Whats For Dinner?!

Let's talk chicken people.

 Ahem, what I mean is, let's talk about ways to rethink chicken. I love roasting a whole chicken, I love to pound out some chicken breasts, and bread them to make chicken francais, chicken parmigiana, and chicken piccata. To me, those are all wintery meals. I am craving light, summery food now. The temperatures are rising, the sun is up all evening, and late last summer I found the perfect recipe for barbeque sauce. 

Earlier this spring I experimented with this pulled pork concept. You know, you put a big hunk of pork butt (which is actually the shoulder, weird) in the oven and cook it low and slow. So I made up a recipe for barbeque pulled pork. Well, I wasn't overly impressed. The meat was pretty fatty. Even though I purchased a 5lb. piece, there didn't seem to be a lot of meat to eat. I am not a big carnivore to begin with and meat can be expensive. So, I though I would try it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead. I am so glad I did! It's so simple and yummy, most importantly everyone loves it (including picky eaters)!

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Place bonless, skinless chicken breasts into a heavy bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven. Then, add your favorite BBQ sauce to cover (my favorite recipe is below). 

Cover your pot, and place it in the center rack of the oven. Check the chicken in 40min-an hour tops. When the chicken breasts are nearly completely cooked, take the entire pot out of the oven and turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees.

Take each chicken breast out of the pot and shred the meat using to forks.  Once all the chicken as been shredded, add it back to the pot full of BBQ sauce. 

Place the pot back into the oven UNCOVERED. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, reduce and thicken. Then, place a big spoonful on a hamburger bun. 

My Favorite BBQ Sauce Recipe 

Adapted From Tyler Florence's Recipe

Found Here

Ingredients:

½ pound of apple wood smoked bacon

2 bunches of fresh thyme or 1 big bunch (must be fresh thyme)

1 sweet onion chopped

4 gloves finely minced fresh garlic

4 cups of ketchup

½ cup light brown sugar

½ molasses

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2+1 teaspoon tablespoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add oil to a heavy bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven. Add the roughly chopped bacon. Now, turn the burner on to medium high. Starting bacon in a “cold” pot will allow it to render more fat (fat = flavor). Then add the 2 bunches of fresh thyme (with their stems).

When the bacon starts to render some fat, add the chopped onion. Add a pinch of kosher salt now (this will draw the water out of the onions, and help them cook down and become sweet).

Now add all the spices (make sure to stir everything together). Add the minced garlic and stir until you can smell the garlic (about 40 seconds). Take the pot off the heat and add the brown sugar, molasses and ketchup. 

Put the pot back on the heat and let it come to a boil and then allow the sauce to simmer for 20 minutes. 

Strain the sauce through a mesh sifter. Leave behind the onion, thyme and bacon. The finished sauce should be completely smooth. **The sauce in the picture above has NOT been strained yet**