Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

I might sound a bit like a broken record, but we enjoy the flavor of buffalo chicken wings at our house. The reality is though that they are not only messy to eat, but also not the lowest calorie food option that there is. So, we continue to look for new ways to enjoy the flavor of wings, without the mess and without fewer calories. Buffalo Chicken Rolls, Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Buffalo Chicken Soup are some of our favorites.

Tonight, we tried a new recipe that I had found on Pinterest for Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes. I tweaked it a bit, using a little less on some ingredients, making it simpler by using thawed bread dough and using shredded chicken that had cooked in my crock pot all day.

The family loved them. My daughter sprinkled them with shredded cheese and called it 'sprinkles' on her cupcake. My husband drizzled additional buffalo sauce on top. We decided that this would be a fun way to enjoy standard pizza toppings and soon we will make the 'cupcakes' with pepperoni, tomato sauce and cheese...or maybe we will serve the sauce on the side. I put them in my recipe software and found that each cupcake was about 158 calories - not too bad for a satisfying dinner that delivers on the buffalo flavor.

Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes

1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces shredded chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup buffalo sauce

Preheat oven to 400.

Saute chopped onions in butter over medium heat. Once transparent, add shredded chicken and buffalo sauce. Heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Roll (or press) the dough into a large rectangle.

Sprinkle the cheese over the dough, leaving 1" on the one long edge so you can seal it.

Spread the chicken over the cheese.

Starting from long side of dough, begin rolling the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Pinch ends when done.

Slice into 1 1/2 to 2 inch rolls. Place in muffin tin.

Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Disclaimer

Buffalo Chicken Soup

I am a big fan of meals that are full of flavor. One of my favorites is buffalo wings. I recognized young that although I could eat my weight in wings, that it wasn't the best or healthiest option for me. So, I had to learn to enjoy them in moderation. It helped me find other ways to enjoy the flavor that they offer.

I started to get a side of sauce and extra celery when I got wings, so that I could enjoy some wings but then continue to enjoy the flavor in a better for me way by dipping my celery in the sauce. It was also a great way to try some of the other sauces that they offered without committing to it.

I started ordering buffalo chicken salads, made with grilled chicken that had been covered in the sauce.

I started enjoying grilled chicken breasts with buffalo sauce, with a side of a tasty steamed vegetable.

I learned that I could thoroughly enjoy the flavor of buffalo wings without the calorie commitment of the wings.

Then, recently, I found a soup recipe that turned out to be a great way to enjoy the flavor. As an added bonus, I was able to make it in my crock pot and it was so warm on those very cold winter days we have been having. And, as an added bonus, it was only 180 calories for a serving!

I am thinking about making up a batch to serve during the Super Bowl.

Buffalo Chicken Soup
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1/4 cup onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots peeled
32 ounces chicken broth
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
2/3 cup buffalo sauce
4 ounces Cheddar cheese shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a pan, saute your onions, garlic and carrots. Add the chicken broth, chicken and packet of ranch mix. Bring to a boil and add the orzo and buffalo sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add cheeses and allow to melt before serving.

Alternatively, I prefer to allow my chicken to cook in my crock pot all day. Place the chicken broth, the chicken, the onions, garlic and carrots in your crock pot and simmer on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Put the chicken back in the broth and add the packet of ranch mix, the pasta and the buffalo sauce. Continue to cook on low for about 30 minutes. Add in your cheeses and allow to melt.

You can serve it with carrot and celery sticks or perhaps a nice baguette. We garnished with cheddar crumbles.

Disclaimer

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Last weekend, we were driving home from Cedar Point after a visit that was cut short by a crazy storm. Along the way we passed a couple of Buffalo Wild Wing restaurants (or BWs, as I have always known them). It sounded so yummy to me, that I knew that I wanted to fit buffalo chicken into my menu last week. At first, I thought I would make buffalo chicken rolls or wontons, but then I decided to try a different route and make a shredded chicken in buffalo sauce. I have a bag of bread flour that I need to use part of so that I can fit the rest in my container, so I decided that I would make my slider rolls using my everyday bread recipe.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 24 ounces)
1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons butter
1 bottle (5 fl oz) Frank's Red Hot buffalo sauce

Place ingredients in crock pot on low for 6 hours.

Shred.


Homemade Slider Rolls

1 cup warm water (110 F)
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active, dry yeast

Sprinkle the yeast on top of the warm water. In a mixing bowl, place 2 cups of the flour, sugar and salt. Pour the wetted yeast and water into the bowl and stir. Add additional flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. When the dough starts to come together, turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Place back in mixing bowl, rub on a little canola oil and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise for about 30 minutes, until dough doubles in size.

Separate dough into 16 rolls (approx 1.5 oz each) and place on baking sheet. Let the rolls rise for about 30 minutes. Then, bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

After the rolls have cooled, slice in half and top with the shredded chicken.

This meal got the thumbs up from the family and is sure to be part of future menu plans.

Disclaimer