Sticky, Pulled Chicken

Sticky, Pulled Chicken

Serves: 4-6 people
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

A recipe with options!   Make this sticky, pulled chicken as a sandwich base, serve it with noodles or rice, or as a taco or quesadilla filling!    With easy pantry ingredients, it will taste like you've smoked the chicken for hours with a dash of our favourite spice, smoked paprika!  

This chicken is versatile and great with so many accompaniments, and can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.   Ensure you use chicken thighs, ideal for this quick braise as they have more fat and connective tissue than chicken breasts, so will easily pull apart for you once cooked to perfection!  

Ingredients:  

2lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt (or 1 tsp. sea salt) 
oil, as needed

1 onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp sherry wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)

Buns, taco shells, noodles or rice for serving

Directions:  

1. In a shallow dish mix together pepper, paprika, cayenne and salt.  Season chicken with this mixture.  
2. Heat a heavy, oven-proof Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. 
3. Add enough oil to cover bottom of the pan
4. Carefully add chicken into pan and brown the thighs, in batches, for about 2 minutes per side, returning back to the shallow dish as you cook.   
5. Add onion to the now brown-bottom pot, fry for a few minutes then add garlic and fry for a further 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan
6. Add chicken stock, sherry wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and tomato paste; return chicken to pan and cover
7. You've got options now:  Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes.   Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or put everything in a crock pot and cook according to manufacturer's directions.  
8. To thicken the sauce, remove the lid and chicken and bring sauce up to the boil.  
9. Pull the chicken:  A pair of tongs will pull the meat once it is cooked well.   
10. When sauce has thickened, return chicken to sauce and keep warm, or, chill down slightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.   Reheat over low heat.  
11. Enjoy!