Before we get to Christmas, there’s one more week(end) of football. On Sunday, the Seahawks will take on the Arizona Cardinals for the second time this season. The Monday night game is Falcons at Niners. Whoever you’re rooting for, you’ll want to throw some chicken into the slow cooker for these Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches. The good news is, these are NOT an eight-hour affair, so you can get up a little earlier on Sunday and put the chicken in the Crockpot for four hours or so and be eating at halftime.
No big story here, it’s just a great, easy recipe for football food. Adapted slightly from a recipe in Everyday Food, I’ve made a few tweaks to the original, using all breast meat, rather than a mix of breast and thigh (just preference). Yellow mustard is replaced with mild mustard powder, as certain members of this household don’t eat yellow mustard. I’ve also upped the molasses a smidge as Frank’s Hot Sauce is on the vinegary side. Last but not least, I like to serve these on King’s Hawaiian Rolls (or hamburger buns).
If you’re serving a crowd or filing this away for the SuperBowl, consider doubling the entire recipe. The sauce does reduce down more than I’ve seen with other pulled chicken or pork recipes in the slow cooker, so you’ll want to make sure there’s enough to go around.
Go Hawks!
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5 inch chunks
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 c. hot-pepper sauce (I used Frank's)
- 3 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 t. mild mustard powder
- 1 T. + 2 t. molasses
- 1 12-roll package of King's Hawaiian Rolls (or King's Hamburger Buns)
Instructions
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lightly brown it on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side . It won't be cooked all the way through.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomatoes, hot sauce, Worcestershire, mustard powder and molasses.
Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper to the slow cooker. Layer the browned chicken pieces on top. Pour the tomato-hot sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 4.5 hrs.
Shred the chicken with two forks and serve on Hawaiian rolls.
