Applesauce Barbecue Chicken — The Quiet Week After Cody’s Plea

Two weeks after Cody’s plea. Mama and I have been on a small careful schedule of relief. The state of Oklahoma is in the slow-easing phase of the lockdown order, with retail starting to come back to half-capacity and the small businesses on Main Street starting to reopen on a limited-hours basis. The factory has emailed the laid-off workers a return-to-work-survey saying the line will reopen on a partial-staff basis starting June first. I have replied yes to the survey.

Cody starts the community service Saturday morning at the Tulsa Community Food Bank kitchen-prep operation. The food bank’s kitchen coordinator is a woman named Maria Hernandez who runs the program and who Cody’s caseworker Marcus had described as tough but fair. Cody has been at his small Tulsa studio for ten days now, taking phone calls from Mama at six PM most evenings, going to the recovery group meetings four nights a week at the church on North Peoria.

Sunday I made applesauce barbecue chicken because Dustin had asked for chicken on the back porch and the rental house does not have a grill but the oven does the work of one when you build the sauce right. Boneless chicken thighs simmered in a homemade sauce of unsweetened applesauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire, then finished under the broiler for the caramelized lacquer that turns a stovetop-braised chicken into something that reads as smoke-and-fire on the plate.

Applesauce Barbecue Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 6 hours | Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
2. Layer the crockpot. Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the top, turning the chicken once to coat both sides.
3. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
4. Shred and finish. Use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the crockpot, then stir it into the sauce. Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
5. Serve. Spoon over rice, mashed potatoes, or sandwich rolls. Garnish with sliced green onions or pickled jalapeños if desired.

To Assemble as a Freezer Kit

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a zip-top freezer bag.
2. Add raw chicken thighs directly to the bag, press out the air, and seal.
3. Label with: “Applesauce BBQ Chicken — Thaw overnight. Dump in crockpot. Cook on LOW 6 hours. Shred and serve.”
4. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 620mg