Classic Chicken Sliders | Tyson® Foods

There are few things that entice me to stand outside in the Florida heat. The "perspire while getting the mail" heat. The "feel like you're putting you're buckling your baby into a roasting pan when you secure him in his car seat" heat. The "glasses steam up when you step out of the cold grocery store" heat. It's intense and atrocious around these parts, mid-summer. 

All that said, I totally stood in front of a searing hot grill cooking up these sliders last week. Because nothing quite compares to the taste of char and smoke and caramelized barbecue sauce, and it's worth taking a second shower to get that classic flavor that is synonymous with summer. 

I like to get fancy at the grill from time to time, but sometimes you just want plain and simple staples like grilled chicken slathered with barbecue sauce. And sweet & spicy pickles. Let's not forget those.

Slap these spice-rubbed Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs {available for a great price at your local Walmart} on the grill, and it'll be like you rang the dinner bell. As the smell wafts out, the family will bring it in. They'll be happy to take a break from the pool floats and shade trees after a bite of these diminutive delights. Though they're small in size, the combo of dry rub, pickles and KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce is brimming with flavor!

So go ahead and brace yourself for the heat with an icy lemonade or a cold beer -- these bites are worth a little sweat! 

Classic Chicken Sliders
Recipe courtesy of KC Masterpiece 

21 oz. bottle  KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce
Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 package dinner/slider rolls

Dry Rub:
1½ teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander

Spicy Pickles:
16 ounces dill pickle chips
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cloves minced garlic

1. Halve each chicken thigh to make small for sliders. Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Liberally apply to both sides of cutlets.

2. Place pickles in a bowl, keeping the jar and discarding the juice. Add sugar, red pepper flakes, hot sauce and garlic. Stir and let stand until the sugar dissolves. Place the mixture back into the jar and refrigerate until needed.

3. Build a charcoal fire with Kingsford® charcoal for direct grilling. Grill chicken directly over the hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side (or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the center of the chicken is no longer pink).

4. In a small saucepan, heat the KC Masterpiece Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce until warm, about 5-10 minutes. Remove cutlets from the grill and dip them in the sauce. Assemble sliders by slicing dinner rolls, placing chicken on roll and topping with pickles. Spear with a toothpick and serve.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.

Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups & A Giveaway!

How many of you associate "summer" with "grilling"?

The two things just go together naturally. Like "peanut butter" and "jelly". "Grilled cheese" and "tomato soup". "Nutella" and "spoon". ;)

We love to use our electric grill... but there is concrete evidence that our grill doesn't love us.

Case in point: A few years ago, I was prepping to grill some stuffed portobello burgers while chatting on the phone with a good friend. Multitasking usually isn't a problem for me, it's sort of a way of life. 

As I opened the sliding glass door to step out to the grill -- phone balanced delicately on my shoulder, plate of filled portobellos firmly grasped -- I misjudged the height of the grill's power cord while I stepped over it.  

I imagine that what was observed by anyone watching was a jumbled mass of arms, legs, mushrooms, and plate shards. Like a game of double dutch gone terribly wrong. The {hot} grill came toppling down on top of me!

Luckily, I lived to tell the tale, but that wasn't the last of our grill fiascoes. 

One time, Steve decided to use some cedar planks for grilling during our annual tailgate trip up to our college town. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that when we tailgate, it's a day-long event with multiple courses of food and plenty of beverages. Somehow or another, in the midst of cocktails and friends and {beer fueled} collegiate excitement, it slipped Steve's mind to actually soak the cedar planks before putting them on the grill.

BIG oops.

We ended up with more of a bonfire than a cookout, but thank goodness the only casualties were a dry cedar plank, a few burger patties, and perhaps a stray eyebrow or two.

There haven't been any grill shenanigans in a while... which I attribute to the fact that Steve chained his bike to the grill and accidentally lost the key to the lock. Needless to say, we haven't done any real "grilling" this summer.

I have great news for you: You don't actually have to risk your life to enjoy summer cooking! 

Today, I've got a spectacular summer giveaway brought to you by the kind folks at Tastefully Simple. They let me try out a few of their products, and best of all, they gave me a few summer essentials to share with you!

Their Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce makes such a fantastic addition to a summer menu. You can use it for slathering over grilled meats, spreading over crackers with cheese, mixing into dressings and marinades, or as a dip for just about anything! {Check out my recipe below for Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups and see how I was inspired to use the sauce!}

Speaking of dipping, what summer gathering is complete without chips and dip? Tastefully Simple's Corn, Black Bean Salsa served with Blue Aztec Chips with Blue Corn & Sesame is a major crowd-pleaser. I could barely keep it from Steve long enough to take a picture!

Meat isn't the only thing that tastes great grilled; veggies can also be the star of the show with just a little TLC. TS's Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil punches up the flavor of any dish, but is especially tasty on grilled veggies, mixed into homemade hummus, or straight up with dried herbs served with lightly charred bread. Mmm...

Let's not forget the drinks! As if Tastefully Simple wasn't already generous with the goodies they're sharing, they've also thrown in an Insulated Tub Cooler to make sure your beverages stay frosty while you soak in the sunshine. Bottoms up!

Want to get your hands on these summer goodies? Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget, and you just might be the lucky winner of all these great products! You'll have a head start on your summer cookout... just add sunshine!

Disclosure: Tastefully Simple provided me with the items mentioned above to sample and review. As always, the opinions written here are all my own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups
Cornbread adapted from Katie's Cucina

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk {I used coconut milk, but you may use whatever you prefer}
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons honey

1. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying each well with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, applesauce, and honey.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking until they are just moistened.

5. Fill muffin tins with about 2 tablespoons of batter {you want them to bake up only half way}. I use a heaping cookie scoop-full to measure.

6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until tops just begin to become golden and the sides start to pull away from the tins. You can also insert a toothpick in the center to ensure they are cooked through.

7. Remove from tins and cool slightly on a rack.

For Chicken:

You may grill, oven bake, or pan fry your chicken... it's totally up to you! I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt, a light sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and cooked in a skillet on the stove top until a nice crust was formed and the chicken was completely cooked through. 

Once the chicken is cooked using your preferred method, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place chicken in a bowl and, using a hand mixer {or your actual hands!} shred the chicken. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce, or more to taste.

For Assembly: 

Place a cornbread round on a dish or serving tray. Top with shredded chicken and a dollop of extra sauce. Garnish with a piece of jalapeno {I used pickled from a jar, but you can use fresh if you prefer!}. Insert a decorative toothpick if desired. Continue with remaining cornbread and chicken. Makes 12.

Tailgate Thursday: South Carolina Edition!

Is it just me or do Thursdays just keep coming faster and faster??

Guys, I cannot tell you the excitement I have for this weekend's game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. In fact, I have had to do everything in my power to not let my dear husband convince me to pack up the car and drive back up to Gainesville to be present at that game.

Must... stay... strong. ;)

Since we can't be there in person, we'll just have to do the next best thing: Make some Carolina goodies to snack on during the game {and scream at the TV at the top of our lungs!}.

The University of South Carolina is located in Columbia, South Carolina, a city where "historic homes and antebellum mansions nod to a bygone era while high-tech start-up companies and arts enthusiasts thrive in the urban revitalization occurring in the downtown area." {According to the Columbia Visitor's Bureau website}

Sounds to me like the best of both worlds!

Like many other colleges in the South, Gamecock fans definitely have their fair share of tried-and-true tailgating recipes. One of them is classic Carolina BBQ.

Since I'd never tried Carolina's mustard-based barbecue, I thought I'd give it at try for Tailgate Thursday!

1. Garnet Kamikaze Cocktail, 2. Cocky Pockets,
3. Sweet Tea Cookies, 4. Garnet Baby Got Back Dress by Twelve Satudays

As always, we start off with a cocktail creation by Carla... The Garnet Kamikaze! Sweet, delicious, and most importantly... Garnet!

My Cocky Pockets are a fast, and easy addition to any tailgate menu. I combined shredded chicken with some Carolina-style BBQ sauce {you can use your own if you have your own secret recipe!}, and stuffed it inside some store bought biscuits {which, admittedly, I am not used to using... but when time's a factor, you do what you can!}. Best of all, they are handheld for low messiness and high portability.

These Sweet Tea Cookies were my favorite addition to the Gamecock menu. The Southern staple of sweet tea in cookie form? Absolutely genius! Soft cookies with a hint of tea and lemon flavor, topped off with a sweet tea glaze. The only thing missing is an ice cold glass!

{Fun fact: Liz from Twelve Saturdays is an avid Gamecocks fan! Hopefully we'll still be on speaking terms after this weekend's game!}

Keeping my fingers crossed that my Gators can pull off another win this weekend... but I hope you Gamecock fans out there will still enjoy some of today's picks for your tailgate menu and have a fantastic gameday!

Garnet Kamikaze
by Carla from Haute Cocktail

2 oz Vodka
2 oz Triple Sec
2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine

Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake and serve over ice. Garnish with a cherry, if desired.

Cocky Pockets

For Sauce {Adapted from Food Republic}:

1/2 cup mustard of your choice

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 heaping tablespoons light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Whisk together all ingredients except butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter until melted. Set aside until thickened.

 

For Pockets:

 

1 can refrigerated biscuits

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1/4 to 1/3 cup Carolina barbecue sauce

 

Assembly:

 

1. Mix together shredded chicken and desired amount of barbecue sauce. Set aside.

 

2. Flour your work surface lightly. With hands {or rolling pin, but I'd rather have one less thing in the sink!}, flatten each biscuit individually into about a 4 inch circle. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of chicken mixture into the center of each circle.

 

3. Fold over biscuit into a half moon shape, then seal each circle by pinching edges carefully with fingers. {You can use a little bit of water around the edge if yours aren't sticking.} Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edge of each pocket.

 

Bake:

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

2. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

 

3. Place sealed pockets onto baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

 

Serve pockets with extra barbecue sauce for dipping.

 

 

Sweet Tea Cookies
adapted from The Christian Science Monitor
1/4 cup milk
1 tea bag
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

2. Heat milk in a microwave safe cup for about 50 seconds on  high. Remove from microwave and place tea bag in milk to steep until milk is cool, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Add egg and lemon zest and mix until fully incorporated.

6. Add cooled milk/tea mixture.

7. Slowly add in dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated and a soft dough forms.

8. With a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

9. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until cookies are puffed and set and edges just begin to turn golden.

10. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

For Glaze:

1/4 cup water
1 tea bag
2 cups powdered sugar

1. In a microwave safe cup, heat water until just boiling.

2. Place tea bag in water and steep for about 15 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, place powdered sugar. Add tea a tablespoon at a time until a thick glaze is formed.

4.  Dip cookies, one by one, upside down in glaze and allow excess to drip off. Flip and place onto cooling rack to set.

Tailgate Thursday: Tennessee Edition!

When I think of Tennessee I think of three things: 1. Jack Daniels Whiskey 2. Being terribly hung over the day after my 22nd birthday celebration at the Florida/Tennessee game while wearing tank tops that were hand-painted with various "nana-nana-boo-boo" type sayings {Do you remember this Kelly?! Ohh, college!} 3. The Rocky Top song that is played incessantly during Tennessee football games.

And until I read the "Fun Facts" page for the city of Knoxville where the University of Tennessee is located, I couldn't tell you much else! {Incidentally, they have one of the most entertaining fact pages of any city I've had to research thus far!}

Today I'm featuring the Tennessee Volunteers for Tailgate Thursday, and I've gotta say, it's a lot more difficult to talk nicely about a school when your team will be playing them on Saturday! ;)

As much as I love a good tailgate, I do not love having to spend the entire day preparing all the goodies and missing out on the fun. So, today I'm featuring some easy, make-ahead recipes that will leave you free to enjoy the party with everyone else!

1. Tennessee Rose, 2. "Smokey Got Sauced" Pulled Chicken Sliders,
3. Rocky Top Bites, 4. Stadium Stripes Dress from Twelve Saturdays

Carla's Tennessee Rose cocktail is just the right amount of sweet and sassy in the hands of any Tennessee girl. The whiskey is a nod to Tennessee's famous distillery, while the pineapple juice and unique addition of Creme de Cassis {a liqueur with black currant extract} soften it up.

I cannot begin tell you how much I love using the slowcooker on busy days {like a gameday!}, and this recipe for "Smokey Got Sauced" Pulled Chicken Sliders will show you exactly why. Delicious, tender pulled chicken AND homemade whiskey barbecue sauce cook together in a matter of hours to deliver an easy and fabulous tailgate snack. {The name comes from the Volunteer's mascot, Smokey the Hound, and the nip of Jack that snuck into the sauce.}



Source
Looks like Smokey's been sneaking the sauce. He's awfully cute, though. ;)

I made homemade Honey Buttermilk Rolls to serve these on, but you can certainly pick up your favorite slider rolls from the grocery store if you aren't in the mood to be up to your elbows in flour and dough. {Though I can't imagine why not. Ha!}

No menu would be complete without a little something sweet, and today's dessert can't get any easier with no-bake Rocky Top Bites. Like a little nugget of Rocky Road goodness they'll satisfy a gameday sweet tooth with milk chocolate, almonds, marshmallows, and crisp rice cereal. They come together in no time at all and you can even get creative and make them look like little footballs if you so choose... but they're just as good undecorated {or, you know, right out of the bowl!}. :)

I'm a little wary of the outcome of this weekend's game between the Gators & Volunteers, but I know one thing: With a menu like this, I'll be a happy camper - win or lose!

Tennessee Rose
created by Haute Cocktail

2 oz. Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz. Creme de Cassis or you can substitute with Raspberry Liqueur


Add all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a collins glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge and rose petals.

 

"Smokey Got Sauced" Pulled Chicken Sliders
 Cooking Method from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, Jack Daniels Sauce adapted from Southern Food at About.com

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium {or 1 1/2 small} yellow onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup Jack Daniels whiskey
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar {I used cider vinegar}
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup {packed} brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Line the bottom of the crockpot with a layer of sliced onions. Place chicken on top.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk together until incorporated. Pour over chicken.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with 2 forks or {or with a hand mixer, as odd as that may sound!}.

Serve on your favorite sliders rolls.

Rocky Top Bites

1 {12 oz.} bag milk chocolate chips
1 cup almonds, chopped
2 cups crispy rice cereal {such as Rice Krispies}
2 cups mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips, melted {optional}

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Place chocolate chips into a large bowl. Microwave on high for for 30 seconds, stir, and return to microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until fully melted and smooth. {It shouldn't take more than about a minute, so be careful not to scorch!}

Toss in chopped almonds, rice cereal, and mini marshmallows and stir until they are fully coated with chocolate.

With an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measure, scoop out into a mound and place on prepared pan. {If you feel like fussing with them to get a football shape, now would be the time.}

Refrigerate until chocolate is set, 15-20 minutes. {Decorate with melted white chocolate to look like footballs if desired, and return to refrigerator for an additional 10 minutes to set.}