Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Last Year's Post: Mini Shrimp Tacos
Two Years Ago:  Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad


I really like the idea of cooking buffalo chicken sliders in a slow cooker, because you can make a double batch for a party with very little work (and without heating up your house if it's summer).  For some reason buffalo chicken sliders seem like party food to me, how about you?  They would be perfect for a summer party outdoors with some cold beer, for example.  You could serve them along side some little burger sliders for the beef eaters and everyone would be happy.

Several of the recipes I found called for ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles, which I thought was interesting enough that I included it here.  The result has a slightly lighter taste overall (which I liked) than if you use straight blue cheese dressing, but it's totally up to you either way.

The recipe is incredibly easy - just season some boneless skinless chicken thighs and throw them in the slow cooker with some hot sauce.  When they're done, they are so tender that you can just shred them right in the pot.

Assemble the sliders and offer pickle and jalapeno slices on the side for those who are so inclined.  Be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand - these little babies are messy unless you shove the entire slider in your mouth all at once, which would be interesting to watch.

One last note:  the exact number of sliders you can make depends on the size of your rolls and how high you pile them.  My rolls were about 3" across and I didn't go too wild piling on the chicken, which is how I arrived at the calculation of 12 sliders.

print recipe

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Makes approximately 12 sliders depending on the size of the buns

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 ¼ cups hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot

12 small slider rolls

Ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles (or blue cheese dressing)

Tomato slices (from 3-4 small tomatoes)

Green leaf lettuce

Pickle slices, optional

Jalapeno slices, optional

Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne and place in a slow cooker.  Pour in the hot sauce.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Shred the chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker.

Brush the cut side of the buns with olive oil and place under a broiler for a few seconds until browned, watching closely so they don’t burn.

To assemble the sandwiches, place a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a tomato slice and some shredded chicken.  Top with ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles.  Serve with pickles and jalapeno slices on the side for those who want to add them.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwiches

Last Year's Post: Korean Sliders
Two Years Ago:  Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese - All Grown Up

It's fall, and it's football season, which also makes it beer season.  I thought I'd get in the spirit of things by posting a very beer-friendly sandwich that's a twist on the classic veal or pork schnitzel - a chicken schnitzel sandwich with cider-braised red cabbage, Swiss cheese, and a combination of whole-grain mustard and mayo.  I even went all-out with pretzel rolls, but you could use hamburger buns or mini-baguettes if you can't find them.   Serve with your favorite craft beer and some chips or onion rings, and you've got the perfect pub meal.

You could certainly use veal or thinly-pounded pork in place of the chicken, but chicken cutlets are the perfect thinness without any pounding and are readily available in the grocery store.  If you can't find them, just cut chicken breasts in half horizontally.

The panko crumbs give the cutlets the perfect crunch to go with the tender braised cabbage.  The mustard-mayo sauce is creamy and full of flavor, but if you want to amp things up a bit you could add a little hot mustard powder or horseradish to the sauce as well.  Either way, this is a fun addition to your sandwich collection.

 print recipe

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwiches

Serves 4

For the braised cabbage:

½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

½ cup apple cider

½ cup cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

For the chicken:

4 chicken cutlets (or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally)

Salt and pepper

½ cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil

For the sandwiches:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup whole grain Dijon mustard

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 pretzel rolls (or other rolls or baguette)

For the cabbage:  heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the butter until melted.  Add the caraway seeds and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the cabbage and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cider and vinegar and simmer for 15 minutes until the cabbage is soft, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm.

Meanwhile, stir the mayonnaise and mustard together and set aside.

Assemble the chicken breading station by placing the flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls or plates, side by side.  Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and dip each one first into the flour, then the egg, then the panko crumbs making sure the cutlet is evenly coated.  Set aside on a baking pan until ready to cook.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the vegetable oil.  Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes.  Turn over carefully, reduce heat to medium-low, and fry on the second side until golden brown and cooked through, an additional 3-4 minutes.  Remove from the pan and place on paper towels.

To assemble the sandwiches, smear the mustard-mayo mixture on the top half of each roll.  Place a cheese slice on the bottom half, then top with a chicken cutlet and some of the braised cabbage.  Place the top on each roll and serve immediately.

Beer Cheese

Last Year's Post: Turkey & Pomegranate Salad
Two Years Ago:  Brandied Cranberries

If you've ever had (and liked) beer cheese soup, you know exactly what this spread will taste like except it has a little kick and a slight garlic undertone.  All in all, it's the perfect pub food to snack on while watching sports on a large-screen tv, tall cold one in hand.  It's also a great party appetizer during the holiday season because it can sit out for long periods of time and goes well with wine in addition to beer.

My overall theory on food is that if you serve something very healthy along side something not all that healthy, they balance out.  Diet soda and pizza come to mind.  Here, the vegetables play the virtuous role along with toasty dark rye bread and pretzel crackers as the perfect vehicle for that cheesy goodness.

The spread is remarkably easy to make - there aren't many ingredients, and everything gets whizzed up in a food processor before refrigerating for a few hours to blend flavors. You can vary the taste by adjusting the amount of cayenne and garlic that you use, plus by using a bolder or milder beer.  I used a Negra Modela and was very happy with the results.

If you have any beer cheese left over (not likely), it's excellent spread on lightly toasted buns for brats or burgers.  Or how about beer cheese grilled sandwiches?  Yum.

printable recipe

Beer Cheese

Makes about 2 ½ cups

1 pound sharp yellow cheddar cheese

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon ground mustard

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste

¾ cup beer (amber or dark beer will have a more pronounced flavor than pilsner)

Pretzel crackers (or pretzels)

Dark rye bread, toasted and cut into squares

Radishes (sliced or not), carrot sticks, blanched pea pods, celery sticks, etc.

Grate the cheddar cheese, preferably in a food processor.  Remove the shredder attachment and add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, black pepper and cayenne pepper and pulse to combine.  With the processor running, slowly add the beer, blending until a smooth mixture forms.

Transfer the beer cheese to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Serve with crackers, rye toasts, and assorted vegetables on the side.

Sausage Rolls with Mustard Cheese Dipping Sauce

Last Year's Post: Hibachi Shrimp (or Chicken or Beef or Lobster)
Two Years Ago:  Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing

Sausage rolls are a popular snack food in England, the original home of pub food.  They're all meaty/savory on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Served with a warm mustard cheese sauce, they just scream for a good craft beer.  You could make it a meal by adding some cut-up raw vegetables and soft pretzels (like we did) to dip in the sauce along with the sausage rolls - sort of like the beer version of fondue.  Or, serve these at your next party and watch them disappear - your beer-loving friends will go crazy.  Definitely double the recipe for a party.

The best part is that they're incredibly easy to make.  Make sure you buy pre-cooked sausages so you don't have to worry about whether they're cooked through or not, plus they're less greasy. Italian sausages are particularly good because they have a nice amount of spice that balances the cheese sauce, but use any flavor that appeals to you. I would think sun-dried tomato, garlic, or spinach varieties would also be good. Cut the puff pastry strips the same width as your sausage pieces so you can see the sausages when they're rolled up.  If the pastry looks a little too wide after you're done rolling, just trim it with a knife or kitchen scissors.  And finally, the cayenne pepper gives the cheese sauce a nice little kick but if you don't like spice just leave it out and the sauce will still be great.

Besides being easy to make, the other advantage for a party is that you can make them in advance and keep them refrigerated and covered with plastic wrap on their baking sheet.  All you have to do when the party starts is just bake them and make the cheese sauce (or make that in advance too, and simply reheat).

Dip, pop in mouth, sip beer, repeat.

printable recipe

Sausage Rolls with Mustard Cheese Dipping Sauce

Makes 16 appetizer rolls

Note:  raw vegetables and soft pretzels are also an excellent addition to serve with the cheese sauce.

For the sausage rolls:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

All-purpose flour

4 pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausages (such as Aidells), Italian style or your favorite flavor

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

For the cheese mustard dipping sauce:

¼ cup amber or dark beer

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

3 ½ ounces Cheddar cheese, grated (1 ½ cups)

Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to a rectangle of about 12” x 14”.  Place the shorter side closest to you, then trim the edges so they’re straight and cut the pastry in half crosswise into two equal pieces. Cut each piece into six long strips for a total of twelve strips and season with a little salt and pepper.  Brush the bottom edge of each strip with a little beaten egg and reserve the remaining egg for later.

Cut each sausage into three equal pieces.  Place a sausage piece on the top of a strip (away from the beaten egg) and roll up to enclose (the pastry should overlap somewhat).  Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Repeat with the remaining sausages and pastry strips.  Put the sausage rolls in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden.

Preheat the oven to 400d.

After 20 minutes remove the sausage rolls from the refrigerator and score the tops twice with a sharp knife.  Brush each roll all over with the rest of the beaten egg (taking care not to get the egg on the edges or on the sausage or this may prevent puffing in the oven).  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden-brown and puffed.  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.

While the sausage rolls are baking, combine all sauce ingredients except the cheese in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Gradually whisk in the cheese, continuing to cook until smooth and all the cheese is melted – about 5 minutes.

Serve the warm sausage rolls with warm cheese sauce on the side.