Apple Cider Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw

I have made slow-cooker pulled chicken sandwiches in the past but felt like they would be improved with slaw. This version fulfilled that wish! We ate them on soft potato rolls with chips. It was a wonderful, casual dinner that we enjoyed outside on a beautiful night.

This recipe was adapted from Just Cook It! 145 Built-to-be-Easy Recipes that are Totally Delicious by Justin Chapple. I used broccoli slaw as a base for the cole slaw topping and opted to not toast the rolls. With minimal preparation required in the morning, it’s a great dish to serve after a busy day.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Pulled Chicken:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (about 8 to 10)
• potato sandwich rolls, split, toasted if desired, for serving
• slaw (recipe below), for serving

For the Slaw:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 T apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 tsp celery seeds
• 12 ounces broccoli slaw (Trader Joe’s) or Brussels sprouts or shredded cabbage
• 1 large Ruby Frost or Granny Smith apple, cored and julienned
• 1 very firm Anjou or Bartlett pear, cored and juilienned
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper

To Make the Chicken:

1. In a slow cooker, whisk together the apple cider, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, garlic, 2 tsp coarse salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
2. Add the chicken thighs and mix well.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours or High for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
4. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken in the sauce and then season generously with salt and pepper.

To Make the Slaw:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and celery seeds.
2. Using a mandoline set to 1/8″, julienne the apple and pear. Slice the Brussels sprouts lengthwise by hand, if using.
3. Add the fruit to the mayonnaise mixture, followed by the shredded cabbage/broccoli/Brussels sprouts.
4. Season with salt and pepper and mix.
5. Chill until ready to serve.

To Serve:

1. Pile the pulled chicken on soft or toasted potato buns, top with slaw, and serve.

Note: The pulled chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Ina Garten’s Vegetable Coleslaw

One of my good friends absolutely loves this recipe and I have had this coleslaw several times at her house. It is colorful, simple, and delicious. I served it with Slow-Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork on the Fourth of July this year; it was wonderful in the sandwich or on the side. 🙂 This recipe was adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, via foodnetwork.com.

• 1 pound green cabbage (about 1/2 head)
• 3/4 pound red cabbage (about 1/2 head)
• 5 large carrots
• 2 cups good mayonnaise (I used Trader Joe’s Organic)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Fit a food processor with the thickest slicing blade. Cut the cabbages into small wedges and place horizontally into the feed tube. Process in batches.
2. Next, fit the food processor with the grating blade. Cut the carrots in half and place in the feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches. Mix in a bowl with the sliced cabbages.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the grated vegetables to moisten them. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas

So messy to eat… but so fresh and flavorful!! This dish was part of our Cinco de Mayo meal this year; it was preceded by chips & Guacamole and accompanied with Margaritas! 🙂 This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Melissa Rubel Jacobson. My husband and son ate the leftover toppings in burritos for lunch the next day. A healthy and quick cooking holiday meal- GREAT!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
• 6-8 corn tortillas
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound large shelled and deveined shrimp
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 4 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix (I used a 10 oz bag of shredded cabbage)
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced
• 2 medium radishes, thinly sliced, optional
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• Lime wedges, for serving, optional

1. In a medium, deep skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until hot. Fry one tortilla at a time over moderately high heat until lightly golden on both sides, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse salt.
2. Preheat a grill. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and the chipotle chile powder. Season the shrimp with salt. Grill the shrimp over moderately high heat, turning once, until they are browned in spots and cooked through, about 4 minutes. (We used a grill basket, lightly sprayed with non-stick spray.)
3. In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with the tomato, scallions, sour cream and lime juice and season with salt.
4. Set the tortillas on plates and top with the cabbage slaw, chipotle shrimp, avocado, radishes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

One Year Ago:

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