Pulled Slow-Cooker Chicken with Cherry-Chile Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 lb. bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed if necessary (about 8)
• 2 tsp. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1⁄4 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 14-1⁄2-oz. cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1 Tbs. peeled chopped fresh ginger
• 15 grinds black pepper, divided
• + 9 more ingredients
• • 1-1⁄4 tsp. chile powder, divided
  • 1 Tbs. chipotle chile from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo
  • 1⁄4 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 4 to 6 warmed burger buns, for serving
  • 3 Tbs. Dijon mustard, divided
  • Scant 4 cups dark sweet fresh cherries, pitted and de-stemmed (3 cups afterwards)
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeño (seeds and membranes removed)
  • 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped shallots

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shallots, ginger, and jalapeño and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cherries, tomatoes, molasses, vinegar, chipotle, 1 Tbs. mustard, 3⁄4 tsp. chile powder, 1-1⁄2 tsp. salt, and 5 grinds pepper, and bring...

View full recipe at Fine Cooking