Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Cider Slaw

This entails a little bit of work in the prep department. But it's easy prep work as you are essentially just combining ingredients. For those cooks out there who can both read and measure, you are home free. Winner winner, chicken dinner.

There are four basic parts to this recipe. The sandwich itself, the sauce, the rub and the slaw. It's a fabulous recipe from Weber, but be advised that I have substituted olive oil for mayonnaise in the slaw recipe because I would rather have a colonoscopy than eat mayonnaise. If you prefer to eat mayonnaise  over having things up your butt, by all means, switch out the ingredients.

If you are a perfectionist, you will follow this recipe exactly and precisely. This means that you will have to break out your grill and burn some charcoal. But not everyone likes cooking as much as I do. If you fall into that camp, I'm going to give you a little Sandra Dee-like shortcut (oh, the horror). Buy yourself a rotisserie chicken for five bucks at Costco. Skip the rub part of this recipe and simply shred enough rotisserie chicken (about 40 ounces) to toss into the sauce. Use the dark meat first and then add whatever white meat you need to get up to 40 ounces.

The recipe serves six.


INGREDIENTS

For the Sandwich
4 whole chicken legs, 10 to 12 ounces each
6 hamburger buns

For the Sauce
2 cups apple cider 
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Rub
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Slaw
4 cups shredded coleslaw blend 
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 tablespoons apple cider
2 tablespoons cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon granulated sugar 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). 
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the apple cider to a boil and boil until it has reduced to 3/4 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue simmering the sauce until it is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the rub ingredients. Stir in the oil to make a wet rub. Brush the chicken legs evenly on both sides with the wet rub. Allow the chicken legs to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. 
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the slaw ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
5. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the chicken legs over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink at the bone, 50 minutes to 1 hour, turning once. Remove the chicken legs from the grill, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Toast the buns, cut side down, over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, for about 1 minute.
6. Using two forks or your fingers, pull the chicken apart into shreds. Add the chicken to the saucepan with the sauce and heat over medium heat until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Pile the chicken on the buns and top with coleslaw. Serve.

Pairing: If you are a white wine lover, pair these sandwiches with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. If you like your wine red, choose a fruity Zinfandel. But my first choice with a BBQ sandwich like this would be an ice-cold Pilsner.