A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my Jerk Chicken Sunday Spread. Well with NFL playoff season in full swing–GO PATS!–I decided y’all might enjoy another modified comfort food recipe, and one that will keep your guests happy and healthy. This Sunday Spread is tailgate-inspired with its sandwich, slaw and chip combo. The recipes are nutrient-dense and tasty as can be…leaving a little wiggle room for some of my signature perfect Manhattans (*insert devilish grin here*).
For starters, homemade BBQ sauce is the way to go. Not only do you know exactly what you’re eating and avoid a lot of preservatives, but you also get to control the acidity, sweetness and spice levels. At 32 g of lean protein per serving, the chicken in these sammys gives you a good dose of your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein–which for adult women is 46 g and adult men 56 g. Cruciferous vegetables like the broccoli and kale used in these side dishes are packed with disease-fighting nutrients, including several carotenoids, vitamins C, E, and K, folate, and dietary fiber.
Get to cookin’ and enjoy this football-friendly Sunday spread, guilt-free!
SLOW-COOKER BBQ PULLED CHICKEN
What You’ll Need:
- 2 lbs chicken (about 4 chicken breasts or 5 chicken thighs)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup all-natural ketchup
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbs chili powder
- 1 tbs brown sugar
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 6 whole wheat sandwich rolls
How to Make It:
- Grab a mix bowl and combine the garlic, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, cumin, allspice and cinnamon. Give it a good whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Add your chicken breasts or thighs in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the diced onions evenly overtop. Pour your BBQ sauce mixture on top, cover and set heat to low. Let cook for 4-5 hours like this.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker. The chicken should be pretty much cooked-through, but now it’s time to shred. Using two forks, gently pull apart the chicken into stringy pieces and/or small chunks. Once you’ve shredded the lot, add it back to the sauce in your slow cooker and cook another 1-2 hours.
ASIAN BROCCOLI SLAW
What You’ll Need:
- 1 package pre-shredded broccoli slaw mix (your could use the cole slaw mix here as a substitute or shred your own cabbage and carrots)
- 2 tbs green onions, sliced thin
- 2 tbs fresh cilantro, minced
For the dressing:
- 2 tbs sesame oil
- 2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbs honey
- 1 tbs rice vinegar
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
How to Make It:
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add slaw mix, green onions and cilantro. Toss together until well-coated and combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
BBQ-INSPIRED KALE CHIPS
What You’ll Need:
- 1 head kale (whatever variety you like best)
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Them:
- Pre-heat over to 300°F. Wash, stem and cut kale into bite size pieces.
- Toss kale and olive oil together in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle spices as evenly as possible over the kale then mix thoroughly with your hands, massaging the kale, for 1-2 min.
- Place wire cooling racks on two cookie sheets. Spread coated kale leaves over both wire racks. (Note: the wire cooling racks allow heat to crisp the kale from top and bottom. Without this added elevation your chips will be soggy and oily.) Bake for 20-30 min depending on the oven. Keep an eye on them for the last 10 min or so to ensure they don’t burn.
- Remove from oven, flake them into a bowl and enjoy!