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Side view of a barbecue chicken sandwich on a poppyseed bun with spicy potato salad in a dish next to it with a glass and a bottle of beer.

Smokey BBQ Chicken Sandwich

crisp cabbage slaw, green chile potato salad

STARS

Brine and smoke-roast chicken thighs (that thick and yummy part) until tender. Shred the meat and toss with smoky barbecue sauce. Pile everything on a soft bun with crispy sweet cabbage slaw. On the side, add a green chile potato salad.
difficultyDifficulty Level
AdvancedAdvancedAdvanced
difficulty
Total Time:  4 hours
Active Time:  40 minutes
Ingredients

Brine (optional)

  • 3 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 3 Italian parsley sprigs
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cup ice cubes

Chicken

  • 4  boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chile paste, like Sambal Oelek
  • 1 tablespoon tamari sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 hamburger buns

Potato Salad

  • 1 pound red bliss potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 can diced green chiles, drained
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and diced
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • 4 green onions, minced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained 
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped 
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Coleslaw

  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • ½ onion, sliced 
  • ½ cup matchstick-sliced carrots
Directions
1
To prepare chicken, combine the water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for 30 minutes. Stir in the ice and pour the mixture into a large baking dish or bowl. Add the chicken thighs, cover and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight. Drain and discard the brine.
2
Preheat an indoor smoker to 200°F. Place the chicken thighs in the smoker and smoke for 3-4 hours.
3
Alternately, preheat the oven to 225°F and roast the chicken thighs for 3-4 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4
Transfer the chicken to a bowl along with any juices, and shred the chicken.
5
Make the potato salad: In a medium pot with a steamer basket, add 1 inch of water and the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes. 
6
In a large bowl, combine the remaining potato salad ingredients. Fold in the potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
7
To make the coleslaw, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the cabbage, onion and carrots. 
8
To make the BBQ sauce, in a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, honey, vinegar, chile paste, tamari, Worcestershire, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, and both paprikas.
9
Toss the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce to coat. 
10
Serve the chicken on hamburger buns alongside coleslaw and potato salad.

Smokey BBQ Chicken Sandwich

crisp cabbage slaw, green chile potato salad

STARS

Brine and smoke-roast chicken thighs (that thick and yummy part) until tender. Shred the meat and toss with smoky barbecue sauce. Pile everything on a soft bun with crispy sweet cabbage slaw. On the side, add a green chile potato salad.
difficultyDifficulty Level
AdvancedAdvancedAdvanced
difficulty
Total Time:  4 hours
Active Time:  40 minutes
Servings:  4

Ingredients

Brine (optional)

  • 3 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 3 Italian parsley sprigs
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cup ice cubes

Chicken

  • 4  boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chile paste, like Sambal Oelek
  • 1 tablespoon tamari sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 hamburger buns

Potato Salad

  • 1 pound red bliss potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 can diced green chiles, drained
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and diced
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • 4 green onions, minced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained 
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped 
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Coleslaw

  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • ½ onion, sliced 
  • ½ cup matchstick-sliced carrots

Directions

1
To prepare chicken, combine the water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for 30 minutes. Stir in the ice and pour the mixture into a large baking dish or bowl. Add the chicken thighs, cover and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight. Drain and discard the brine.
2
Preheat an indoor smoker to 200°F. Place the chicken thighs in the smoker and smoke for 3-4 hours.
3
Alternately, preheat the oven to 225°F and roast the chicken thighs for 3-4 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4
Transfer the chicken to a bowl along with any juices, and shred the chicken.
5
Make the potato salad: In a medium pot with a steamer basket, add 1 inch of water and the potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes. 
6
In a large bowl, combine the remaining potato salad ingredients. Fold in the potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
7
To make the coleslaw, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in the cabbage, onion and carrots. 
8
To make the BBQ sauce, in a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, honey, vinegar, chile paste, tamari, Worcestershire, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, and both paprikas.
9
Toss the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce to coat. 
10
Serve the chicken on hamburger buns alongside coleslaw and potato salad.