Pulled Chicken Goulash
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's official: I've graduated from college! I'm done! It's amazing. I can hardly believe it myself. I don't think that it will really hit me until January when most people I know are going back to school and I'm not. Yesterday, I even read a book that I actually wanted to read, not something that I was going to be tested on or have to write a paper on. Thanks to everyone for their well wishes and whatnot. Now all I have to do is get married in three weeks!
I made this goulash when I was still working my way through school (many moons ago). Crock pot recipes are a life saver, aren't they? Goulash is traditionally more of a stew, with potatoes and other vegetables, but this pulled version soaks up a bit more of the broth that's created by cooking. It can be eaten alone or with a big piece of crusty bread. The original recipe I saw for this was made with pork (which I've done since I've made this chicken goulash and it was excellent), but I had chicken, so that's what I used. This goulash is absolutely mouthwatering. The combination of red onions, garlic, and chile peppers with the chicken are to die for, and a sort of broth forms from the juices of the chicken, vegetables, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar. Kramer actually called me when I was at work to tell me how good it was, and we ate it for a few days afterward as leftovers; it really just gets better and better. This is a great way to change up what you normally make in the crock pot, so go for it! Recipe after the cut or on my blog at The Crepes of Wrath.
Heat some olive oil in a medium frying pan, brown the onions a bit, and add them to the crock pot with the chicken.
In the same pan, heat a bit more olive oil, then saute the bell pepper, chile peppers, and garlic until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Add them to the crock pot.
In the crock pot with the chicken, onions, bell pepper, chile peppers, and garlic, add the paprika, the tomatoes, the red wine vinegar, the brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. When it's ready, it should pull apart very easily with two forks.
Serve in a bowl on its own, with some sour cream, or with a big piece of crusty bread.
Pulled Chicken Goulash
adapted from Dinner with Julie
2 pounds chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large purple onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 hot chile peppers, seeded and minced (I used 3 habenero peppers, and it didn't taste too hot at all, but I like things spicy)
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 19 oz. (598 mL) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
sour cream or crusty bread, for serving (optional)
1. Place the chicken in the crock pot. Heat a teaspoon or two of oil in a medium frying pan. Add the onions to the pan and cook until they start to turn brown, then add them to the crock pot. Add some more olive oil if needed to the pan, then add the bell pepper, chile peppers, and garlic. Add them to the chicken and onions, and then add the paprika, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. The chicken is ready when it's pulled apart fairly easily with two forks. Serve on its own or with crusty bread. Serves 4-5.
*If you'd like, you can always just throw everything in the crock pot without having to cook anything on the stove, I just feel it adds a bit more flavor to the whole dish when you do.
from The Crepes of Wrath