Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich

From: Chef Ryan Tuskan, The Duck Dive, San Diego, CA. Yield: 6 servings.

Sandwich:
1 whole chicken (yields 3½ lb. meat)
½ cup dry rub
1 lemon
¼ cup melted butter
6 brioche buns
as needed, mayonnaise

BBQ Sauce:
2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 whole yellow onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pepper

Onion Strings:
1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rings
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. dry rub seasoning
¼ cup buttermilk

For pulled chicken: Preheat oven or grill to 350°F. Smother chicken inside and out with dry rub. Place chicken on chicken stand. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and drizzle with melted butter. Cook chicken for 60 to 60 minutes. Let cooked chicken rest for 30 minutes to cool. Hand-shred cooled chicken, and toss in BBQ sauce.

For BBQ sauce: Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer, then immediately shut off the heat. Use immersion blender to smooth out sauce.

For crispy onion strings: Preheat small pan of oil to 350°. Dredge onion strings first in buttermilk, then in seasoned flour. Fry small batches of onion strings in oil to ensure crispness. Let onion strings drain on cooling rack and reserve for sandwich preparation.

For sandwich: Split brioche buns and spread a little mayonnaise on each side. Toast buns on grill. Place a generous handful of chicken onto bottom bun. Top pulled chicken with crispy onion strings. Finish sandwich with top bun.