Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken Recipe with Tangy Peach Glaze

This Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken is a healthy take on a Southern favorite: fork-tender shredded chicken coated in a homemade sweet-and-spicy peach barbecue sauce. Serve on burger buns for a casual meal or enjoy with a salad and steamed vegetables for a lighter summer dinner.

This recipe is simple, flavorful and surprisingly wholesome because the sauce is homemade and naturally sweetened by canned peaches packed in juice instead of syrup. The overall hands-on time is short: most of the cooking is gentle simmering while you relax and let the flavors develop. The sauce needs about an hour to reduce and meld, and the chicken poaches separately for roughly 30–40 minutes until tender enough to shred.

Making the peach barbecue sauce is straightforward. Combine the peaches (with their juice), garlic, tomato paste, chicken stock, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, paprika, cumin and sea salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently until the sauce reduces and the flavors concentrate. Once cooked, blend until completely smooth. An immersion blender makes this step especially easy because you can puree the sauce right in the pan.

While the sauce simmers, poach the chicken in a separate pot. Cover the breasts with water, bring to a simmer, and keep at a low boil until the meat is cooked through and very tender. Drain, transfer to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pan or a large bowl and stir in the peach barbecue sauce until the chicken is evenly coated.

Serve the pulled chicken piled into toasted burger buns for classic sliders, or enjoy it “naked” with a side salad and grilled or roasted vegetables for a lighter option. The sweet fruit notes pair well with smoky paprika and a touch of mustard and vinegar, creating a balanced sauce that complements chicken, and works well with pork or beef if you want to experiment later.

Healthy Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients

For the peach BBQ sauce

• 1 28-oz can canned peaches in juice (about 800 g), use peaches in juice, not in syrup
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

For the chicken

• 2 lb (about 900 g) chicken breast

Suggested serving

• Burger buns, toasted, to serve (optional)

Instructions

For the sauce

1. Place the canned peaches with their juice, chopped garlic, tomato paste, chicken stock, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, paprika, cumin and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
2. Simmer gently for about one hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
3. Remove from the heat and purée the sauce until very smooth. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse. Set the sauce aside.

For the chicken

1. While the sauce cooks, place the chicken breasts in a separate pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30–40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender and no longer pink inside.
2. Drain the chicken, transfer it to a cutting board and shred with two forks.
3. Toss the shredded chicken with the warmed peach barbecue sauce until well coated. Serve immediately on buns or with a side of salad and vegetables.

Recipe Notes

• The sauce also pairs well with pork and beef.
• If fresh peaches are in season you can use them instead of canned peaches; peel and pit them first and add about one cup of water to replace the canned peaches’ juice if needed.
• This version reduces added sugar by relying on the natural sweetness of peaches packed in juice rather than fruit in syrup or store-bought sauces.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer storage; reheat gently before serving.

Nutrition Facts