Bourbon Chicken BBQ Sandwich with Pineapple Salsa

Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.

If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would.  But looking outside makes me figuratively ill.  Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.

I've lived in upstate New York all of my life.  I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have.  You would think.  Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.

Don't get me wrong.  There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them.  I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding.  And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine.  The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you.  It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter.  It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder.  It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions.  As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.

So where am I going with this?  Well, thanks for asking.  When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to.  It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me.  That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops.  In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months.  That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.

So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love. 

I first tried this sandwich when I went to visit my old college town last year.  The tastes and flavors of this restaurant left me so intrigued that I actually requested a menu to take home so I could look it over. 

That's how much life I don't have.

But, after you try this, you will completely understand.  The flavors are so complementary and this sandwich is so hearty and filling that it would make either a good lunch or a satisfying dinner.

This might just be tastier than the restaurant version!






Bourbon Chicken BBQ Sandwich with Pineapple Salsa

4 sandwich buns
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken,
1 cup Bourbon Chicken Sauce, divided
1/2 cup Pineapple Salsa

Cole Slaw:
1/4 small head cabbage, shredded
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. pineapple juice



Mix shredded chicken with 1/2 cup Bourbon Sauce.

For the cole slaw, combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Toast sandwich buns.

Assemble sandwiches starting with Bourbon Chicken, followed by cole slaw, and then salsa. Spoon extra Bourbon sauce over the top. Finish with top bun.