I’m sharing SPLENDA® Sweetener Products in my life as part of a sponsored series for Socialstars™. As always, thanks for reading!
A healthy twist on classic pulled pork or chicken recipes, these Pineapple Pulled Chicken lettuce wraps are made with less sugar, have less carbs and cook right in the slow cooker! Make extra and have dinner ready for the week!
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Who has something fun planned for the weekend? Beach? Pool? Or, in my case, hiding out indoors thanks to 112 degree temperatures and smoke-filled air thanks to wildfires?
Well, whatever your plans, we need to eat, right?
Right.
With summer coming to an end (historically, at least) that means one thing- cooler weather, comfort food, and holidays! (ok, three things) After a travel-filled and food-filled month, I have decided it’s time to dial things back a bit. So, what does that mean for me? Smarter food choices.
I don’t believe in diets and I don’t believe in extremes. I believe in balance.
And trust me, this past month has not been balanced.
So rather than taking this weekend to indulge in empty food (again), I have decided to make something that my body AND taste buds will love. You know the kind- energy filled and feel good. Nothing overloaded with too much fat or sugar or processed carbohydrates.
My solution? The slow cooker, lean meat, fresh fruit and veggies, and SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend.
Whenever I hear pulled pork or pulled chicken I immediately think- heavy meat and sugar-filled syrupy sauce. Yes, I know you guys, it’s delicious; but I do not feel good after. What I feel is tired and full and uncomfortable. As a mom, I can’t feel those things in the middle of the afternoon.
My offspring can smell any kind of weakness from a mile away.
So no overindulging this weekend just because it’s a holiday (although, if you want to, I don’t judge). If, however, you are looking for something that is both easy, delicious and reminiscent of party food favorites, look no further.
Sweetened with fresh pineapple and orange juice and SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend, this meat is flavored so that you can actually taste the fruit and chicken, rather than just sugar.
SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend is a mixture of pure sugar and SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener, giving you 50% fewer calories than regular sugar. This product allows you to reduce sugar intake while still providing great taste and baking qualities needed for your favorite recipes. Since half the sweetness comes from pure sugar and the other half from stevia, you only need to use a half cup of SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend to replace a full cup of regular sugar.
As I am working to reduce the amount of sugar I consume, SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend is quickly becoming one of my favorite sugar substitutes.
Previous partnered posts with SPLENDA® Sweetener Products- Summer Shrimp Tostadas with Sweet Strawberry Salsa
Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
FOR THE PULLED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- 20 oz pineapple chunks - 1 can
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce - depending on heat tolerance (see notes below)
- ½ cup orange juice
FOR THE PINEAPPLE ORANGE SALSA
- 1 cup diced pineapple - fresh or canned
- 2 oranges - peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion - diced
- 1 lime juiced
- ¼ cup cilantro - finely chopped
- Salt + Pepper
FOR SERVING
- Butter lettuce - living butter lettuce works best if you can find it
- Red cabbage - chopped
- Radish - thinly sliced
- Fresh limes
- Avocado - optional
Instructions
FOR THE PULLED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- Place all ingredients for the chicken (EXCEPT for the chipotle peppers and orange juice) in the bowl of your slow cooker and set your crock pot to high for 3-4 hours OR low for 7-8 hours.
- When fully cooked remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a clean plate to cool. Meanwhile, transfer the remaining juice/broth/chicken bits and pieces to a medium sized sauce pot. Bring sauce to a low boil over medium heat and add the orange juice and chipotle peppers in adobo (if desired). Reduce heat to medium low and all sauce to reduce for approximately 5 minutes. Season to taste (remember the chicken will distribute the spice and flavor A LOT!).
- With the chicken cool, shred with two forks or your fingers and return the pot with the simmering sauce. Mix to combine.
FOR THE PINEAPPLE ORANGE SALSA
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the cubed pineapple, oranges, red onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt + pepper (to taste). Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
ASSEMBLE
- Pile the shredded chicken, pineapple and orange salsa, cabbage and sliced radish on top of each piece of butter lettuce. Serve with sliced avocado and fresh lime, if desired.
Jessica's Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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