Super Easy Slow Cooker Honey-Pepper Shredded Chicken

I love this mild, smoky and sweet shredded chicken. It's the perfect base for tacos, burritos, enchiladas and so much more. This shredded chicken recipe is soooo easy, turns out perfectly every time, and will please both adults looking for good flavor and spice-adverse kids. The chicken is made ahead in the slow cooker so most of the work is hands-off. Furthermore, this recipe freezes so well that I usually make a double or triple batch and then freeze the extra in ziplock bags. It thaws and reheats really well on the stove top, and just fine in the microwave. We have this recipe on heavy rotation.

Note about Cooking Time: Unlike cooking thick cuts of meat, chicken does not benefit from an elongated cooking time. Feel free to turn the heat up to high, and cook this chicken in 2-3 hours. That said, if you double or triple this recipe, it will take a little longer to cook and will need to be stirred every hour for even cooking.

Note about Shredding Chicken: My friend Elisa changed my life when she told me that I could shred my chicken in a stand mixer. Before that I used to DREAD shredding meat because my hands would cramp. If you have a stand mixer, add your cooked chicken to the bowl and then use your paddle attachment to shred your chicken. It only takes a minute or two. The first time I tried this I swear I heard Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus."

Note about Canned Chipotles in Adobo Sauce: I used to make this recipe with chipotles and their canned adobo sauce, but it was always too spice and had a little bit of a metallic taste. In my sauce, you'll get the heat and flavors of the chipotles but then you're essentially making a quick and mild adobo sauce of your own. Extra canned chipotle peppers will keep for several weeks in a Tupperware in your fridge.

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Honey-Pepper Shredded Chicken

• Prep time 10 minutes, cook time 2-4 hours. Serves 5-6 Doubles well

• Special Equipment: slow cooker. Stand mixer (recommended) .

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1-2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce seeds removed and diced

1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon diamond kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

juice of 1/2 a lime

To Finish

small bunch cilantro, cleaned and chopped

1/4 cup red onion diced

lime slices

tortillas

STEP ONE

Set your slow cooker to high and add everything except the chicken. Stir to incorporate, then add chicken thighs and coat them in the sauce. Put the lid on your slow cooker and cook for about 2-2.5 hours on high or 3-4 hours on low. Chicken is done when it reaches 165 degrees.

STEP TWO

Remove chicken from the crockpot and leave the juices behind (do not discard!). Shred your chicken either by hand or in a stand mixer and then return meat to your slow cooker, stirring it back into the juices in your crockpot. Serve as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or on top of chilaquiles or rice-bowls.