Extreme Buffalo Chicken Breast

As a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan, there are few foods that are as near and dear to my taste buds as Buffalo Chicken. Not that you asked, but I prefer Anchor Bar over Duff’s, and I’m proud to admit that. Anyway, I quite enjoy the tangy spicy goodness of Buffalo Sauce mixed with the salty creamy blue cheese and the celeryness of celery…just divine! But, while I am a big supporter of classic chicken wings, I also like to try new concoctions with these ingredients (and healthier ones to boot, as I’m not generally one to fry my food). Tonight’s meal is a stuffed chicken breast that is coated in a cauliflower beer batter and then tossed in Buffalo Sauce after. It’s definitely a fun way to make Buffalo Chicken, and if you’re into such things, you will definitely enjoy!

I am serving it over quinoa with roasted celery. **Update, I ate after I wrote this post, but before publishing it. Skip the roasted celery. It was not as good as I was hoping.**

Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Blue Cheese (crumbled or block form)
• Buffalo Sauce (or make your own…but I’ve got Anchor Bar sauce on hand, and I intend to use it)
• Beer Batter (Optional…amounts make two portions):
  • 3 Celery Stalks
  • 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • Some Beer (I’m using Labatt because GO BUFFALO!)

Method:

• If making beer batter, begin by halving your celery stalks and boiling them until they are soft. Once they are done in the hot bath, puree them using a Ninja/Food Processor/Blender…You may need to add a trace amount of water to encourage the pureeing process.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, line a baking sheet with foil (for cleanup ease), and give it a light oil spray.
• Flatten your chicken breast. I like to do this by placing it in a gallon sized zip top bag and pounding the heck out of it with a meat flattener. The bag prevents splatter, and if you don’t zip it fully closed, air will escape, thus preventing a loud mess.
• Place your blue cheese atop the flattened chicken breast
• Roll it all up, and pierce through with a few toothpicks so the shape holds.
• Place this on the baking pan and into the oven OR move on to the battering phase:
  • Whisk together your pureed celery and flour
  • Then add a little beer (bit by bit, whisking as you go) until the goop is thick and viscous (pardon the gross word choices)
  • Roll your chicken in the batter, and place that on the baking sheet, which then goes in the oven
• Roast for about 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat is at least 165 degrees F, and your beer batter sets (if using).
• Remove from oven, and apply the Buffalo sauce (either toss it in a bowl with the sauce or put it on your plate, and pour the sauce over it)
• Plate, devour (carefully due to toothpicks), and enjoy!