After a week celebrating the zero point, bean on Weight Watchers Freestyle program, I needed some protein so made Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Pulled Chicken-Apple Sandwiches for a change.
I’ve mentioned I’m a sucker for all things slow cooker, especially, if it’s a dump and run recipe. Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Pulled Chicken-Apple Sandwiches turns is just that.
Another thing I love is a zero-point meal. Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Pulled Chicken-Apple Sandwiches didn’t start out that way though. It has three points according to the Weight Watchers site. However, upon examining the recipe, I realized those points came from the selected bun. It’s an easy fix, to delete the buns from the recipe and voila! You now have a zero point recipe.
Of course, I did opt to have this as a sandwich the first night. Though I used a ShopRite lite hamburger roll instead, at two smart points. For subsequent meals, I opted for the filling on its own, or stir-fried with some added vegetables. So one pot, multiple low-point meals. But remember, if you have it on a bun, to count those points.
Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Pulled Chicken-Apple Sandwiches – My Thoughts
I didn’t love the actual finished product, though I did enjoy it more the second day. I guess I was hoping for a thicker sauce. Something more akin to pulled barbecue chicken. The slaw was an okay accompaniment for the sandwich. On it’s own though, nothing spectacular. I’ll probably make Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Pulled Chicken-Apple Sandwiches again though. It’s just too easy not to do it.
Ingredients – Chicken
- 2 large apples, they say Fuji variety I used whatever was in my fridge, I think honeycrisp, peeled, sliced
- 1 large uncooked Spanish onion(s), or yellow onion, sliced thinly
- 2 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
- 3⁄4C apple cider
- 2t mustard, grainy variety
- 2t kosher salt, or to taste
- 1⁄2t black pepper, or to taste
- 1⁄2t poultry seasoning
- 1t appe cider vinegar
- 1t rosemary, chopped
Ingredients – Slaw
- 3⁄4C shredded red cabbage
- 3⁄4C shredded carrots
- 2t apple cider vinegar
Directions
Place apples and onion in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; top with chicken.
In a small bowl, whisk together cider, mustard, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning; pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on LOW until chicken is cooked through, 5-6 hours. Again, my slow cooker runs hot, so on Low this took maybe three hours to cook through. It probably could have been a little less.
Meanwhile, when chicken is almost done cooking, in a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, carrots and vinegar; season to taste and set aside.
Remove chicken from slow cooker. Using two forks, shred chicken and return to slow cooker; stir in 1 tsp vinegar and rosemary. Season to taste, if necessary.
If making sandwiches, spoon 1/2C chicken mixture onto each roll bottom. Top each with 2 Tbsp slaw; cover with roll tops. They say it should make 12 sandwiches, I think that’s overly optimistic.
