Indoor Pulled Chicken from America's Test Kitchen

Group of four women and one man posing wearing aprons and chef's coats — Portrait, This image is restricted because Julia's hand is photoshopped out.

Julia Collin Davison is a senior editor for the books division of *America's Test Kitchen* and is an on-screen test cook for *America's Test Kitchen*. She is also a cast member of the new *TV show Cook's Country*, which aired with its first season in September 2008. She began working as a test cook for *Cook's Illustrated* in 1999 and is responsible for the food and recipe development for all *America's Test Kitchen* cookbooks. She holds an A.O.S. degree from the culinary institute of America and a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy from SUNY Albany. Before coming to *America's Test Kitchen*, she worked in Albany, the Berkshires, San Francisco, and the Napa Valley at several restaurants, catering companies, schools, and wineries. Julia resides in Natick, Massachusetts, where she enjoys cooking with her husband, Ian, who is a fishmonger, and her daughter, Marta.

October 30, 2025

On America’s Test Kitchen, Season 19, test cook Becky Hays and host Julia Collin Davison make this pulled chicken recipe in an episode called “Chicken and Biscuits.”

Notes: Do not trim the fat from the chicken thighs; it contributes to the flavor and texture of the pulled chicken. If you don’t have 3 tablespoons of fat to add back to the pot in step 3, add melted butter to make up the difference. We like mild molasses in this recipe; do not use blackstrap. Serve the pulled chicken on white bread or hamburger buns with pickles and coleslaw.

Serves 6-8

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 1⁄2 cups ketchup
1⁄4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

FOR THE CHICKEN:

1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
Salt and pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved crosswise
Hot sauce

TO PREPARE

SAUCE
STEP ONE. Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Set aside.

CHICKEN
STEP TWO. Bring broth, molasses, sugar, 2 teaspoons liquid smoke, gelatin, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

STEP THREE. Add chicken and return to simmer. Reduce heat to medium- low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is easily shredded with fork, about 25 minutes.

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STEP FOUR. Transfer chicken to medium bowl and set aside. Strain cooking liquid through fine-mesh strainer set over bowl (do not wash pot). Let liquid settle for 5 minutes; skim fat from surface. Set aside fat and defatted liquid.

STEP FIVE. Using tongs, squeeze chicken until shredded into bite- size pieces. Transfer chicken, 1 cup sauce, 1⁄2 cup reserved defatted liquid, 3 tablespoons reserved fat, and remaining 1 teaspoon liquid smoke to now-empty pot. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid has been absorbed and exterior of meat appears dry, about 5 minutes.

STEP SIX. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.