Buffalo Style Chicken Recipe Rescue

Buffalo Style Chicken Recipe Rescue

One of American's all time favorite bar food, football snack, and all around snack time favs has to be buffalo chicken. The regular buffalo chicken wings or bites served at restaurants is sadly and terribly full of fat, calories, and pretty much has no redeeming health qualities. For several years, I have been working on ways to make this delicious food something that anyone can enjoy guilt free. This particular food presented so many challenges, I thought I was never going to figure it out. In some testing and working with chicken breasts, I have found a few ways to cut out some of the fat and calories but it was still lacking in satisfying the real taste and feel of the beloved buffalo chicken.

With all the testing, I finally came up with a recipe that I think really hits the spot. It was so exciting to be able to find a way to make a crispy coating with delicious buffalo sauce. The real secret is the addition of fat free buttermilk. It is such a versatile ingredient and makes a huge impact on this recipe. At less than 200 calories and 4 grams of fat per chicken breast, you can truly enjoy this buffalo chicken recipe as often as you like guilt free. Enjoy!!

Buffalo Style Chicken Breasts

4 thin chicken cutlets about 1/2" thick per cutlet

1 cup buttermilk

2 egg whites

2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup flour divided

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

nonstick cooking spray

Sauce:

1/4 cup hot sauce

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 clove garlic grated

1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning

1 teaspoon corn starch

Put chicken in a zip top bag with the cup of buttermilk. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to overnight. 

Pull chicken out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil and spray liberally with nonstick spray. Set aside. Line up three plates on counter to start a breading station. In first plate, put 1/4 cup of flour. In second plate, pour the buttermilk from the marinating chicken and whisk with the egg whites. In third plate, stir together remaining 1/4 cup flour with the panko and herbs and spices to combine. Dip each chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture making sure to coat completely and place on baking sheet covered in cooking spray. Spray the tops of chicken with cooking spray to liberally coat each piece. Bake 30-40 minutes until browned and crispy and chicken is completely cooked through. 

While chicken is cooking, begin sauce. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan on low heat and stir occasionally until thickened and warm. 

When chicken is ready, slice chicken breast into 1" strips carefully so as not to break up coating. Drizzle liberally with buffalo style sauce. Serve hot with fat free ranch dressing, celery, and carrots if desired.