Pulled Jackfruit and Chicken Sandwiches
By Camila ChaparroPublished on July 3, 2025
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Be sure to use young (unripe) jackfruit packed in brine or water; do not use mature jackfruit packed in syrup. Jackfruit seeds are tender and edible; there is no need to remove them. We like to use our Easy All-Purpose Barbecue Sauce, but you can use your favorite store-bought if you prefer. You can also substitute 1¾ cups shredded coleslaw mix for the red cabbage and carrot.
Instructions
- Place 1 (20-ounce) can young green jackfruit (drained) in large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain jackfruit in strainer, rinse well, and shake strainer to drain thoroughly. Transfer jackfruit to cutting board. Using potato masher, 2 forks, or your hands, shred jackfruit into bite-size pieces, then chop coarse with knife. Set aside.
- Add 2 finely chopped bacon slices to now-empty saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until crispy, 4 to 7 minutes. Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions and 2 minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1¼ cups barbecue sauce and 2 tablespoons water, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into sauce; cover; and simmer until chicken registers 175 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken fine. Return shredded chicken and reserved shredded jackfruit to saucepan and stir to coat evenly in sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until chicken and jackfruit are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon table salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Add 1½ cups shredded red cabbage, 1 peeled and shredded carrot, and thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and toss to coat. Divide chicken and jackfruit mixture among 4 toasted hamburger bun bottoms; top with slaw and toasted bun tops. Top with dill pickle chips, if using, and serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Ripe jackfruit may taste like a combination of papaya, pineapple, and mango, but immature jackfruit is entirely different: dense, vegetal, and fibrous. The latter, when cooked and shredded, has a tender, stringy texture remarkably reminiscent of pulled chicken or pork, so it’s no surprise that the tropical ingredient—long beloved in many Asian cultures—is becoming a popular meat alternative all over the world. The fruit has a knack for soaking up seasoning, so tossing it with shredded chicken smothered in a smoky-sweet sauce boosted the fiber content of these sandwiches without sacrificing flavor. To prepare the jackfruit, we simmered it to slightly soften the texture. In true pulled-meat-sandwich fashion, we soaked cabbage and carrot in an oil-vinegar solution to make a tangy slaw. We layered the jackfruit-chicken mixture and slaw onto hamburger buns for a satisfyingly juicy handheld meal.
Before You Begin
Be sure to use young (unripe) jackfruit packed in brine or water; do not use mature jackfruit packed in syrup. Jackfruit seeds are tender and edible; there is no need to remove them. We like to use our Easy All-Purpose Barbecue Sauce, but you can use your favorite store-bought if you prefer. You can also substitute 1¾ cups shredded coleslaw mix for the red cabbage and carrot.
Instructions
- Place 1 (20-ounce) can young green jackfruit (drained) in large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain jackfruit in strainer, rinse well, and shake strainer to drain thoroughly. Transfer jackfruit to cutting board. Using potato masher, 2 forks, or your hands, shred jackfruit into bite-size pieces, then chop coarse with knife. Set aside.
- Add 2 finely chopped bacon slices to now-empty saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until crispy, 4 to 7 minutes. Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions and 2 minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1¼ cups barbecue sauce and 2 tablespoons water, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into sauce; cover; and simmer until chicken registers 175 degrees, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken fine. Return shredded chicken and reserved shredded jackfruit to saucepan and stir to coat evenly in sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until chicken and jackfruit are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon table salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Add 1½ cups shredded red cabbage, 1 peeled and shredded carrot, and thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and toss to coat. Divide chicken and jackfruit mixture among 4 toasted hamburger bun bottoms; top with slaw and toasted bun tops. Top with dill pickle chips, if using, and serve.
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