Over Memorial Day weekend, I picked up a bottle of Trader Joe’s Ghost Chile BBQ sauce. No one was quite sure how spicy it was, it’s subjective anyway, so I got the Kansas City BBQ sauce as a backup plan. The good news is, I’d call it medium. It does build up on you, so if you’re at all a spice weenie, you might use half and half for these chicken sandwiches.
For any kind of pulled meat sandwich, I like my slaw on the vinegary side. It helps cut the sweetness of the sauce. This slaw is simple, just dressed with oil and vinegar, a little sugar, and most importantly celery seed. I’ve never liked mayo-y slaws, and in the summer heat, who wants to risk it? The celery seed, though, is important. There’s something old timey about that celery flavor that takes me right back to my grandma’s slaw. It’s just not the same without it.
You might be tempted to throw everything into your slow cooker to make these sandwiches, but the Trader Joe’s Ghost Chile BBQ sauce is spicy enough that I wouldn’t. It’ll undoubtedly reduce and get even spicier. And, I like the firmer texture of poached chicken for sandwiches. Sometimes it’s just too soft and gloppy in a slow cooker.
Check out our other recent “We Trieds” from Trader Joe’s:
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Watermelon Juice
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Trader Joe's Ghost Chile BBQ Sauce
While your inclination might be to dump everything into your crockpot to make the chicken, the sauce will undoubtedly reduce and get even spicier. Poaching the chicken also helps it retain its texture, so it’s not too soft and gloppy with sauce.
Ingredients
- Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 T. kosher salt
- 1 T. canola oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rings
- 1 c. Trader Joe’s Ghost Chile BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 t. powdered mustard
- 1 package of hamburger buns (you’ll need 4 for this recipe)
- Slaw
- 1/2 medium green cabbage, cored and finely shredded (about 2-3 cups)
- 1 t. kosher salt
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 green onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias
- 2 T. canola oil
- 1/4 c. white wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 t. granulated sugar
- 1/8 t. ground black pepper
- 1/8 t. celery seed
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
To poach the chicken, put the chicken breasts in a 3 qt. sauce pan. Add the garlic and salt and add water to cover by an inch and a half. Bring to a boil over medium high, then reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 30 minutes. When done, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool. When cool, shred it into bite-sized pieces.
To make the slaw, toss the cabbage and salt together in a bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes. It should be beginning to wilt, but still be crunchy. (If you use the pre-shredded bag of cabbage, start with 10 minutes and check it). Rinse well with water and let drain. Mix in the grated carrot and green onion.
To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well to emulsify. Pour the dressing over the slaw.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add the canola oil. Cook the onion until it starts to soften and begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the BBQ sauce and powdered mustard and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to bubble. Stir in the chicken until coated thoroughly.
Toast the buns over a gas flame, if desired. If your buns are particularly soft, toasting will help avoid them sogging out from the sauce. To assemble the sandwiches, pile a quarter of the chicken mixture on each bun and top with slaw.
