Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

(Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food)

Browning the dark meat first means you'll use less oil and cut back on fat. Refrigerate the finished dish in an airtight container, up to 5 days, or freeze, up to 3 months.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

Course Salt & Ground Pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small

1 can (14.5oz) crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup hot-pepper sauce, such as Frank's

3 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

8 hamburger buns

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring once, until meat is golden brown, 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooer, leaving as much oil behind as possible. Repeat with chicken breasts.

2. To skillet, add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to slow cooker.

3. To slow cooker, add crushed tomatoes, hot-pepper sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, and molasses; stir to combine. Cover and cook on high until chicken is very tender, 4 hours. Shred chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on buns.

QUICK TIP:

Use a potato masher to shred the cooked chicken in the slow cooker. Or, transfer chicken to a large plate, pull apart with 2 forks, then return to sauce in the cooker.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Serving = one sandwich

358 Calories

10g Fat (3 Sat fat)

35g protein

31g carbohydrates

3g fiber

**FYI - I only used chicken breast instead of half/half breasts and thighs. I had to use a little more EVOO when cooking my second batch of chicken breast.  As far as buns go, Matt, his mom, and brother used extra hoagie buns that we had, so it may alter the nutritional facts.  I used a wheat Arnold's Sandwich Thins for my bun.  It was better nutritionally than the hoagie.  But due to the thinness and the juiciness of the chicken, the bottom half was a little soggie.  But it was good regardles of how you choose to eat it.  I even ate a little w/o a bun and it was just as yummy.  We also had to add a little extra Frank's to our finished sandwich because this recipe really isn't spicy or buffalo-y at all.  Definitely will be mkaing it again..**