Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches with Coleslaw
Ingredients
1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken (I prefer breasts and thighs together)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small head napa cabbage
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
4 buns
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
Directions
When we were making this recipe and taking pictures, I actually used chicken meat from the rotisserie chickens, which you can get in a large vacuumed sealed pack from Costco. But, since I know everyone doesn't use that chicken, or would like to cook the chicken themselves, I have included directions on how to cook the chicken, serving 4 people.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil, 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, cut out and discard the cabbage core and thinly slice the leaves. Place sliced cabbage leaves in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and a drizzle of olive oil to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Then, add the vinegar, sugar, pickle relish, scallions, and half the dressing to the bowl of cabbage. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.
Once chicken is cooked through, transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop or shred into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl.
Add the barbecue sauce and stir to thoroughly coat.
Turn the oven onto broil. Slice the buns in half and put on a cookie sheet, cut side up. Place cookie sheet in the warm oven and toast the buns for 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch the buns carefully, as it is very easy to burn them.
Top each bottom bun with barbecue chicken, a spoonful of the coleslaw, and a dollop of the remaining dressing. Complete the sandwiches with the bun tops. Serve with the remaining coleslaw on the side if desired.
Ellena's Notes
My granddaughter, Analisa, loves pulled pork, but I have been getting pretty tired of it since we have it often for her. I decided to put a different spin on it and try it with shredded chicken instead. Of course I didn't tell her and just waited for her reaction. She LOVED it and now begs me to make it every time we have dinner together. It is such a delicious quick and easy weeknight meal, I honestly don't mind having it as often as she requests it. And if I am in a hurry, I will use the already cooked rotisserie chicken that you can get at most any grocery store. I just skip the cooking chicken part of the recipe and go straight to making the coleslaw. When I do this, I can have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes!
This pairs wonderfully with our Rosé, Pinot Gris, or Malbec.
