Alabama BBQ Chicken Sandwich

What is BBQ Chicken?

First of all, we have to agree on what a Barbecue chicken is. It consists of chicken parts -or entire chicken- that are barbecued, grilled or smoked. Barbecue chicken is often seasoned or coated in a spice rub, barbecue sauce, or both. Marinades are also used to tenderize the meat and add flavor.

What makes this Sandwich “Alabama Style”?

Today’s recipe is not about just a “simple” chicken sandwich, but about the staple sandwich of the Yellowhammer State. What makes this BBQ Chicken Sandwich so special, and a truly “Alabama style BBQ Chicken Sandwich” is its special sauce!!! The BBQ White Sauce from Alabama, which is a tangy white BBQ sauce with a mayonnaise base, the one you will use to boost the flavor of your BBQ Chicken! Don’t worry, it’s easy to make and you’ll find the ingredients and the magic recipe here!

Ingredients for a delicious Alabama style BBQ Chicken Sandwich:

-2 pounds shredded chicken
-1 cup BBQ White Sauce Alabama (and more, for topping)
-Pan Cubano (Cuban Bread)
-Butter (optional)

You may also add one or more of these suggested ingredients as toppings: dill pickle slices, lettuce, arugula, tomato, avocado, among others.

How to make the great Alabama BBQ Chicken Sandwich?

1) Make the sauce. Prepare the easy and exquisite BBQ White Sauce Alabama, following our delicious recipe. Set aside for 30 minutes before using.  You can also make it ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
2) Cook the chicken using the spices you prefer, we recommend: salt, garlic, onion, and chili pepper. 
3) Shred the chicken: use your clean hands or two forks to shred the chicken while it is still warm because it is easier to shred it this way.
4) Mix the sauce into the shredded chicken until everything is very well coated.
5) Cut and Toast the Cuban bread. Toast it on both sides, then brush with butter if you’d like.
6) Assemble the shredded chicken sandwiches!! Simply pile tender, shredded and sauced chicken, and add your favorite toppings on top of a toasted piece of Pan Cubano (Cuban Bread).

Now, enjoy!!! 

Tips and Tricks to prepare the best Alabama BBQ Chicken Sandwich

-How do I know when BBQ chicken is done?
The most precise way of telling if the chicken is done is when it reaches perfect temperature.  This means that internal temperature is 165° for dark meat, and 160° for white meat. But, if you don't have an instant-read thermometer, you can always do a little cut into the middle, to check that it's just about opaque in the center.

-Can chicken be a little pink?
According to the USDA, as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°, it is safe to eat because, even fully cooked, poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices. So, color is not the best guide to know whether or not it is completely cooked.

-When should I add the sauce to the chicken?
First, you should let the chicken cook almost completely and add the sauce at the end, because otherwise the sugar contained in this kind of sauces like BBQ gets burnt when if they overcook, and give a bitter savor to the meat and a bad look as well. The best way to avoid this, is to add the sauce more or less 10 min before the chicken is fully cooked to obtain both the desired look and flavor.

-Why Pan Cubano (Cuban Bread)?
We suggest Pan Cubano for every sandwich similar to the Alabama Style BBQ Chicken Sandwich, because this kind of sandwich which contains lots of sauces, meatballs, etc. requires a bread that won’t break apart even before the first bite when it gets humid. Pan Cubano is delicious and is made by design to resist lots of moisture quantities, so you can enjoy your sandwich and not just messy pieces of it!