Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings

One of my favorite cookbooks of 2008 is EatingWell Comfort Foods Made Healthy: The Classic Makeover Cookbook, by Jessie Price and the editors of EatingWell magazine (Countryman Press, $24.95, 255 pages). Among the many appealing recipes is the Tofu Parmesan I posted a few months ago.

For another sampling from Comfort Foods Made Healthy, take a look at the recipes below. Buffalo wings (named for the city where they originated) are classic bar food, usually deep-fried and then tossed in a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter. The original recipe is literally dripping with fat.

In this remake, wings are marinated for spice, breaded with a combination whole-wheat flour and cornmeal for crunch, then sauteed in a tiny bit of oil for crispiness. Reduced-fat sour cream and blue cheese combine for a dip a bit leaner than the original blue cheese salad dressing.

BONELESS BUFFALO WINGS
Yield: 8 servings

3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, divided
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, divided
2 pounds chicken tenders
6 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
6 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups carrot sticks
2 cups celery sticks
Spicy Blue Cheese Dip (see below)

1. Whisk buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot sauce and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a large bowl until combined. Add chicken; toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, whisk flour and cornmeal in a shallow dish. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and roll in the flour mixture until evenly coated. (Discard remaining marinade and flour mixture.) Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with cayenne.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, placing each piece in a little oil. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and chicken, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Transfer
to the platter. Drizzle the chicken with the reserved hot sauce-vingear mixture. Serve with carrots, celery and Spicy Blue Cheese Dip.

PER SERVING (2 “wings,” 1/2 cup vegetables & 2 tablespoons dip): 256 calories; 10g fat (4g sat, 4g mono); 83mg cholesterol; 12g carbohydrate; 31g protein; 2g fiber; 353mg
sodium; 248mg potassium.

NUTRITION BONUS: Vitamin A (120% daily value).

SPICY BLUE CHEESE DIP
Yield: 1 cup

2/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whisk sour cream, blue cheese, vinegar and cayenne in a small bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

PER TABLESPOON: 33 calories; 3g fat (2g sat, 1g mono); 8mg cholesterol; 1g carbohydrate; 2g protein; no fiber; 83mg sodium; 28mg potassium.

Photo and recipes courtesy of EatingWell Comfort Foods Made Healthy: The Classic Makeover Cookbook, by Jessie Price and the editors of EatingWell (Countryman Press, $24.95, 255 pages).