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Fun flavors + Uncomplicated prep + Crock Pot = a recipe I had to try!
I’m always on the lookout for new recipes – especially those I can toss in my Crock Pot. I found this one while browsing a favorite site -- AllRecipes.com. The Buffalo style flavor profile and the super simple prep made it a standout on the site. If you like Buffalo style hot wings, this recipe will give you a healthier stand-in. I won’t go as far as to call it healthy (in case my trainer reads this!), but this version is sans skin and simmered versus fried, so it certainly saves you some calories. It isn’t, however, any less messy than an order of wings, unless you choose to knife and fork it.
The Prep:
Just place, stir and pour—really! 1) Place chicken pieces in the bottom of the crock pot. 2) Stir the wing sauce and ranch dressing mix together. 3) Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and put the lid on your crockpot. Let the chicken simmer for a few hours, shred chicken and then let it simmer a little longer. Presto—dinner!
The Details:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used thighs, see "Tweaks" below)
1 (17.5 fluid ounce) bottle buffalo wing sauce, divided (I used Louisiana Hot Wing Sauce)
1/2 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons butter
6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise (I obviously chose a different roll...)
1) Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.
2) Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, and shred the meat finely with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls, and splash with the remaining buffalo wing sauce to serve.
The Meal:
The dish smelled great while cooking and didn’t disappoint on the plate. The chicken is super spicy and delicious. The meat was fall apart tender and incredibly moist. I was nervous/uncertain about the level of heat that the chicken would take on during cooking. And it was lip tingling hot, but not so much that I didn’t enjoy it. I also added about a tablespoon of light blue cheese dressing to my sandwich to echo the hot wing experience and to tone down the heat a bit. Go for ranch dressing if that’s more your style.
The Tweaks:
I tweaked a few things in the recipe -- of course! Because I was shopping the night before “Snow-mageddon,” my closest grocery store was out of chicken breast, (bread I can understand but chicken breast??). I opted for skinless (bone in) chicken thighs, and that choice may have upped the moisture factor, as chicken breast can dry out in the crock pot if you aren’t careful. One addition to the original recipe was a sprinkle of garlic salt and freshly ground pepper onto the chicken before pouring the sauce over the top. Because I had bone in pieces, I shredded the meat and removed the bones after it had simmered on high for about 3 hours, then kicked it to low and let it finish.
After-dinner thoughts ...
I can see myself making this again SOON, probably for a crowd or a party. And I might go with a lower sauce to chicken ratio—just to cut the heat. As the author of the recipe noted, you can add more hot sauce to your sandwich. I also like the idea of topping the chicken with a blue cheese slaw as recommended by one reviewer to give it an crunchy texture. May try that next time too.
Cheers!
