Filed under Spicy …

Dec 25 2011
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6P+, Chicken, Main Course, Spicy

Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole

A haiku for hot sauce:

hot sauce in my fridge

gives spicy flavor I want

just when I want it

(Excuse my lousy attempt at poetry.)

I don’t know when I was introduced to “Buffalo” as a flavor. I can only guess that it happened some time in college: late bar nights that yielded orders of Domino’s chicken wings and cheesy bread, shared amongst sorority sisters.

Oh, and don’t forget the Sheetz Nachos. I used to eat a whole order of those with sour cream and cheese piled on. Without sharing. But those weren’t buffalo. What was I saying?

What I do know is that from the moment I was introduced to “Buffalo” anything, I had to have “Buffalo” everything. Hot sauce is my condiment of choice. I don’t eat fast food anymore, but when I did, I put Buffalo sauce on everything: the chicken, the burgers, the fries, the onion rings, the pizza crust. There was no “wrong place” for Buffalo sauce. I even order my calamari tossed in Buffalo sauce when I’m out to eat. (Try it, you can thank me later.)

So naturally, any opportunity I get to bring Buffalo flavor into my meal plan in a waistline-friendly kind of way, I take it. With gusto.

I know I tend to be all-fancy with my meals lately, so for Christmas, I give you: a one-bowl, one-dish casserole! Tada!

Oh, and Buffalo flavor.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

Layer of uncooked chicken strips and hot sauce

Prepped, and pre-baking

Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole

Adapted from Holy Cannoli Recipes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1/3 cup hot sauce or buffalo sauce (I used Stop and Shop brand hot sauce)
  • 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 longs stalks)
  • 6 cups (thawed) frozen hash brown potatoes (Stop and Shop, or another no-sodium brand)
  • 1 c 2% milk
  • ½ cup reduced fat (2%) cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 can (10 oz) Campbell’s Healthy Request Condensed Cream of Celery
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • ½ cup panko

Directions:

1. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or Misto. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the chicken strips in the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Top with hot sauce.

3. In a large bowl, mix together celery, potatoes, milk, cheese, onion, and soup until well combined. Spread mixture over chicken.

4. Sprinkle panko evenly over the top. Cover with foil.

5. Bake for 30 minutes; then uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink. Let set for 5 minutes and cut into 8 equal portions.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (6P+ per serving, makes 8 servings):
Calories: 304
Carbs: 34
Fat: 8
Protein: 34
Fiber: 3
Sodium: 706
Nutritional Information from myfitnesspal.com
(PS – If someone can find me a place to get low sodium or no sodium hot sauce, I would be indebted to you forever.)
Oct 30 2011
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4P+, Chicken, Eggs, Main Course, Spicy

Jalapeño Chicken Sausage Frittata

I am the grocery shopper in my house.

I moved back in with my father and brother at the ripe old age of 27, after a failed attempt at living and working in North Carolina for two years. (I really miss warm weather and Chick-Fil-A. Not necessarily in that order.) I’ve been shopping (and cooking) for them for about a year and a half now. I like to think I’m good at it. I don’t get many complaints.

When I’m shopping the perimeter of my local Stop & Shop, I’m always looking for sales on meat products.

For the longest time, I wanted to try Al Fresco‘s Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausage. But, full price is a risky endeavor when you’re not sure if you’re going to like something. Full price would be truly awful if you HATED the product. I HATE paying for food I don’t like, even though it doesn’t happen often.

But last week, Al Fresco’s chicken sausages were on sale! I resisted the urge to purchase every variety, and carefully selected the Jalapeño. I like a little spice in my life.

I stared at those sausages in the fridge for about a week, trying to decide what I would use them for. Finally, the frittata idea came.

It was a good idea.

Prepped and ready to go - an essential step for a time-sensitive recipe.

Jalapeño Chicken Sausage Frittata

My first original recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 2 Al Fresco Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausages (1/2 package), sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 can no-salt added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 4.5 oz can diced green chilies
  • 6 egg whites (from large eggs)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ c reduced fat milk (2%)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese (2%)

Directions:

  1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray.  Heat the sausage slices with garlic, onion, and red pepper, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add chili powder, cumin, chilies, and diced tomatoes to the skillet. Cook about 2 -3 more minutes. Drain any excess liquids from cooking, and return to heat.
  3. Whisk egg whites, eggs, milk, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Add this mixture all at once to the skillet. Cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until eggs begin to set. Remove skillet from heat when eggs are almost set, but surface is still moist.
  4. Sprinkle with cheese and cover until surface is set and cheese is melted.
I enjoyed my frittata with some Fat Free Refried beans, topped with light sour cream. Gosh, I love sour cream.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (4P+, makes 4 servings):
Calories: 218
Carbs: 13
Fat: 9
Protein: 23
Fiber: 3
Sodium: 537
Nutritional Information from myfitnesspal.com
Oct 28 2011
2 Comments
9P+, Chicken, Main Course, Pasta, Spicy

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Ready to go to the oven for some lovin

This meal is a marriage of many wonderful things.

Pasta? Love. Cheese? Love. Chicken? Love. Buffalo flavor? Love. (Am I channeling Joey from FRIENDS?)

I used pre-cooked, home-ground chicken that I already had in the fridge, though for aesthetic reasons, in the future, I will shred or cube my chicken for this recipe.

I had both my brother and cousin (both 25) taste it before it was oven ready, and they liked the buffalo flavor. So, without further delay, here is my first recipe!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Inspired by skinnytaste.com and foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Elbow Macaroni
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • ¼ c flour
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, minced
  • 12 oz cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded (depending on your preference!)
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • ½ cup fat free chicken broth
  • ½ – ¾ cup hot sauce (to taste)
  • 2 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar (I used Stop & Shop Brand)
  • pepper to taste (I skip the salt, hot sauce is high in sodium)
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. (You want it to still be slightly firm so it doesn’t fall apart in the baking process.) Drain pasta and set aside.
  2. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the garlic and celery, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined.
  5. Whisk in ½ cup of hot sauce and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  6. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising the heat slightly until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook about 5 minutes, whisking until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. **This may possibly look a little “ugly” when you add the milk to the hot sauce mixture. To me, it looked as though the milk was separating. Keep whisking & cooking, it will go away.** Season with pepper, to taste.
  7. Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat. Add cheese to skillet and stir until it is completely melted. (If you would like some extra heat, add ¼ c of hot sauce.) Then, add cooked macaroni and chicken breast and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and garlic powder, and spray a little more cooking spray on top.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to golden.
Optional: Sprinkle some crumbled bleu cheese on top if you enjoy the flavor. It will change the P+ value. I served with some delicious veggies :)

Dinner is served.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (9P+, makes 8 servings):
Calories: 347
Carbs: 44
Fat: 10
Protein: 25
Fiber: 4
Sodium: 413
Nutritional Information from myfitnesspal.com