barbecue chicken sandwiches

These barbecue chicken sandwiches scream summer! Made on the grill, smothered with homemade barbecue sauce, and topped with creamy, crunchy coleslaw, it’s the ideal sandwich!

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken:

• 2 large (about 1 lb) chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp kosher salt

For the barbecue sauce:

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

For the coleslaw:

• 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
• 3/4 cup neutral oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

For the chicken:

• In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt. Mix together and set the dry rub aside.

• Slice the chicken breasts in half. Working with one piece at a time, place the chicken into a plastic bag and pound into an even ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle the breasts with the dry rub. Cover and allow the breasts the marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

• Heat the grill on high for 15 minutes. Turn the heat to medium or move the coals to one side of the grill. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the grill. Grill the breasts, flipping once, until they reach an internal temperature of 160℉. Once the chicken is at the correct temperature, brush both sides with the prepared barbecue sauce. Remove the breasts from the grill.

• Serve the barbecue chicken on buns with extra sauce and a helping of coleslaw.

For the sauce:

• In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until the color has darkened and coats the bottom of the saucepan, 3-4 minutes. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, molasses, ketchup, and yellow mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thick, 6-8 minutes. Keep warm or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For the coleslaw:

• In a large measuring glass or blender canister, combine the neutral oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, celery seed, kosher salt, and onion. Using an immersion blender or countertop blender, blend on high until smooth. Pour over the top of the shredded cabbage and stir to serve. Store leftover or unused dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.