Keto Pulled Chicken Crock Pot Recipe: A Sweet, Smoky, and Satisfying Low-Carb Delight

For those following a ketogenic diet, finding versatile and flavorful recipes can sometimes be a challenge. However, this keto pulled chicken recipe, adaptable for both slow cookers and pressure cookers (like the Instant Pot), offers a delicious and easy solution. Imagine moist, tender threads of chicken breast enveloped in a rich, sweet, and smoky low-carb sauce. It's a nostalgic, summery, and happy dish that's also guilt-free.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is a game-changer for several reasons:

• Versatility: It can be cooked in a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or even a Dutch oven.
• Flavor: The combination of sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors creates a truly irresistible dish.
• Low-Carb: With careful ingredient selection, this recipe fits perfectly into a ketogenic lifestyle.
• Ease: It requires minimal effort and yields a large batch, perfect for meal prepping.

Ingredients: The Key to Flavor

The ingredient list may seem long, but each component plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavors:

• Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the star of the show, providing a lean protein base that shreds easily. Boneless chicken thighs can also be used as a substitute.
• Unsweetened Tomato Passata: This serves as the foundation of the sauce, offering a rich tomato flavor without added sugars.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a necessary tanginess to balance the sweetness and smokiness.
• Low-Carb Sweetener: Allulose, Swerve, or Erythritol provides sweetness without spiking blood sugar levels. Liquid keto sweeteners blend easily into sauces. Confectioners Lakanto or Swerve can also be used.
• Molasses (Optional): A touch of molasses adds depth and complexity to the sauce. However, it can be omitted or substituted with sugar-free syrup to further reduce carbs. A tablespoon of molasses will add about 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
• Coconut Aminos: A low-carb alternative to soy sauce, offering umami and depth of flavor.
• Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Pepper: These spices provide the signature smoky and mildly spicy kick. Using smoked paprika found at Trader Joes adds a bit of smokiness. Another way to do that is to use a bit of liquid smoke.
• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds healthy fats and richness to the dish.
• Worcestershire sauce: A fermented, vinegar-based condiment.
• Liquid smoke: A product made from condensed smoke from burning wood.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to create this mouthwatering keto pulled chicken:

Slow Cooker Method

1. Prep the Chicken: Liberally season your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Slow Cook: Place sliced onion (1/4), garlic (2 cloves) and chicken broth (1/2 cup) in a slow cooker. Combine spice mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle both sides of each breast (4) with spice mix, pressing to adhere. Lay seasoned chicken in a single layer over the onions. Seal the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours-- you'll know the chicken is done once it's tender and easily shreds with a fork.
3. Prepare the BBQ Sauce: While the chicken is cooking, prepare a baking sheet by covering with aluminum foil and spraying with nonstick cooking spray or a baking dish.
4. Shred the Chicken: Remove cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. Use tongs to remove sliced onions to a cutting board. Discard cooking liquid, and use paper towels to clean out the inside of your slow cooker. Once cool enough to handle dice the onions and add them back to the slow cooker. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
5. Combine and Heat: Add remaining BBQ sauce ingredients to the slow cooker with your cooked onions and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Add shredded chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on high until warmed through.
6. Broil (Optional): For a caramelized finish, brush the low carb bbq sauce over both sides of the chicken and set out the broiler. Turn the meat back side up and place under the oven broiler for 5 minutes.
7. Serve: Serve with extra bbq sauce on the side to dip in if you wish.

Instant Pot Method

1. Combine Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts into the base of your Instant Pot.
2. Add Sauce: Pour sauce over chicken breasts and place lid on pot.
3. Pressure Cook: Lock off and set to pressure cook on high for 15 minutes (or slow cook on low for 6 hours). Once finished, release the steam if applicable and remove the chicken (natural release works best in this case).
4. Shred and Combine: Place the chicken in a dish and shred with two forks. If the sauce is too runny, you could thicken it with about 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum, but I’ve never had to. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
5. Finish: Combine well until the chicken is coated from all sides. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and combine.

Dutch Oven Method

1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) fan-assisted, or 170°C (340°F) for a conventional oven.
2. Combine and Cook: Place all ingredients in the Dutch oven, ensuring the chicken is submerged in the sauce.
3. Bake: Cover and bake for approximately 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds.
4. Shred: Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to combine.

Detailed Recipe

Ingredients:

• 750 g chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (1.65 lb)
• 1/4 Onion sliced
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
• 400 ml unsweetened tomato passata (sauce) (13.5 fl oz)
• 100 ml apple cider vinegar (3.5 fl oz)
• 3 tbsp low-carb sweetener such as Allulose, Swerve or Erythritol (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• Optional: 1 tbsp molasses (20 g/ 0.7 oz) - see note above
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp coconut aminos (45 ml)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
• Optional: 1 cup sour cream, full-fat yogurt or creme fraiche to serve

Instructions:

1. Place sliced onion (1/4), garlic (2 cloves) and chicken broth (1/2 cup) in a slow cooker. Combine spice mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle both sides of each breast (4) with spice mix, pressing to adhere. Lay seasoned chicken in a single layer over the onions. Seal the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours-- you'll know the chicken is done once it's tender and easily shreds with a fork. Remove cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. Use tongs to remove sliced onions to a cutting board. Discard cooking liquid, and use paper towels to clean out the inside of your slow cooker. Once cool enough to handle dice the onions and add them back to the slow cooker. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Add remaining BBQ sauce ingredients to the slow cooker with your cooked onions and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Add shredded chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on high until warmed through.
3. Combine well until the chicken is coated from all sides. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and combine.
4. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 7 days.

Serving Suggestions: Endless Possibilities

This keto pulled chicken is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in numerous ways:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

• Lettuce Cups: A classic low-carb option, perfect for a light and refreshing meal.
• Over Baby Spinach: Adds a boost of nutrients and fiber to your meal.
• Cauliflower Rice: A satisfying and grain-free alternative to traditional rice.
• Shirataki Rice: Another low-carb rice substitute that's virtually calorie-free.
• Zucchini Noodles: Toss with zucchini noodles for a veggie-packed meal.
• Loaded Bowl: Top with sour cream, avocado slices, shredded cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for an all-in-one meal.
• As a Sandwich: Use low-carb bread or buns for a satisfying sandwich.
• Cheese Shells: Upgrade your plain lettuce-wrapped taco to something that you can hold in your hand, like these cheese shells! They pair so well with this tasty shredded chicken.
• Chicken Salad: Store leftover pieces in an airtight container. You can use it to make chicken salad or place on a big chicken salad.

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Pulled Chicken

• Use Fresh Chicken: Fresh chicken breasts cook more evenly and shred better than frozen. However, if you only have frozen chicken, make sure to thaw it completely before cooking.
• Don't Overcook: Overcooked chicken will be dry and difficult to shred. Cook until it's just tender enough to shred easily with two forks.
• Thicken the Sauce: If the sauce is too thin after cooking, mix in a tiny bit of xanthan gum to thicken.
• Adjust the Sweetness: Taste the sauce and adjust the amount of low-carb sweetener to your liking.
• Spice it Up: Add more cayenne pepper for a spicier kick.
• Add Smokiness: Another way to do that is to use a bit of liquid smoke.
• Make it Your Own: Feel free to taste and adjust to your liking! More sweet, more smoke, more vinegar. Your low carb pulled chicken, your rules.
• Have a store-bought BBQ sauce you love? Use it!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

• Storage: To store your pulled chicken, let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: Reheat in the microwave until your low carb pulled chicken is warmed to your liking. On the stovetop, warm the chicken in a skillet over medium heat, adding a bit of water or broth to keep it moist, and stir occasionally until it’s fully heated through. If you prefer the microwave, place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between until it’s warmed.
• Freeze: Freeze is a resealable baggie, with as much air removed as possible.

Keto BBQ Sauce Recipe

This recipe makes more than enough for basting the chicken and dipping sauce too.

Ingredients:

• [As mentioned in the main recipe, use the sauce ingredients]

Instructions:

1. While the chicken is cooking, place all the bbq sauce ingredients in a small pan and whisk to combine.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes and take off the stove.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #pulled #chicken #crock #pot #recipe