Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes and Sloppy Chicken Joes

Well, hubby called me this past Friday and told me we were having company on Saturday night. Instead of making a big dinner I just wanted to make some kind of sandwiches as we would rather hang out at our bar and socialize more than eat but I knew I had to feed my friends something. I really had nothing that I could think of in the pantry or fridge to fix them until I came across these recipes and had the ingredients to make both the Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes and the Sloppy Chicken Joes (a BBQ type). I also had potatoes to make Buffalo Chicken Potatoes and BBQ Potato Wedges. I really liked them all...out of all four recipes I had only made the BBQ Potato Wedges before. I hope you find them fast and reliable on those days when you have absolutely nothing to fix. Who doesn't keep chicken and potatoes around? Enjoy!

NOTE: Instead of the ground chicken I just boiled about 10 chicken breast cutlets and shredded them and divided them up and used them in both recipes.

Buffalo Chicken Joes

Ingredients
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup hot sauce (i used texas pete)
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 large stalk celery
3/4 cup grated carrots
4-5 tbsp fat free ranch dressing (could also use fat free blue cheese)
1 tbsp vinegar

Directions
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet.

Chop celery and place in skillet with carrots. Add in two minced cloves of garlic. Add vinegar and ground chicken. Cook until chicken is brown and vegetables are tender.

Add in hot sauce. You can add as little or as much sauce as you like, depending how hot your like your buffalo wings.

Turn off heat and add in 4 tbsp of fat free ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Number of Servings: 6

Sloppy Chicken Joes
serves 4

1 1/2-pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
4 to 6 hamburger buns

Dice the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet, combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the diced chicken breasts, cover and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. (If using rotisserie chicken, just cook until heated through.)

Serve the chicken on the hamburger buns.

Buffalo Potatoes

4 to 5 Large Idaho Russet Potatoes, peeled, each cut in 8 wedges
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Dry Parmesan Cheese
1 c. Instant flaked mashed potatoes
2 t. Old Bay Seasoning
1 pinch Cayenne pepper - I used 1 t.
Pan spray coating
salt to taste

1. Blanch potato wedges in salted water. (boil salted water and add potatoes and cook 4-5 minutes, until semi-tender), drain. While hot, toss with half the oil.
2. In bowl mix cheese, flaked potatoes, Old Bay Seasoning and pepper. toss with warm potatoes to coat well.
3. Spread potatoes on pan sprayed with coating.
4. Bake at 450° F, 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. Season with salt.
6. Serve with Marinara, Bologneses or Blue cheese sauce, if desired.


BBQ Potatoes

Cut potatoes into wedges. Lay foil on bottom of pan. Put wedges on foil and brush with ketchup, paprika, mustard, little butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Brush with more sauce and bake 15 minutes more.