It should be said that I ONLY share recycled recipes that have been made 239859849584 times by me if they’re REALLY good.  And you’re in for a doozie.

Several years ago, when I started working at my current job, I met Bruce – he was the Vice President of the publishing department at the time, and he was a mean publisher of stuff regarding the A/E/C industry (insider lingo).  But little did I know, he was also a mean COOKER of stuff.  He’d come in on a Monday, and rattle off this list of food he had prepared over the weekend for one of his impromptu pool parties, or tailgates at a Pats game, and I’d sit there listening to him, drooling all over my keyboard, amazed by the culinary skills of this publisher by day, culinary expert by night.  And then there was the fateful day when Bruce walked through the door with a crockpot.  He plugged it in, and the smell wafted through the office, and everyone stuck their arms out and did the zombie strut into the kitchen following this smell of heaven.  And the smell of heaven was coming from one of the most delicious concoctions of pulled meat I’ve ever tasted – Pulled Chicken.  After he sent out the email with the recipe, I looked once, twice, three times and thought, “OMG – even I could make this!”  and make I did – over and over and OVER again.  It has been a go-to recipe of mine for years.  Thanks Bruce!

The reason for the pulled chicken this time around, was a bittersweet one.  One of my college gal pals is moving to Dallas in a few weeks with her husband Rudy and their two pooches, Sadie and Lucy.  And while Dallas is a smidgen further away than Boston, I’m excited for all the adventures they have coming their way! (but sad that they just missed Khloe and Lamar – I envisioned them becoming BFF’s). So for Liz’s Wine Club send off, southern themed appetizers were an obvious choice.  The PERFECT excuse to make Bruce’s Pulled Chicken Sliders!  

Bruce’s Pulled Chicken Sliders

INGREDIENTS

8 (or so) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup of your favorite bottled BBQ sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil (or olive)

1) Heat the oil in a dutch oven or skillet.

2) In a large bowl, mix all of the spices together and then coat the chicken thighs in the spice mixture.

3) When the oil is hot, brown the seasoned chicken on both sides on medium-high heat.

4) When the chicken is browned on both sides, transfer thighs to the crock pot.

5) Deglaze the hot dutch oven with the vinegar and scrape up all the browned bits and pour with the vinegar into crock pot.

6) Pour the BBQ sauce onto the browned chicken in the crock pot.  Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.

7) When done, take two forks and shred the chicken in the crock pot and let sit for a few minutes.  Serve on slider rolls, or all by itself!

It’s that easy friends – and so delicous.  Perfect for an appetizer at a party, or for dinner served with mac and cheese and cornbread.  It’ll bring out the southerner in you – promise.

So thank-you Bruce for this classic crowd pleaser that I’ve made so many times now, I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore (good thing, because the printed version I have has globs of BBQ sauce all over it).  And to Liz, Rudy, Sadie and Lucy, happy trails to you!  Dallas doesn’t know how lucky they are to have you guys – can’t wait to visit!  Maybe I’ll bring my crock pot and show the southerners how the yankees make pulled chicken 🙂