There are few things that entice me to stand outside in the Florida heat. The "perspire while getting the mail" heat. The "feel like you're putting you're buckling your baby into a roasting pan when you secure him in his car seat" heat. The "glasses steam up when you step out of the cold grocery store" heat. It's intense and atrocious around these parts, mid-summer.
All that said, I totally stood in front of a searing hot grill cooking up these sliders last week. Because nothing quite compares to the taste of char and smoke and caramelized barbecue sauce, and it's worth taking a second shower to get that classic flavor that is synonymous with summer.
I like to get fancy at the grill from time to time, but sometimes you just want plain and simple staples like grilled chicken slathered with barbecue sauce. And sweet & spicy pickles. Let's not forget those.
Slap these spice-rubbed Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs {available for a great price at your local Walmart} on the grill, and it'll be like you rang the dinner bell. As the smell wafts out, the family will bring it in. They'll be happy to take a break from the pool floats and shade trees after a bite of these diminutive delights. Though they're small in size, the combo of dry rub, pickles and KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce is brimming with flavor!
So go ahead and brace yourself for the heat with an icy lemonade or a cold beer -- these bites are worth a little sweat!
Classic Chicken Sliders
Recipe courtesy of KC Masterpiece
Ingredients
- 21 oz. bottle KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce
- Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 package dinner/slider rolls
Dry Rub:
- 1½ teaspoons onion salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
Spicy Pickles:
- 16 ounces dill pickle chips
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 cloves minced garlic
Instructions
- Halve each chicken thigh to make small for sliders. Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Liberally apply to both sides of cutlets.
- Place pickles in a bowl, keeping the jar and discarding the juice. Add sugar, red pepper flakes, hot sauce and garlic. Stir and let stand until the sugar dissolves. Place the mixture back into the jar and refrigerate until needed.
- Build a charcoal fire with Kingsford® charcoal for direct grilling. Grill chicken directly over the hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side (or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the center of the chicken is no longer pink).
- In a small saucepan, heat the KC Masterpiece Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce until warm, about 5-10 minutes. Remove cutlets from the grill and dip them in the sauce. Assemble sliders by slicing dinner rolls, placing chicken on roll and topping with pickles. Spear with a toothpick and serve.
