More Super Bowl Recipes

I shared some easy Super Bowl recipes in my Standard-Examiner column last week. Here’s a hearty slow-cooker dish that can feed a crowd inexpensively. I love barbecue beef, but even the cheapest cuts of beef are about twice the price of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts.

Buffalo seems to be the “hot” flavor right now, in every sense of the word. In this version, the sweetness tempers the heat.  The chicken cooks in the Crock-Pot until it’s tender, then shredded. I used my heavy-duty hand-mixer to easily shred it. You can serve it on sandwich buns, in small buns as sliders, in tortillas or as lettuce wraps.  Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing add the “buffalo” touch.

SLOW COOKER SWEET BUFFALO CHICKEN

1 large onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)

1 cup Frank’s hot sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chicken broth or water

8 large burger buns, or  24 slider-size buns

12-18 celery sticks

12-19 carrot sticks

1 cup blue cheese dressing

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the chopped onion and pepper at the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with the chicken breasts. Pour the hot sauce, brown sugar and chicken broth over the chicken. Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low 6-8 hours.  Shred the chicken using two forks, and potato masher or a mixer. Wait 15-20 minutes before serving, to allow the shredded meat to absorb the sauce.

Taste, and add salt and pepper, or more hot sauce or brown sugar if desired.

Serve on buns, with celery and carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing, or in tortilla wraps with lettuce or coleslaw mix, chopped celery and carrots and blue cheese dressing.

Makes 8 large servings, or 24 slider-size servings.

— Valerie Phillips