Shredded Slow Cooker Honey Chicken Food

SLOW-COOKER SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Lay the chicken breasts in an even layer in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the broth, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon peel and bay leaf if using. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl. Use 2 forks to pull it into shreds. Strain the cooking broth and drizzle about 1/2 cup over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. If not using the chicken immediately, refrigerate it in an airtight container. Refrigerate the remaining cooking broth separately and use it to moisten the chicken when serving. Or add it to soups and sauces.
• Buffalo: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce. Drizzle over 2 cups shredded chicken and toss well.
• Lemon Herb: Drizzle 2 cups shredded chicken with 1/4 cup of the cooking broth and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon dried dill. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Barbecue: Warm 1/4 cup of the cooking broth in a small saucepan and whisk in 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Pour over 2 cups shredded chicken and toss well.

SLOW COOKER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Arrange the chicken breasts in the slow cooker so that they are not overlapping.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, hoisin, olive oil, garlic, onion and crushed red pepper flakes, and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on LOW for 4 to 5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Using tongs, remove the chicken from the slow cooker (reserving the liquids) and place it on a cutting board. Remove the bones then use two forks to shred the chicken into smaller pieces. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.
• Transfer the liquids from the slow cooker into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and whisk in the slurry. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook it until it reduces and has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to combine. Serve the chicken topped with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.