2 pounds boneless,
skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup blackberry
preserves
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons balsamic
vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeño, seeded (mild)
not-seeded (hot), sliced thin
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked,
chopped
salt & pepper
Sauce (optional)
1/4 cup blackberry
preserves
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon coarse ground
black pepper
Goodies from the crockpot
Place sliced onions in the
bottom of a crockpot. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Top with
garlic, jalepeno, and bacon. In a small bowl mix together preserves, ketchup,
stock, molasses, vinegar and liquid smoke. Pour over the chicken and set the
crockpot to low and let cook for 5 to 6 hours, until chicken is fork tender.
Turn crockpot to warm. If not preparing sauce, shred chicken in the crockpot
using two forks. If preparing the sauce, remove chicken to a cutting board and
shred. Using a slotted spoon remove the onion, jalepeno and bacon and put into
a blender. Add ¼ cup of the liquid in the crockpot and puree until smooth. Add
chicken back to crockpot and stir into remaining liquid. In a medium saucepan
add preserves, ketchup, smoke, pepper and onion/jalepeno/bacon mixture and stir
over low-medium heat until sauce is heated.
You can serve this a
number of ways. For example:
On a bun, w/ pepper jack
cheese with cooked bacon slices;
In a tortilla w/ queso
fresco, sliced radish, and cilantro;
On top of a heaping plate
of cheesy nachos;
Plain, topped with sauce;
Chilled on top of a salad
