A couple weeks back, I mentioned that Robbie is transitioning into solid foods now. Well, by ‘solid foods’ I mean pureed fruits and veggies. Pea mush. Carrot mush. Squash mush. Banana mush. You get the picture! That kid loves ’em all. We keep trying new foods, and we keep waiting to see if he makes a face and spits it out…but nope. If anything, that kid is picking up steam.
Robbie goes hog wild at dinner. He cries in between bites, and he grabs at his spoon as soon as it comes within reach. That’s ok, Robbie. Daddy cries when his meal is done each night, too.
All of this excitement over dinner means that his food often ends up all over the place. Carrots on his shirt? You know it. Oats in his hair? Been there, done that. Pureed peas all over the countertop? That’s Dad’s job to clean up each night after dinner. We grabbed the camera recently to capture the dinnertime entertainment. I suspect these photos may be used as blackmail one day.
Now that summer is in full swing here in upstate New York, Dad has been craving some classic picnic food. Pulled pork. Smoked brisket. BBQ chicken. Mac salad. Pasta salad. I can’t get enough of all the delicious picnic foods…and of course, they just taste better when eaten outside on the back deck! The other day, I decided to put a new spin on a classic summer dish. BBQ chicken sandwiches. I love ’em! Summer just hasn’t fully arrived until the BBQ chicken sandwich makes an appearance.
But slow cooking chicken to perfection takes time. I don’t mind jumping into the kitchen and tackling fun recipes, but somehow I just haven’t had as much time lately. (I think Robbie might have something to do with that.) Fortunately I stumbled across Farm Rich’s new Smokehouse line in the frozen aisle at the grocery store the other day. Pulled Chicken BBQ…Pulled Pork BBQ…Pulled Beef Brisket…Dry Rub Smoked Pork…oh, these flavors are right up my alley!
Needless to say, a package of the Pulled Chicken BBQ landed in my cart. Hickory-smoked chicken breast in an Applewood BBQ sauce? Yes, please! But instead of just putting the BBQ chicken on a bun, I decided to mix it up a bit. I added a bit of cheese and then created little bite-sized pockets of BBQ chicken deliciousness. These BBQ Chicken Pockets are perfect for summer entertaining!
Bite-sized food just calls out for a tasty dip, right? So while those BBQ Chicken Pockets were in the oven, I whipped up an easy Creamy Cilantro Dip. The freshness of the cilantro dip combined with the smokiness of the BBQ chicken created one delicious summer meal. As we were eating dinner that night (after cleaning up the nightly peas on the counter), Laura pointed out that this would make a great party appetizer. And she’s right! I think we need to invite some friends over and celebrate this long Memorial Day weekend. Good food + good friends. That’s what summer is all about, right?
The Farm Rich Smokehouse Pulled Chicken BBQ was an excellent addition to our summer lineup. They’ve done the hard work of slow cooking it for hours, so it’s ready in just minutes in your kitchen. That means more time for summer fun!
Speaking of Memorial Day, did you realize that there are 99 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day? That means 99 days of summer fun! That means 99 days of delicious summer food, too! What are your favorite BBQ recipes? Enter them in Farm Rich Smokehouse’s contest and you could win a year’s supply of BBQ (wow!) as well as a fun BBQ Party Pack. To enter, just share your BBQ hack/recipe on social media using the hashtag #99DaysofBBQ. Hey, maybe you’ll be one of the 10 winners!
As we head into the official summer kickoff weekend, swing by your local grocery store and pick up a pack or two of Farm Rich Smokehouse products. Click here to find a store location near you. (The Smokehouse products are located in the frozen aisle.) And before you go, grab a coupon, too. Cheers to a long, sun-filled weekend of fun!
BBQ Chicken Pockets with Creamy Cilantro Dip
Ingredients
For the BBQ Chicken Pockets
3½ cups Farm Rich Smokehouse Pulled Chicken BBQ ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded ½ cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded ¼ cup green onions, chopped 1 (17-oz.) package frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 large eggFor the Cilantro Dipping Sauce
¾ cup sour cream ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp lime juice 1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced ½ tsp salt ½ tsp smoked paprikaInstructions
For the BBQ Chicken Pockets
Using a medium bowl, add pulled chicken, cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese and green onions; stir until well combined. Set bowl aside. In a small dish, whisk together egg with 1 Tbsp of water; set aside. Working on a lightly-floured countertop or cutting board, unfold one sheet of thawed puff pastry. Roll pastry into a 12” square. Cut into (9) 4” squares. Repeat with remaining sheet of puff pastry. (Note: This will create a total of 18 squares.) Place 1½-2 Tbsp of BBQ chicken mixture into middle of each square. Lightly brush edges of square with the egg mixture. Fold each pastry into a triangle, using a fork to crimp the edges. Place filled pockets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush top of pockets with any remaining egg wash. Bake at 400°F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with Cilantro Dipping Sauce.For the Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Using a food processor or mini-chopper, add all dip ingredients; process until smooth. (Note: Dip will taste better if allowed to rest for 30 minutes before serving.)3.1
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© Spiced 2016
This BBQ Chicken Pockets with Creamy Cilantro Dip post was sponsored by Farm Rich Smokehouse, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!
