This weekend we have National Cherry Day with the organisers hoping to raise awareness about the need to maintain our traditional orchards. We here at VM Life thought we'd do our bit by giving you a delicious and easy Cherry BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe to try out. Sounds bizarre, but tastes delightful.
Did you know that just 10 cherries can make up one of your five a day? They are nutritious and help fight disease and other illnesses. Helping you to sleep, serving as a kind of pain-relieving aspirin and fighting against ageing, this is one super-cherry!
The Romans first brought cherries from Persia and introduced them here in Britain. Some even say that ancient roads can be traced from the spots where marching Romans spat out there seeds and caused a new tree to grow!
However over the last fifty years we've seen a decline in our cherry orchards, which means we now import around 95% of all cherries!
So the main goal of National Cherry Day is to raise awareness about the need to maintain our traditional orchards that are left!
So to help the cause here is an amazing Cherry BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe that is simple to make and great for a summer. And yes we know cherries are not what you would typically put in sandwich, let alone one that has BBQ Chicken in, but it compliments it so well. Especially with the buttery brioche bun, shredded chicken with BBQ sauce, crunchy and spicy red onion, and creamy coleslaw.
It might get a bit messy, but hey that's what napkins are for!
Cherry BBQ Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
Ingredients
* 4 brioche buns, sliced and lightly toasted
For the BBQ Chicken:
* 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (rotisserie works great too!)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 onion, grated
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups ketchup
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup apple juice
* 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 1/2 cups cherries, halved or quartered with pits removed
* Salt, to taste
For the pickled red onion:
* 1 red onion, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 cup water
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
For the coleslaw:
* 1 head green cabbage, shredded
* 2 large carrots, shredded
* 1/2 small red cabbage, shredded
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup white vinegar
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the BBQ Chicken:
+ Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, gently add chicken breasts, cover pot with a fitted lid and remove from heat. Allow chicken to cook for approximately 30 minutes. Carefully remove chicken from the pot to a plate and allow it to cool before shredding with a fork (or fingers). Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooking, prepare the BBQ sauce. In a medium size sauce pan heat butter over medium high heat. Add grated onion and minced garlic and mix well. Cook onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, approximately 4-5 minutes. Gently mix in remaining ingredients and bring sauce to a simmer. Allow mixture to cook on low for 15-20 minutes, taste, and make any additions you see necessary (sugar, vinegar, salt). Remove from heat and carefully stir in shredded chicken. Set aside.
For the pickled red onion:
+ Placed sliced red onion in a medium bowl. In a small pot bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a low boil. Carefully pour over the sliced red onion and allow onions to sit in the vinegar mixture for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. When ready to eat, drain liquid and rinse with cool water.
For the coleslaw:
+ In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients for the coleslaw and mix well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Build the sandwiches:
+ Lightly toast the brioche buns and pile on the toppings. First the chicken, then the onions and finally, the coleslaw.
For this and more great tasty recipes please head on over to coffeeandcrayons.net