One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta - With homemade BBQ Sauce!

I'll just start off by saying you totally don't need to make this specific bbq sauce for this pasta recipe.  You can just use your favorite bottled version, but this recipe really is tasty.  Plus, it makes a lot so you'll have plenty left over to use all summer long!

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 cups ketchup

2 cups water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp mustard
1 tsp black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened.  Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, and red pepper. Stir until paste is a dark brick red. Add in remaining ingredients. Cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.
2. This last step is optional:  Use an immersion blender to smooth the consistency of the bbq sauce.

One Pot BBQ Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb rotini pasta
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup corn
1 tbsp dried cilantro, or a nice bunch of fresh
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
crispy onions, for serving

1. Heat oil, broth, and bbq sauce in a large pot. Add pasta, chicken, corn, and cilantro.  Cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Top with cheddar cheese and let sit while the cheese melts on top of the pasta. Serve topped with crispy onions.

This whole cooking pasta in one pot and not draining it has really captured my heart. 

You cook it all in one pot, you probably have all the ingredients already, and it's ready in less than 30 minutes! Doesn't get much better than that!

Slow Cooker Low Country Boil

I have always dreamed of a shrimp boil where everyone is eating with their bare hands off a newspaper lined table.  I was gifted a extra large Old Bay container for my birthday and so with a little editing, I made this dream a reality.  See kids, dreams really do come true!

Low Country Boil

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, halved

1 lb small red potatoes*

2 stalks celery, cut into thirds

1/4-1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning (YES!!)

1 lemon, sliced

1 lb shrimp, with shells

1. Place potatoes, corn, Old Bay, and lemon slices in a slow cooker.  Fill with water until vegetables are mostly covered. Cook on low for 7 hours.

2. Add shrimp and cook an additional 20-30 minutes until they are cooked through.

3. Remove from slow cooker with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, or if you are bold enough, on to a newspaper lined table.

*I did not halve my potatoes because they were very small, but I regretted this because they did not soak up the delicious Old Bay flavors.  I hesitate to tell you to cut them because I didn't do it this way, but think about it.

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you..

Loved it! 

This is such a fun and easy dinner to make this summer.  You can easily make this for a crowd.