Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Pulled chicken/pork/beef may seem like the ubiquitous summer party food, but honestly, it's good at any time of year. What could be better than whipping up a big pot full of pulled chicken during the coldest days of winter? Granted, winter is still a ways off, but don't miss out on making a delicious meal for your friends and family. This is a healthier version of pulled chicken, using boneless, skinless chicken instead of using skin-on chicken. It's also made using the grill and stovetop (or oven and stovetop, if you've no grill) instead of waiting hours for it to cook in a crockpot. Prepare to empty out your spice cabinet, because this chicken is highly flavored with a ton of different seasonings...but in the end, you get a sweet and smoky product that can be served on hard rolls, salad greens, baked potatoes, and in tortilla shells, as shown here. Add a few thin slices of pickle and your barbecue will be complete! This recipe is gluten-free and low in refined sugars, so don't feel bad about coming back for seconds.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Chicken:

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. chili powder

¾ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. ground chipotle chili powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. ground ginger

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used about 1½ lb. breasts)

Sauce:

2 tsp. canola oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. ground allspice

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup ketchup

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tbsp. molasses

Sandwich rolls

Hamburger pickle slices

Prepare a grill, or preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the chicken, combine the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix evenly over the chicken. Place the chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill for 20 minutes or until a thermometer reaches 180 degrees, turning occasionally. Let stand for 5 minutes, then shred with two forks. Alternately, if you are using the oven, place the chicken breasts on a rack coated with cooking spray, then put the rack over a baking sheet. Bake the chicken breasts between 25 - 30 minutes, depending on thickness.

To prepare the sauce, heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tbsp. brown sugar and the next 5 ingredients (through the cayenne); cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the ketchup, vinegar and molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Place about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture on the bottom halves of the sandwich rolls; top each serving with a few pickle slices and the top half of the roll. Serve immediately with sides and beverages of your choice.

Serves 8