The oh sh*t dinner | BBQ Sauce (in a pinch & beyond)

What a week. The Destroyer got sick, was up night after night & yet still maintained her energy level during the day. I sure could learn a thing or two from her resilience. Then the ick hit me. THEN my hubby had laser eye surgery. & not the kind where you can see right away. He had the kind that gets worse before it gets better. So my week: sick kid. Sleepless nights. Sick mama. Visually impaired husband. Have I mentioned how much it sucks to sneeze after having a baby? I KNOW I am not alone on that one.

So, since life is hectic, I did not get to the topics I’d hoped this week. Well–there is always next week! I promised my recipe for my yummy BBQ sauce over on Facebook a couple of weeks ago & never got it up here. So as promised, here it is!

I have a really hard time finding good BBQ sauce. Mostly, it’s because there are very few BBQ sauces that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, and if I see those words on the label, the item does not go in my cart. This recipe has become my staple BBQ sauce & is now something I prefer over jarred sauces. It is so easy & you likely have all the ingredients in your pantry. As the title suggests, this is my ‘Oh Sh*t’ dinner. You know, the kind of meal perfect for a night when you really don’t want to cook but you want something decent for the family to eat. SO–I make it super simple. My tweaks below.

Black Pepper & Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Found in Cooking Light HERE.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

  • 3  tablespoons  ketchup
  • 1  tablespoon  cider vinegar
  • 1  tablespoon  prepared mustard
  • 1  tablespoon  molasses
  • 3/4  teaspoon  chili powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8  teaspoon  ground ginger
  • 12  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4  (2-ounce) sandwich rolls, cut in half horizontally
  • 12  dill pickle chips

Directions

  • Combine first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 23 minutes or until chicken is done and tender.
  • Remove from heat; shred with 2 forks to measure 2 cups meat.
  • Place 1/2 cup chicken on bottom half of each roll. Top each with 3 pickles and top half of roll.

My Tweaks

  • I use a precooked Rotisserie Chicken from the store. Then mix it with the sauce. If you really want to save time, get the chicken while it’s hot & use the warm sauce. Then all you have to do is combine & serve.
  • I use wheat buns. (I keep a stash in the freezer since we never seem to eat all 8 that come in a pack)
  • I serve this with organic mac & cheese (from the box, usually Auntie Annie’s) or Alexia Baked Onion Rings.
  • Sometimes I’ll do a salad. We love the spinach salad from Costco (and it will last us two meals.)
  • I typically double or triple this so I always have some in the fridge. I find it keeps very well!
  • Be sure to read the Ketchup labels. Usually it’s loaded with HFCS too. I always buy organic Ketchup & Mustard.

Got an Oh Sh*t meal I should know about? I am always looking for good ones to add to my list! ;)

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Hi! Hello! I am Shawna, the founder of Styleberry Blog. This creative corner of the internet has become a learning haven for moms and creatives, offering a warm and encouraging nudge to those who wish to be better and do better, but often don't know where to start. From Decorating to DIY to Diapers and Paleo-ish Dishes, I strive to make the complicated simple and empower women to take action beyond their personal comfort zone. I subscribe to the Shine Theory & so strongly believe that we shine when the women around us shine and mutual support—lifting up instead of tearing down--will always be the culture here. Are you in? I hope so! Beyond the computer, I run Styleberry Creative where I work with clients to create low fuss, high function spaces that are pretty and practical in San Antonio, Texas and beyond. I LOVE making a house a home. My own studs out renovation is now complete and I am now back to working with clients. Please don't hesitate to drop me a line if you'd like to work together! I hope you’ll join me on this fun new adventure! Xo.

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