These simple, but tasty, chicken sandwiches are accented by a unique sauce that hails from Alabama. Known as White BBQ Sauce, White Sauce or Alabama Sauce, this mayonnaise-based mixture is at the same time tangy, creamy and spicy. Recipes vary widely depending on the cook you consult or BBQ joint you visit. We love this one from Bon Appetit magazine. We adapted it to make use of our Green Apple Balsamic. The result? Ah-maze-ing.
Alabama Sauce adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients for the Mesquite Pulled Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 oz Big Daddy's Smokehouse Blend
Directions for the Mesquite Pulled Chicken:
The beauty of this recipe is that chicken thighs don't require any special attention. You can cook these low and slow, or you can crank up with heat to speed things along. Thighs are forgiving, so whatever cooking method you choose, you'll be left with juicy, tender meat.
Rub the thighs with the Big Daddy's Smokehouse Blend and proceed with cooking. You have several options...Bake these at 350 degrees in the oven in a pan covered with foil for an hour. Cook on the stovetop in a covered braiser or skillet, or put these in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low.
Pull the chicken using two forks to shred the meat. Place in a bowl and add little of the cooking liquid to moisten it. Serve on buttered, toasted buns or Texas Toast and drizzle with Alabama Sauce.
Ingredients for the Alabama Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Green Apple White Balsamic
1-2 tsp hot chili paste, to taste (Sriracha or Sambal Oelek)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Celery Seed
¼ tsp Aleppo pepper
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions for the Alabama Sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. This sauce benefits from some time to meld. Allow at least 15 minutes for the flavors to come together before adjusting the chile paste, salt and pepper.