Tag: Ketchup

Homemade Baked Beans

Barbecue season is upon us, and many of us are hoping to enjoy some socially distant outdoor time with friends and family. So I wanted to share the perfect recipe to bring along to a barbecue: homemade baked beans!

This recipe takes about an hour and a half to make but can be made ahead of time. The beans can be served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings):

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a yellow pepper)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Tobasco Chipotle)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons stone ground mustard (or any mustard you prefer)
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper

Continue reading Homemade Baked Beans

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

I have used Butcher Box (note: affiliate link) for a while now, and love the quality of the meat and seafood they offer. I tend to switch up what comes in my boxes so I can work with different cuts. My latest box had a boneless pork butt, so I figured it was about time I created and shared a pressure cooker pulled pork recipe.

I do have a few other pulled pork recipes on my blog, and they are all fantastic, but they are slow cooker based. So here’s a recipe that helps get that yummy pulled pork on your table a bit faster using an Instant Pot or other multi cooker without losing that cooked-all-day flavor!

Ingredients:

Spice Rub:

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon each of:
    • smoked paprika
    • hot paprika
    • ground cumin
    • salt
    • ground pepper

Barbecue Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Other ingredients:

  • 3 lbs boneless pork butt, cut into cubes
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth

Continue reading Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

Quinoa Con Pollo

Note: I was sent a Flying Fish Can Variety Pack in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

There are some recipes that almost instantly become a go-to comfort food. One of those recipes for me is arroz con pollo. It has a ton of flavor, an assortment of different vegetables, and is wonderfully filling. Plus, it can be made ahead of time and reheated. What more could you ask for?

My husband has recently taken a liking to quinoa, so I thought making a quinoa version of arroz con pollo, or Quinoa con Pollo, would be an awesome spin. Flying Fish’s Can Variety Pack features five different beers including their OnShore Lager. One sip, and I knew it would be the perfect ingredient in (and accompaniment to) my quinoa spin!

If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen a couple of posts / stories about the variety pack. The outdoor themed variety pack truly has something for everyone, including two IPAs (Hopfish and Outside IPA), a Pale Ale (XPA), a Session Sour (Salt and Sea), and a Lager (Onshore Lager). The Hopfish is awesome with spicy food, and the outside IPA has been my go-to when I’m relaxing in my hammock, or hanging out with friends on my roof deck. The XPA is Flying Fish’s original beer, and continues to be a staple for a reason; it goes great with everything! The Salt and Sea was the perfect complement to our friend’s crab feast and barbecue. And the Onshore Lager has a crisp, clean finish making it perfect for both cooking with and drinking.

So let me show off that lager!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil to make dairy free)
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
  •  1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  •  2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (12 oz) can lager (I used Flying Fish Onshore Lager)
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (omit to make gluten free)
  • 2 cups dried quinoa
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 10 oz frozen cut green beans
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • Black olives, to taste

Continue reading Quinoa Con Pollo

Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

My slow cooker gets such a workout this time of year. But I’m not willing to fully give up “summer” foods just yet. I had a craving for baked beans recently, so I decided to make a batch in my slow cooker and serve it with a cheeseburger and cornbread. Yum. This recipe is a “Boston Baked Beans” recipe, meaning it uses molasses in the recipe.

This recipe uses bacon that was sent to me by ButcherBox, a company that delivers 100% grass-fed beef and other protein to your door.  The company partners with a collective of small farms to deliver high quality products at an affordable price.

Butcher Box is a subscription service, so the boxes are mailed monthly.

 

The boxes come with 7-10 pounds of meat (20+ servings). There are a bunch of options: All Beef, Beef & Chicken, Beef & Pork, or Mixed (Beef, Chicken & Pork, which is what I received).

The Mixed box includes 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and all-natural pork. Most of the meat comes frozen (the bacon was not), so you can stick it right in your freezer and eat when convenient for you. I’ll have future recipes using the rest of the ingredients in the box, but for now, they are in my freezer.

This recipe also includes the best way to make bacon, in my humble opinion. Making bacon in the oven allows you to make quite a bit at a time, and the bacon doesn’t shrink up as much as it cooks. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dry navy beans, soaked in water overnight
  • 10 oz bacon, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • additional water or beef broth, as needed

Continue reading Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

I am always looking for a new and different slow cooker meal. I personally could eat a tomato-based sauce with meat over rice, pasta, polenta, you-name-it every day. My husband would prefer something new every now and then, which is fair.

So this time, I attempted to make a takeout favorite — Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken!

This recipe is really simple, but it can become a legit salt lick if you aren’t careful about your ingredients. Be sure to use lower sodium soy sauce and unsalted cashews!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken (breasts and/or thighs)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or canola oil)
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce (use a wheat free soy sauce to make gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili dipping sauce
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups unsalted cashews

Continue reading Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Cowboy Style Beef Ragout

Sometimes, you just need comfort food. And what is more comforting than a thick tomato meat sauce over polenta, or Cowboy Style Beef Ragout?

This recipe adapted from Cooking Light is reminiscent of Sloppy Joe’s, but is a bit more grown up.

I made a batch of this for my husband to thaw and eat on nights that I work late. Just heat and serve over polenta or egg noodles.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound 90% lean ground sirloin
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 sliced green onions, white and green parts divided
  • 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
  • 3 cups strained tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Continue reading Cowboy Style Beef Ragout

Smoky Slow Cooker Ribs #KingOfFlavor

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KingOfFlavor #CollectiveBias

 

The countdown to the football season is almost over! As a Philadelphian, I am very much in Eagles territory, where Sunday (and Monday night) schedules revolve around the birds. A huge part of watching the game (at least for me) is obviously the food!

 

One of my favorite game day foods is a rack of ribs. I don’t have a grill, so my go-to method to get fall-off-the-bone ribs is to use my slow cooker.

The best ribs have a little bit of heat to them, don’t you think? This recipe brings both some heat and smokiness with the use of two El Yucateco hot sauces: Red Habanero Hot Sauce and Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce.

I actually picked up three of El Yucateco’s hot sauces at Walmart (you can never have too much hot sauce on hand!) I found them in the Hispanic Food Section.

El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce is a combination of red habanero peppers, tomato, spices and seasonings. What sets El Yucateco apart from other hot sauces is that it has less vinegar, so the flavor (and kick!) of the pepper comes through more. The red habanero sauce is a great pantry hot sauce and is a great addition to everything from a Bloody Mary to wings. The tomato flavor in the red habanero hot sauce also makes it a great addition to a barbecue sauce!

El Yucateco’s Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce is made from fire roasted habaneros and has an awesome smoky flavor without being overpowering. This hot sauce works great with red meat, chili, and even chocolate! The Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce adds the smoky flavor of barbecued ribs to my slow cooker version!

El Yucateco also has a Green Habanero Hot Sauce, which  is a combination of green habanero peppers, garlic, spices and seasonings. This hot sauce is perfect with lighter foods — chicken, seafood, veggies, etc.

I’ve included two methods of cooking these ribs, based on if you’re watching a day or night game. I’m not going to lie, the results are best when you can cook the ribs at a lower temperature for a longer time, but are really delicious both ways!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs baby back ribs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons El Yucateco Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Continue reading Smoky Slow Cooker Ribs #KingOfFlavor

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

I don’t know how this is even possible but I’ve never had Sloppy Joes before making this recipe. It was not in my family’s dinner rotation, my camp never served it, and I never came across it at a friend’s house when sleeping over.

Well, my wait is finally over! Traditional Sloppy Joes are made with beef but I for this Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes recipe, used a mixture of ground beef and Johnsonville Bratwursts removed from their casings.  The recipe is adapted from one I found on MyRecipes.com.

note: I was sent free coupons for Johnsonville products. Opinions are my own.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 (19-oz.) package Johnsonville Brats
  • 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 10 brioche buns, toasted

Continue reading Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

I received a fun challenge from the Mystery Ingredient Blogger Showcase a few weeks back: have a mystery ingredient sent my way and come up with my very own recipe using it.

I received the package last week and found the following inside:

Coleman’s Mustard and Mustard Powder! Coleman’s has been producing mustard products in England since the early 1800’s so they know their product. As one of the oldest existing food brands, Coleman’s yellow tin is a symbol of quality mustard powder and prepared mustard.

 

I have never worked with mustard powder before so I wanted to use that in a recipe. I was just at a wedding in Texas and didn’t have time to get some barbecue while I was there, so I’ve had quite the craving for ribs. I have no idea what a traditional Texas barbecue sauce would be (and a friend of mine told me mine is actually more of a Kansas City sauce) but I figured mustard powder would be a great addition to my Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs and would hopefully fulfill my craving.

Coleman’s Mustard Powder is no joke; it’s pretty hot. It’s made from a mixture of both brown and white mustard seeds and heats up when added to a liquid. So I used it sparingly in the sauce but for the spice enthusiasts, feel free to increase the amount used.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. baby back ribs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (I used Sugar In The Raw)
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2-4 drops hot sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Coleman’s mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste Continue reading Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

It is too darn hot to be using the stove/oven, don’t you think? The grill is a great option for hot days, but we have recently been getting the most inconvenient thunderstorms right around dinnertime. I wanted to find some recipes that are perfect for summer but can also be made in a slow cooker so your whole kitchen doesn’t heat up. This one for Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches is really easy to make: you brown the chicken, line the slow cooker with onions and garlic, pour the sauce over the chicken, and let it cook for 3 hours. You’re left with a really tender pull-apart chicken perfect for summer evenings!

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 8 hamburger buns, toasted
  • radicchio, sliced

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Bourbon BBQ Baby Back Ribs

I’m not even going to pretend to care about football. I have no clue what is going on on the field, nor do I honestly want to. Not even going to school with Flacco could peak my interest in the sport. But I do care about the food aspect of watching football, to no one’s surprise.
So with the season in full swing, I figured it was about time for me to figure out how to make ribs. I “surprisingly” do not have a smoker in my tiny apartment, so I went in search of a slow cooker recipe. This Bourbon BBQ Baby Back Ribs recipe fit the bill.
Ingredients:
  • 5 lbs baby back ribs, cut to fit in your slow cooker
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup ketchup (or tomato puree)
  • 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup horseradish
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Sriracha)

Continue reading Slow Cooker Bourbon BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Shrimp Ceviche on Jalapeno Parmesan Crisps

I’m really on a canape/appetizer kick. I used these Jalapeno Parmesan crisps to make canapes with Black Bean Mango Salsa on top, but really wanted to make something with shrimp incorporated in it. I found this Cooking Light recipe for Ceviche de Camaron and used it as a base for this recipe for Shrimp Ceviche on Jalapeno Parmesan Crisps. Traditional ceviche is usually fresh raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice. I actually steamed the shrimp before marinating them in the lime, so it is not an actual ceviche, but the general idea of it is still present.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped red onion
6 cups water
3/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
1 pound medium shrimp
1 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mild taco sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
Jalapeno Parmesan Crisps (Kitchen Table Bakers)

I didn’t read the recipe correctly before buying my ingredients, so I actually asked the seafood place to peel and devein the shrimp. Well, the original recipe required boiling the shrimp and then peeling them, so I had to change it up a bit. Click the link above for the original recipe if you’d like.
Bring 6 cups of water with 1/4 cup fresh lime juice to a boil in a large pot. When boiling, add the shrimp to a steam basket and place on top. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove the shrimp and combine with 1/2 cup juice, plus the zest from the limes, in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While waiting for the hour to pass, chop your onion, cucumber, and cilantro. Take the chopped onion and rinse with cold water in a colander.
Add the onion to a medium bowl. Stir in the cucumber, ketchup, taco sauce, cilantro, hot sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
Refrigerate until the hour has passed for the shrimp. When the hour is finished, stir in the shrimp and lime juice.
Top each Parmesan crisp with one shrimp and a teaspoon of the onion cucumber mixture.
Aren’t these fun?
So I realized after taking these photos that the shrimp still had their tails. I wouldn’t suggest serving the shrimp on the crisps with the tails on.
However, if you serve the ceviche in a bowl or wine glass with the crisps on the side, keep the tails on for presentation.
The shrimp managed to maintain a really nice citrus flavor despite being pre-cooked.
The cocktail sauce on the shrimp had a nice spice but didn’t deliver much heat (the Parmesan crisps were spicy enough for me) so if you like it really spicy, add a bit more hot sauce.
I did think corn kernels would go great with this as well. Next time I make it, I think I’d throw in some frozen thawed corn kernels for extra texture.

Meatloaf Muffins

I don’t think I’ve ever had a craving for meatloaf. Honestly, I’m pretty sure I’ve only had meatloaf once. So I never actively seek out making meatloaf, much to my boyfriend’s disappointment. However, we both had long, exhausting work weeks, so I thought he deserved a comfort-food meal. Cooking light had a recipe for Meatloaf Muffins that I thought would work great; he could eat as much as he wanted and then have perfectly portioned “muffins” that I could freeze.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
3 bell peppers (I used one orange, yellow & red), chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 teaspoon sriracha
1  pound ground beef, extra lean
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut out of its casing (I used 2 sausages)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your onion, carrot, garlic, and peppers. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, basil, parsley, garlic and peppers. (Note: I completely forgot about the peppers and had to go back and saute them on their own. Just pretend they are in the photos. Shh.)

 

 

Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the sausage, cut out of the casing, beef, 1/2 ketchup, sriracha, panko, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper, eggs, and the cooled onion mixture in a large bowl.

 

 

Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.  Add the mixture to the muffin tins. (I used large muffin tins so there were only 6. This recipe also works with the standard size 12. For the large, 1 muffin is a serving. For the standard, 2 muffins are a serving.)

 

Top each with two teaspoons ketchup. (I got bored/creative)

 

Bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. (The larger muffins ended up taking about 35 minutes total).

 

Serve with sauteed green beans and baked potato wedges if desired.

So what’s the review from my boyfriend? Very good! There was a slight hint of sriracha without making the meatloaf spicy. The sausage added a smoky taste to the meatloaf, and the peppers added a slight crunch to the meal. He ate the meatloaf with a side of ketchup mixed with hot sauce and seemed to really enjoy it.

The best part of this dish is the remaining “muffins” can be frozen for future meals.

Print
Meatloaf “Muffins”

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
  • 3 bell peppers (I used one orange, yellow & red), chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup ketchup, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
  • 1 pound ground beef, extra lean
  • 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut out of its casing (I used 2 sausages)
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your onion, carrot, garlic, and peppers. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, basil, parsley, garlic and peppers.
  2. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the sausage, cut out of the casing, beef, ½ ketchup, sriracha, panko, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper, eggs, and the cooled onion mixture in a large bowl.
  3. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray. Add the mixture to the muffin tins. (I used large muffin tins so there were only 6. This recipe also works with the standard size 12. For the large, 1 muffin is a serving. For the standard, 2 muffins are a serving.)
  4. Top each with two teaspoons ketchup.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. (The larger muffins ended up taking about 35 minutes total).
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Bacon-Topped Meatloaf

I didn’t grow up in a meatloaf household. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve only had meatloaf once. So when my boyfriend put in a special request for meatloaf I wasn’t exactly thrilled. But he rarely asks for anything specific, and is always willing to eat whatever I make (I jokingly refer to him as “I Can Eat That”) so I think he deserves this one request. I decided to try a recipe from Tyler Florence with a few changes.
Ingredients:
Tomato Relish:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and finely diced
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 12 ounce bottle of ketchup
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Meatloaf:
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
2 eggs
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
3 bacon slices

Continue reading Bacon-Topped Meatloaf

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

It’s difficult to not associate barbecues with Labor Day weekend. The unofficial end of summer is usually spent the same way summer began on Memorial Day: relaxing (preferably at a beach) and enjoying the company of friends and family while eating burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken. Well, there was no beach for me this weekend, but I was still able to “grill” despite the kind of crummy weather so that I still got my barbecue fix. Cooking Light has a surprisingly simple looking recipe for Pulled Chicken Sandwiches that I just had to try.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray

For the sauce:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses

Remaining ingredients:
8 sandwich rolls, toasted
Pickles, your choice

Don’t let the number of ingredients deter you from making this. It really is simple! The original recipe actually used dark brown sugar, but I had light brown sugar on hand. Feel free to use whichever one you happen to have. You can substitute chicken breasts for this, but thigh meat adds extra juiciness to the sandwich that you really don’t want to miss out tasting.
Begin by preheating your grill. I was stuck indoors, so I just used a grill pan.
Combine first 7 ingredients (light brown sugar through ginger) in a small bowl. I somehow misplaced my measuring spoons so I kind of eyeballed all of these ingredients. Don’t worry about getting the perfect amounts, it’s more about the proportion to the other spices.
Rub the mixture evenly over the chicken.
Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.
Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until a thermometer registers 180 degrees, turning occasionally.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Shred with 2 forks.
Set to the side for now.
Prepare your onions. If needed, slice your pickles. My boyfriend prefers sweet pickles so we bought the mini ones and minced them for an easy topping.
To prepare sauce, heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the next 5 ingredients (chili powder through ground red pepper) and cook for 30 seconds.
Add ketchup, vinegar and molasses.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in chicken and cook for 2 minutes, making sure the chicken is thoroughly coated in the sauce.
Toast the buns.
Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on bottom halves of the toasted roll.
Top with pickles if desired.
This recipe was promising from the start. I haven’t seen my boyfriend so excited for a meal I’m cooking in a long time; he even offered to help out! (He worked on grilling and shredding the chicken while I prepped and worked on the sauce, it really sped up the cook time). And this recipe really delivered. It tasted like it had slow cooked for hours, subtly sweet and spicy at the same time. I really don’t like pickles, but my boyfriend had his topped with pickles and said it really made the sandwich that much better.
This meal could easily be used in the winter months to remind you of the warmer weather. You could make this as I did on a grill pan, or to really enhance the flavor, you could cook the chicken in a slow cooker for 5 hours on low.
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