Valerie's BBQ Pulled Chicken

This recipe is from my daughter-in-law, Valerie. Her notes say "makes ALOT" and great for a crowd. Easy, breezy crockpot recipe. It is best if made the night before; so flavors meld and chicken sops up the sauce. I made the Homemade Slider Buns (blog: March 2, 2020, label: yeast breads). Serve with extra BBQ sauce, pickles and chopped onions. Also would be excellent as the protein for nachos! Then add the CHEESE!

Ingredients:

• 5-6 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I like thighs)
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces tomato paste
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (I should have tried BAM)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt (once cooked, season to taste)

Directions:

Grease your crockpot people. Add diced onion and garlic. Add rest of sauce of ingredients and then your chicken. Stir to combine.

Cook on low for 6 hours. An hour before cooking is complete; shred chicken with a fork and stir to coat with the sauce.

Crispy Chicken Wings with Two Sauces

This is another recipe from my Convection Cookbook. As the description states: "crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and bathed in a zippy sauce or a traditional hot sauce. You have got yourself an "all star appetizer".

Ingredients:

• nonstick cooking spray
• 3 pounds chicken wings, joints separated
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Ingredients for Hot Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Select Convection Bake and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place wire rack on top. Lightly spray rack with cooking spray.

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine wings, baking powder, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic granuales. Combine with the wings are nicely coated. Arrange the wings on the prepared rack in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes

Once ready to serve finish wings on the grill till chard and crispy.

While wings are on grill prepare sauce of choice: 

Whisk the Dijon, yellow mustard, honey, vinegar and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper.  

Whisk the  hot sauce, butter and honey. 

Once wings are finished on the grill, transfer them a bowl and immediately toss with the prepared honey-mustard sauce or hot sauce. Let sit 5 minutes to absorb.

Yum, I love wings! 

Homemade Slider Buns

This recipe is from thespruceeats.com and was was so excited my first attempt was a success! I did not add the sesame seeds to the egg wash tops as the picture; but brushed with butter right out of the oven. This time around; I filled with a pulled BBQ chicken and served with additional BBQ sauce, pickles and sliced onion. Check out the websites for additional good eats...

Ingredients:

• 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2/3 cup milk (room temperature)
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 2 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• approximately 4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Combine the yeast and warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar to activate the yeast. Allow to stand until foamy.

Whisk the melted butter, egg and milk together. Add to the yeast mixture along with remaining sugar and salt.

Incorporate the flour, one cup at a time; until dough is no longer sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic.

Grease a large bowl with butter or oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl. Turn over to coat the dough thoroughly.

Cover the dough with parchment paper and proof for about one hour; until dough doubles in bulk.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Punch down dough and pat down into a rectangle. Cut into 18-24 pieces depending on size desired.

Place 2-inches apart on cookie sheets.

Cover the buns with a light-weight kitchen towel and allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 30-40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.

Bake about 15 minutes; watching bottoms carefully.

Cool on wire racks; brushing with a little melted butter out of the oven.

Split the buns halfway and serve with your favorite slider recipe.