Slow-cooker BBQ Chicken

Al and Cathy came over for dinner and I was looking for something different to serve - saw this recipe and it got such good reviews (and I do love a hands-free all day cooking recipe!) that I decided to try it. I did make a couple changes, the original recipe called for bone-in chicken, after cooking it remove from the liquid, pick the meat off the bones and shred. That seems like a whole lot of work to me so I just used boneless chicken breasts and thighs. And I made extra sauce, thickened it with cornstarch mixed with water, then poured it over the shredded chicken. Delicious.

2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 lbs. total boneless chicken breast and chicken thighs
1 cup coke
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

Stir together salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken in a large lightly greased 6-qt crock-pot.

Whisk together coke, ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl, slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from the chicken). Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on high 5 hours, or low 7 hours (or until done). Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred (or leave whole and just eat as is); discard lemon slices. Pour remaining sauce into a skillet, bring to a simmer and whisk in a combination of 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons of water; stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Pour over the shredded chicken and serve immediately.

I served it with sweet potato corn bread (recipe to follow next week); it'd be great in sandwiches and sliders, tacos, or served with mashed potatoes.

recipe adapted from southern living