Two Coleslaw Recipes For Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Earlier I shared my Pulled Chicken Sandwich recipe where I mentioned coleslaw. Although pulled sandwiched are traditionally served with coleslaw, I decided to make it a separate post due to the length.


While I love a good pulled pork or chicken sandwich, I have never been a huge fan of coleslaw. Maybe it's the heavy mayo that so many people drown it in, maybe it's the flavor. All I know is I don't care for it. But last weekend I decided to try Chef Michael Symon's award winning slaws with my Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. One of these he serves on his "Porky Burger" (which is pulled pork on top of the burger and slaw underneath the burger). The other helped him win the Burger Bash in Miami with his "Fat Doug" burger (pastrami & swiss on top of the burger, slaw under the burger-my mouth is watering over this one!).

Given that, if you like slaw, either would be excellent on your Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. I will give you both recipes and you decide. I credit Chef Michael Symon for both of these slaw recipes.

Coleslaw #1 (for Porky Burger)

1 Head Savoy Cabbage, shredded

3 Carrots, shredded

5 Scallions, thinly sliced

1 Cup Cilantro, chopped

1 Cup Parsley, chopped

1/3 Cup Pickle Juice (his secret ingredient)

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Salt

Add chopped herbs to the shredded cabbage. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat, Add more salt if necessary.

Coleslaw #2 (for "Fat Doug" Burger)

1/2 Head Napa Cabbage, shredded

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 Sm Red Onion, thinly sliced

1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced

3 Tbsp Tarragon Vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tbsp Mayo

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp Spicy Mayo

Mix all ingredients to coat.

Printable Recipe

Would love to get your opinion of these two slaws. Do you have a favorite slaw recipe that I could try? To leave a comment Click Here.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Is there anyone who doesn’t love good barbecue? I know I do. There's something about a finger lickin' good rack of ribs or perfectly spiced pulled pork. But I struggle with wanting it to be healthy as well. Here's a pulled chicken recipe that is both delicious and healthy.

I know that original pulled meat sandwiches include Coleslaw. I will post separately about the coleslaw that I tried, along with a couple of recipes for you to try with your pulled chicken.

Ingredients:

3 Small or 2 Large Whole Chickens

1 (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce

1 (18 oz) bottle Hickory Smoked BBQ Sauce

1 (18 oz) Bottle Bills Johnson's Hot & Spice  Sauce

1 Sweet Red or Yellow Bell Pepper

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Tbsp Garlic

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Cup Honey or Agave

Technique:

Boil chickens until tender. (Boiling chickens are never pretty, are they?)

Cool and remove meat from bones, discarding skin and fat. (Just boiled chickens are not pretty either!!) On this day I boiled 3 large chickens and used 2 for pulled chicken and 1 for a pot of chicken soup.

"Pull" chicken with two forks or your fingers.

While the chicken is cooling enough to handle it, put the sauce together.

Turn  the crock pot on high.

Mix all sauce ingredients together in crock pot.

Add pulled chicken to sauce.

Cook on high 2-3 hours or turn the crock pot to low and let simmer 4-6 hours.

(Simma down now, simma down! Sorry, I digress...) 

Serve with buns...

Add coleslaw if you like...

And accidentally figure out that the pulled chicken is fabulous on spicy nacho chips!! 

Okay, I think this was my favorite way to eat it. On the bun was great. But I'm a fan of spicy and the chips added a little spice and a little crunch...perfect! This recipe as I've written it has really great flavor, but is not spicy. You could add a little heat by increasing the crushed red pepper flakes. 

Printable Recipe

What favorite food would you like to find a healthier version of?

To leave a comment Click Here.

Monday Motivations: Change Begins With Choice

I have always been a fan of business philosophers and motivational guys, and Jim Rohn is one of the best. This story came from his free weekly email, which you can subscribe to here. I love the message...it applies to all of us...and I love the story in the middle.

                                                                                      Jim Rohn

Change Begins with Choice

by Jim Rohn

Any day we wish, we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

                                                                                     

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

Reminds me of the story about a large, majestic mountainside where a fragile eagle's nest contained four large eagle eggs. One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one  of the eggs to tumble down the mountain to a chicken farm, located in the valley below. By instinct the chickens knew they must protect and care for the egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture the large egg.

One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. But the eagle was raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and his family, but his spirit cried out for more. While playing a game on the farm with some of his chicken friends one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies. "Oh," the eagle cried, "I wish I could soar like those birds." The chickens roared with laughter, "You cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar."

 The eagle continued staring, at his real family above, dreaming that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn't be done. The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken. 

Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle died - a chicken.

What's the moral of the story? If you listen to the chickens around you, you'll live and die like them - a chicken! Inside you is that eagle. This is your call to soar. You are an eagle. it is time to follow YOUR dreams and not the words of chickens.

We cannot allow our errors in judgement, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life: If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life. And it all begins with your very own power of choice!

In what areas do you feel the eagle inside of you trying to get out?

Are you willing to make a change?


Click here for more Monday Motivations.

Super Bowl Mac-N-Cheese

Great game, great commercials, great family & friends, great food! I love Super Bowl!

This week I will share 3 of my favorite recipes that will feed a crowd and always get rave reviews. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they are just as good the next day. Check back later this week for Crock Pot Lasagna and Almost Better Than Sex Cake!

This Mac-N-Cheese recipe may sound small (only 1 box of pasta), but don't be fooled. It makes a huge pan of deliciousness! It is a hit with or without the chicken. But I always use bacon. If you love bacon but are not a fan of having splattered bacon grease all over the stove, check out how to make perfectly crisp bacon every time!

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

5 CHEESE MAC-N-CHEESE

1 Box of Pasta (I like one that will collect cheese, like shells)

1 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese 

1 Cup Grated Pepper Jack Cheese  

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (NOT the sprinkle kind)

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese

2 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese

3 Large Chicken Breasts, grilled and cut into bite size pieces

1 lb Thick Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled into large pieces (click here for how to cook perfectly crisp bacon every time)

1 med-lg Onion, diced

1-2 Cups Bread Crumbs

3-4 Cups Skim Milk

4 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

Red Pepper Flakes

Preheat oven to 350*. Get a LARGE pan and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

***This recipe will probably come close to filling two 9x13 pans if you don't have one really large pan***

Boil and drain pasta. Cook til al dente or "right before it's 'done' done" consistency - this will let the cheese sauce really stick to the pasta.

While pasta is cooking, start the sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt 1 Tbsp butter on high heat. Add onion and cook til onions are soft and clear. Add 3 more Tbsp butter. When melted, add 4 Tbsp flour. Stir with a whisk. The butter and flour should turn a nice golden brown - about 2-3 minutes.

Add 3 cups milk and stir. Reduce heat to medium high. Get this to a boil, creating a roux, or white gravy. Whisk vigorously til all lumps are out of the flour, then turn the heat down to medium low.

Add the cheese. Stir while melting. Add 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes. Once the cheese is melted, I use the "taste and eyeball" method. If it is too thin, add more cheese (best to add Cheddar, Mozzarella or Pepper Jack). If it's too thick, add 1/2 cup of milk (put in microwave for 30 seconds to take the chill off before adding). If it needs a little kick, add more red pepper flakes.

Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Add the chicken and stir til everything is covered in sauce. Pour the mac-n-cheese into the pan. Spread the bacon on the top. Sprinkle bread crumbs over everything.

Ready to go in Oven

Bake approximately 20-25 minutes, til the top is golden brown. Broil for a few minutes if needed for more color on top.

Question: What food do you traditionally make for your super bowl get together?