BBQ Chicken, Slaw & Oven Fries

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2cups cabbage, red and/or green, shredded
1cup carrots, thinly shredded
3/4cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
1/4cup light mayonnaise
1tablespoon honey
-- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, varying amounts (see recipe), divided
3-- russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each), peeled and cut lengthwise into 10 12 evenly sized pieces
5tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1/2cup white vinegar
1/4cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
8tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
3cloves garlic, minced
2tablespoons dry mustard
2teaspoons smoked paprika
1teaspoon hot sauce (your favorite)
3/4teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-- rotisserie chickens, skin removed and discarded, meat separated from bones (bones discarded)
6 to 8-- Kaiser rolls, 5"

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and carrots. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, mayonnaise and honey until smooth. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more cider vinegar, if desired. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let soak for about 10 minutes. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with 4 tablespoons peanut oil. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper evenly over the oil; set aside.

4. Drain the potatoes and spread them out over paper towels to dry. Use additional paper toweling to pat them dry. Rinse and wipe out the bowl they were soaking in and put the potatoes back into it. Toss the potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Spread the potatoes over the baking sheet in a single layer. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

5. Remove the foil from the potatoes and continue baking until the bottoms of the fries are spotty brown, about 15 minutes; rotate the sheet halfway to ensure even cooking. Use a spatula to loosen the potatoes from the pan and turn them over. Continue baking until they are golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes more, again, turning sheet as necessary to ensure even cooking.

6. Transfer the fries to a second baking sheet lined with paper toweling. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper. Plate and serve.

7. While fries are cooking, make the barbecue sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the white vinegar, the remaining 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, brown sugar, butter, garlic, dry mustard, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and lots of black pepper, to taste. Bring the mixture to a full simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens nicely, about 20 to 30 minutes; reserve.

8. Chop or shred the chicken into small pieces, then place it in a large bowl. Pour the barbecue sauce over it and toss to thoroughly combine.

9. To plate, divide the chicken mixture evenly between the rolls. Top each with a good helping of slaw and cover with a bun top. Serve with the hot oven fries.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.