A Better Buffalo Chicken "Wing"

Well, it's just around the corner: another great American feasting day. The Superbowl. I know our house will be full of oh-so-delicious-not-so-nutritious offerings just tempting me on game day. And while I'm not about to say NO to a few of my favorite things, I'm not against making some traditional favorites a little bit more WLS-friendly. This is one of my favorite recipe do-overs: The classic buffalo wing done right. And might I say, we have neighbors who raise buffalo and I have yet to see one of those massive beasts wearing wings! :)

So give this recipe a try - I think you like the wing done right.



A Better Buffalo Chicken "Wing" By Kaye Bailey

I cringe when I hear weight loss surgery people talk about eating Buffalo Wings – no offense Buffalo – but the average serving of traditional Buffalo Wings is 68% fat. Nobody loses weight eating 68% fat, no matter how small the portion. In addition to the fat, wing sauce has a high sugar content. Considering the fat and sugar traditional wings are a recipe for dumping disaster and guaranteed weight gain!

For those who cannot shake the need for Buffalo chicken wings after weight loss surgery here is an alternative to the high fat version. This better wing recipe increases the protein and drops the fat below 30% per serving. Try this next time you have a craving for the wings!

Buffalo Chicken with Warm Blue Cheese Dip:

Ingredients:

"Wings"

Non-stick cooking spray

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup wing sauce (preferably low-fat, low-sugar like Wing-it


Sauce:

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup non-fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup dry white wine (white wine vinegar may be substituted)

¼ cup 1% low-fat milk

1 (8 ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, cubed


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat mallet pound to ½ inch thickness. Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray and brush sparingly with wing sauce. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, turn and brush sparingly with wing sauce. Return to oven and bake additional five minutes. Remove from oven, turn again and brush sparingly with wing sauce. Bake 5 minutes and remove from oven. Check to be certain chicken is cooked completely (no pink).

Allow chicken to cool. When cool cut into 1”x 1” pieces. Place on platter.

While chicken is cooking place sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat over medium high stirring frequently to combine. Serve sauce in a warm chafing dish or fondue pot. Have toothpicks or skewers handy to use for dipping “wings” in warm blue cheese sauce.

Nutritional data per 2 ounces chicken and ¼ cup blue cheese dip: 282 calories, 10 grams fat (27%), 28 grams protein and 34 grams carbohydrates.


For more great recipes get the Neighborhood Collection of Recipes by people just like you doing their best with weight loss surgery.