Friday, February 12, 2010

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

(sorry, no picture of the finished product this time, just the ingredients)

Where should I begin with this dish? How simple it is to throw together? How it has a sweet taste with a fiery kick? How there are multiple uses for leftovers? Or how delicious it is?

This pulled chicken really has it all. I've never been a fan of pulled pork or anything with barbeque sauce, but this chicken is a winner. The chipotle chilies give it a smokey flavor, while everything else meshes together wonderfully without tasting too much like barbeque.

This makes a lot of food, and you can get creative with the leftovers. Mix up some chicken with black beans and cheese and you have an awesome quesadilla; heat up and serve over rice; whip up a small batch of enchiladas; and obviously, serve on a bun.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Source: Apple a Day, adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/4 c. cider vinegar
3 TBSP honey
1 TBSP plus 2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp. dry mustard
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp. salt
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, trimmed of fat (I used 1 1/2 lbs. of each)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.

2. Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5-6 hours.

3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve. Serves 8-10.

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