For the Chicken
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (You can use boneless skinless chicken if you must but the cooking time will probably need to be reduced by a few hours so it doesn’t dry out)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1 (12) ounce medium flavor beer
Whole wheat rolls for serving
For the Sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
14 ounces diced tomatoes
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper
For the Coleslaw
4 cups red cabbage, shredded or chopped small
1 cup carrot, grated
2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
* This makes enough coleslaw to top the sandwiches with plenty extra left to eat on the side. If you just want to top the sandwiches I would recommend cutting the recipe in half.

1. Combine the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika and brown sugar in a small bowl. Rub all over the chicken. Place the onion in the bottom of the crock pot. Put the chicken in on top of the onions and pour in the beer. The liquid should come about 2/3 of the way up the chicken. If it doesn’t, add enough water to reach this level. Alternatively, you can substitute all the beer for water, but I promise the flavor with the beer is far superior. Turn the crockpot to low and cook for about 6 hours or until the meat is falling away from the bone.

2. Make the coleslaw. (I like to do this an hour or so before the chicken is ready so that I can let the veggies and dressing hang out in the fridge together for a while before serving. It softens the cabbage a bit and makes the whole thing more flavorful. ) In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrot and green onions. In a small bowl mix together the plain yogurt, vinegar, honey and spices. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. When the chicken is cooked remove it from the crockpot and set on a plate until cool enough the handle. In the meantime you can make the sauce.

4. In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are just starting to turn translucent. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining sauce ingredients (diced tomatoes through chipotle pepper). Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken and darken as it cooks. You can either leave the sauce as is in its chunky state, or you can throw it in your blender and make it smooth. I like it both ways, but it’s hard for me to pass up any excuse to use my favorite kitchen tool- the immersion blender- so usually I stick that baby right in the pot and give it a few whirls till I have a thick, smooth sauce.

5. When the chicken is cool enough to handle peel off the skin and discard. Remove the meat from the bones using a fork or your fingers. Place the shredded chicken in the pot with the sauce and mix thoroughly. You can serve the chicken warm or at room temperature.

2 cups mixed greens
1 avocado, sliced
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon all-purpose spice rub (recipe follows)
1 grapefruit
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons grapefruit zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound thin. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with spice rub and cook for about four minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. Set aside.

2. Make the vinaigrette. Put the grapefruit juice, zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, shallot and mustard in the blender. Pulse a few times to combine. With the blender running, add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the grapefruit. Slice off the top and bottom of the grapefruit so it sits flats. Run you knife down the sides of the grapefruit to remove the skin. Be sure to cut off all the white pith because this is where a lot of the bitterness is. Turn the grapefruit on its side and slice into 1/4-inch thick round slices. Cut each slice in half or in quarters, depending on how big your grapefruit is.

4. Assemble the salad. Place a cup of greens each in two shallow salad bowls. Top with half of the sliced chicken breast, half of the grapefruit, and half of the avocado. Drizzle with vinaigrette. This recipe makes 1 cup of vinaigrette so you will have extra.

½ cup coarse salt
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, using your hands to break up sugar. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and light, up to 6 months.

Filling:
4-5 cups cooked chicken or turkey
(if you’re not using leftovers, roast 1 ½ pounds of bone-in, skin on chicken breasts in a 350º oven for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin.)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ -inch thick
2 celery stalks, sliced ¼ -inch thick
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes
½ cup flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 ½ cups 2 % milk
1 cup frozen peas
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried sage
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Biscuit topping
1 ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter
¾ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons honey

Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or 2 smaller oven-proof dishes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until barley tender, about 2 minutes.
3. Add carrots, potato and celery; cook until slightly soft, 8-10 minutes.
   Add flour to the vegetable mixture. Stir well and let cook 1 minute more.
4. In a small bowl combine the chicken stock and milk. Gradually stir into the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
5. Turn the heat to low, add the frozen peas, thyme, sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chicken.
6. Pour chicken vegetable mixture into prepared pan.

Biscuit Topping:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
3. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and honey. Add the liquid to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork to form stiff dough. Add more buttermilk if the dough is too dry.
4. Knead lightly in the bowl until the dough is no longer sticky, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to approximately ¾ -inch thick. Cut the dough into biscuits and arrange on top of the chicken, overlapping if necessary. Alternatively, you can skip the last step and simply roll out the dough into the shape and size that fits your baking dish and lay the whole thing over the top, crimping the edges like a pie crust.
5. Bake until the inside is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned, 25 to 35 minutes.