Homemade Relish is a Game Changer for Pulled Chicken or Pork BBQ

The cooler weather and our rather intense family schedule was the catalyst for this easy meal, but it would really be a great main course for any time of the year! From summertime picnics, to holiday potlucks, or an office luncheon, this is sure to become a favorite.

We have some “excess” relish in our home – result of recipe testing and an abundance of produce. While it’s painful to consider the eventual end of grilling season, this is a great way to allow the flavors in your lingering jars of relish & BBQ sauces to shine! I’ve even added some salsa remnants. This recipe uses Chicken – which works well for our family…kids prefer it over pork and it yields about a pint of chicken broth which I can freeze for later.

Recipe:

4 lbs boneless chicken breast
½ to 1 pint relish
10-12oz BBQ sauce

Add about 4 pounds of boneless chicken breast into the crockpot (nothing else – just the chicken!), cover and let cook on high for about 3 – 4 hours. Crockpots and Slow Cookers can vary greatly, so I’d recommend checking it at 3 hours so that it doesn’t get too dry.

When cooking is complete, carefully poor off the broth for use later. (I’ll freeze mine!)

Shred the chicken to your liking and turn the crockpot on LOW.

Add 1/2 to 1 Pint of Relish.

Add 10 – 12oz of your favorite BBQ sauce. (We used “Larry’s Original BBQ Sauce” from Currituck BBQ Company which we purchased while on vacation.)

Mix and place the lid back on to retain warmth.

Serving options are endless! Serve on a roll, scooped onto tortillas, over your favorite rice, on a mound of mashed potatoes, atop a baked potato or even heaped on a bed of mixed greens!

For more ideas on preserves in action, check out our Pinterest board.