Pulled chicken for 150 question

Whenever I do pulled chicken, I usually use a mix of boneless skinless thighs and boneless skinless breasts. I don't remember my yield, but I thought it was much closer to 80%. That coupled with the fact that all I have to do is rub them, put them in a pan in the smoker, and then shred it up in the same pan, makes it worth the extra expense.

I don't cater, but I have volunteered to cook for groups (30 people average, have done up to 120). I used to do whole chickens and breakdown to pieces after cooking but have switched to pulled chicken as it is much less prep, the cost is similar, and the finished product is better.

My method is to use a 1:3 ratio of B/S chicken breast to B/S thighs. Only prep has been to remove the large areas/pockets of fat on each (some is still left, but not much). These are seasoned somewhat heavily on all sides and thrown on the smoker.

While they are smoking, I will heat up some chicken stock with 1-1.5 sticks of melted butter per quart of stock. When the chicken is about 130* (about 30 minutes), they get thrown in pans with the stock/butter mix and back on the smoker until finished.
Like you though, not all the pieces will pull, but these are less than half.

The pulled meat is put in another pan and some of the braising liquid is mixed in for some additional flavor/moisture. I use 1/3 pound raw weight per serving, so this runs about $0.90-$1 per serving, including fuel/seasoning/braising liquid. Again, this is volunteer labor, but material costs are reimbursed.

The chicken does take up a decent amount of room on the grates until panned, but I have fit 30 pounds pre-trimmed weight of chicken in a 22" WSM.

Hope this helps and doesn't just take up space.

I just cook whole chickens (sometimes spatchcocked, and sometimes not) and I debone and combine dark and light together. Instead of "pulling", mine is more "shredding" and I have had no compliants.