These Slow Cooker Maple Jalapeno Chicken Sliders have a flavorful balance of sweet, salty and spicy. Crown Maple gave me a sample of their delicious organic maple syrup at the Winter Fancy Food Show last month and it made the perfect addition to this easy meal!
I learned long ago that there is no denying my sweet tooth. Yes, you can calm it down by cutting out all forms of added sugar. I did that a couple years ago. Cravings subsided, and even now I don’t like things nearly as sweet as I used to, but the sweet tooth never really went away.
If you have a sweet tooth, you know what I’m talking about.
People tend to fall into a sweet or salty category. Some have no desire for any type of sugar. But threaten to take away their potato chips, and look out! Meanwhile, if you told me I could never have a potato chip or pretzel again I would not shed a single tear. But let’s not talk about the horror of never having caramel, chocolate, or my favorite sweetener, maple syrup.
I’m crazy for maple syrup – the depth of flavor, the process of making it. I can still remember being a senior in high school when our anthropology teacher made us sit through this old, shaky black and white film about how maple syrup was made. Unlike the other bored students in the class, I was completely intrigued.
I always have maple syrup on hand to drizzle over oatmeal. I like it for baking, but what I find more challenging and fun is using it in cooking. Despite not being big on salty things, I do love the sweet and salty combination, and if you add spicy to the mix, well that is even better.
I attended the Winter Fancy Food Show again in January (you can find some of my favorite products in the post I did for Fit Bottomed Eats), and I came across Crown Maple Syrup. It’s certified organic and sustainably produced on 800 acres in Dutchess County, New York.
I was immediately drawn in to the selection and the deep, distinct flavors of the syrups in their product line. As a result, they provided me with a bottle of the Grade A Dark Amber and I did a little experimenting. Crown Maple has a great guide for understanding maple grades on their website. I’m still learning about it and all the applications for the syrups.
Keeping my love of sweet, salty and spicy in mind, I used the syrup in an easy slow cooker dinner. With just a few ingredients, and a few hands-off hours of cooking, I had a shredded chicken that was perfect for sandwiches. I baked up a few slider buns to make it interesting.
This chicken can easily make sandwiches for a full meal, or be made into sliders for a party snack. I’m even tempted to use it as a taco filling. Whether you are dealing with a sweet tooth or an affinity for salty foods, this maple jalapeno chicken will win over all parties involved.
- 2 small jalapeno peppers
- 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 10 slider buns
- Sliced red onion for serving
- Prepare a small bowl of ice water. Thinly slice one of the jalapenos and place the slices in the ice water. Set in the refrigerator. The cold water will help tame them. Additionally, you can remove extra seeds or the ribs.
- Next, dice the second jalapeno. You control the heat of this dish. If you want it very spicy, chop the whole jalapeno. If you want a milder version, remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno and then dice. Set aside.
- Layer the chicken in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle the diced jalapeno, minced garlic and chopped onions over the chicken.
- In a small bowl, stir together the chicken stock, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Pour this over the chicken.
- Cover with a lid and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender to the point where it is falling apart. Shred the chicken by using two forks and working in the slow cooker, or transfer the meat to a cutting board, chop it and return it to the slow cooker. Add more salt and pepper to taste. This may be necessary if you used a lightly salted stock. Let the meat sit in the juices until ready to serve.
- To serve, place about 2 ounces of meat on the bottom of each slider bun. Top with sliced red onion. Drain the water from the tamed jalapeno and place a few slices over the onion. Cover with the bun top and serve.
Disclosure: The maple syrup used in this recipe was provided free of charge. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so. I only write about products that I truly enjoy and want to share with my readers.
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As usual, Lori, you hit it right out of the park! I love sweet, salty and spicy flavors and I’m always looking for new dishes to make in the slow cooker! Plus, maple syrup has become my go-to sweetener of late. I absolutely love it! I’ll keep an eye out for this great product!
Thanks, Tracey! The slow cooker makes things so easy. And the more I can use maple syrup, the better!
Anything sweet and spicy sounds good to me!
I am with you, Joanne!