Boozy pulled chicken

I love my slow cooker and there’s something deeply satisfying about being able to throw everything in while I’m getting ready in the morning; and with little effort there’s a delicious meal waiting for me and the family in the evening.  This has all the flavour of something that has enjoyed plenty of care and attention without any of the work!  Just throw all of the ingredients in, have a little stir and you end up with a dish that can be served numerous ways.  My preference is on a toasted brioche bun with a little bit of lettuce.

Ingredients

• 4 large skinless chicken breasts
• 15½ fluid ounces / 440ml can Guinness (or similar stout)
• 1 tablespoon of garlic oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• ½ tablespoon of sweet smoked paprika
• 1¾ ounces / 50g dark brown soft sugar
• tabasco

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat.  Stick the onion and garlic in a processor and blend before transferring to the frying pan.  Fry for five minutes or until translucent.

While you’re doing this, add all of the remaining ingredients to your slow cooker (keeping the chicken aside) with a few drops of tabasco.

Add the cooked garlic and onion and give everything a good stir before adding the chicken.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Using a knife and fork, pull the chicken apart and keep in the slow cooker (on its keep warm setting) so it can soak up the juices for another half hour (see Tips).

Remove a large ladleful of the juice left in the slow cooker while the chicken sits and heat this slowly over a low heat in a small pan until it thickens and reduces.

After your chicken has had its time, remove it with a slotted spoon and drench it with the reduced sauce.

Tips

I find it easier to remove the chicken breasts to a plate to pull it apart before returning the chicken back to the slow cooker.

Trivia

Although the Irish are famously devoted to Guinness, 40% of all Guinness brewed is sold in Africa. The well-known advertising slogan “Guinness is good for you” has some basis in fact – Guinness contains only 198 calories per pint, less than a pint of low fat milk, and less than most light beers, wine, or orange juice.