I don't really see myself ever being a dedicated football fan, but I can get behind the fun of a Super Bowl Sunday viewing party. Food, friends, and football (and funny Super Bowl ads) are always a great combination. So this Thursday's recipe is inspired by the upcoming game on Sunday.
While my picture is of a full sized burger (I had a ton of photographic challenges), this recipe is for sliders, and I recommend making it that way. Because this dish is so flavorful and rich, it is something that is best enjoyed in smaller portions, plus sliders are a great finger food for a party. Unfortunately I burned my slider sized buns to a complete crisp and had just one bun left to use so I made a regular sized burger. I couldn't finish it because it was so rich, but omg was it yummy! It's decadent, kind of greasy, and everything you could want during a football game.
What's on your grocery list?
- Burger buns ($3.49) or Slider buns or Hawaiian Sweet rolls
- 1 package of Chicken breast ($7.37)
- Cumin ($1.99)
- Smoked Paprika ($1.99)
- Apple Cider Vinegar (I can't find the price but I believe it is about $3.99)
- Brown sugar ($3.49)
- Ketchup ($1.99)
- Red onion($0.79)
- Pepperjack cheese ($3.99)
- Chicken Broth for cooking
- Salt, Pepper, Olive oil spray
To make slider sized buns out of the GF buns from TJ's I recommend pressing the top of a wine glass directly in the center and twisting until you get a perfect circle (however this wastes a decent amount of the bun), so you could also cut the buns into diagonal halves as they aren't very large.
Prep Time: 7 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Servings: 12 Sliders
Ingredients:
- Burger buns, Slider buns, or Hawaiian rolls
- 1 package chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon cumin + more for seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 1 medium red onion
- About 8 slices pepperjack cheese (this is completely dependent on how big you make your sliders and how much cheese you want)
- Chicken Broth
- Salt, Pepper, Olive oil spray
Instructions:
Unfortunately there is some prep for this recipe that increases the cook time required, however all of the prep is really easy. Your first step is to pat chicken breasts dry then season with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. After seasoning, add chicken to a crock-pot along with a bit of chicken broth (see below).
Cook chicken on high for 2-3 hours or until you are able to shred it with a fork. After adding the chicken to the crock-pot, slice a medium sized red onion into thin strips and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar (use white if you have it, if you don't brown should be fine), and a teaspoon of salt. Then add in red onion and be sure onion is submerged in the liquid so that it has time to pickle.
Once chicken is done, shred it, then leave it in the crock-pot to continue cooking while you make the barbecue sauce. In a small saucepan combine 2/3 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While mixture is simmering, turn your oven to a low broil, spray both sides of each bun with a bit of olive oil then bake for 2 minutes, flip and broil until bun begins to get crispy. I really messed this step up. The first time, I burnt my slider buns to the point that they were completely black (I forgot I had them in the oven), and the second time, lets just say my finished product was quite "toasted".
Combine shredded chicken and barbecue sauce, (no need to add all the sauce, because it is very rich) then set aside.
Once buns appear crispy, remove from the oven, top bottom bun with one or two slices of pepper jack cheese, add pickled onions, barbecue coated chicken, some more onion, and the top half of the bun.
Broil sliders on low until cheese has melted. Watch carefully so that your sliders don't burn. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Who are you rooting for in this year's Super Bowl?
xx Delaney