (I’m thinking chicken broth)

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 09, 2014 at 7:02 am

        Both of those ingredients really give it the Asian flair. It will still be tasty if you make those subs, but not the same.

        Reply
    7. Nafisa Hashim Soni

      August 08, 2014 at 9:09 am

      How can we cook for 6 hrs on high flame and 6 hrs on low flame?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 09, 2014 at 7:03 am

        The cooking instructions for this recipe are for use in a Crock-pot or slow cooker. They have low and high settings. 6 on low or 4 on high.

        Reply
        • Brenna

          May 21, 2015 at 4:06 pm

          Thanks for asking, Nafisa ~ the instructions read 4 hours on High and 6 hours on Low. 10 hours of cooking with 4 on high seemed a bit intense to me too!

    8. Becky

      August 08, 2014 at 5:04 am

      What can I substitute for the sherry?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 08, 2014 at 6:21 am

        Sherry is in a lot of Asian style recipes; I’ve found that it gives it a more authentic flavor. You can find affordable “cooking sherry” on the vinegar aisle. You can use chicken broth if you’d rather.

        Reply
        • Carol

          August 08, 2014 at 10:12 am

          Thanks for asking about the sherry, Becky. I was going to ask the same question!

    9. Vicky

      January 06, 2014 at 12:03 pm

      This looks fantastic! I will be trying this soon. Unfortunately, if it is for the pantry challenge, I have everything except chicken. 😉

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 11, 2014 at 5:03 pm

        You could very easily make it with pork, too.

        Reply
    10. Rachel

      December 29, 2013 at 5:38 pm

      I made these today for dinner. They were a hit! Thank you for yet another great recipe.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 12, 2014 at 2:47 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
    11. pat piroska

      December 29, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      wow this looks really good. I’ll be able to make up some of those wonderful little rice bowls. retired and now i have time to have fun in the kitchen. thanks for being here.

      Reply
    12. Kirstin

      December 29, 2013 at 11:34 am

      Do you eat raw sugar snap peas? Or do you blanch them? I’m looking for ways to add them to my diet.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 29, 2013 at 1:58 pm

        We do usually eat them raw. I have put them in stirfries before as well.

        Reply
    13. Kristi

      December 28, 2013 at 9:10 am

      I made this recipe last night, and my family LOVED it! It was perfect on the Sweet Hawaiian Rolls. My family also commented how wonderful it smelled while it was cooking. Thank you for another great recipe!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 28, 2013 at 2:03 pm

        Yay! So glad to hear that it was a hit!

        Reply
    14. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads

      December 27, 2013 at 6:20 am

      This recipe sounds fantastic! I love a great slow cooker recipe. Pinning!

      Reply

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