I first had this at a Superbowl party this past year, and it is the most amazing side. It has everything I love most: chicken, cheese, cream cheese, and buffalo sauce.
OMG. The best news? It's
very low carb...as in, practically
zero carbohydrates. And please don't give me the speech about how carbs aren't bad for you. Tell that to the jeans I can no longer fit over my growing hips. Maybe it'll scare them into submission.
Anyway, this is a recipe that was given to me by my sister-in-law, Stefanie. She is superwoman. She even dresses and looks like her.
Okay, not really. She is blonde, though. Here's she is with her family:
Isn't Gabe adorable (bottom right)? I hear he's become a much more pleasant child as of late. And little Mia (bottom left). She's the second child, the only girl...those are the children that turn out the best. Just like me.
But seriously, she has 2 kids, works as a nurse, and her house is always clean. My two-bedroom apartment is not as clean as hers, and she has Wonkie and Winkie terrorizing the place. And Matt. Can't forget her husband, Matt.
So, here it is! It's so good it can be served solo (for all you people who are anti-carb), or with veggies, tortilla chips, or just tortillas.
Ingredients:
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (not pictured)
- 1 pack of cream cheese combine
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 bottle of hot sauce (Texas Pete, etc). Side note: I use buffalo sauce, and it's delicious as well.
Thaw the thicken and cut it up into small pieces. There are two ways to cook it: I'm going to show you the more difficult (but still incredibly easy) way. The other way is to throw it in the crockpot with some buffalo sauce and let it sit all day.
Today, I felt like bettering myself. I'm a pusher. I push people (name that movie).
Throw in some salt and pepper.
...and a little olive oil. I don't know what it is about that stuff. It just makes stuff sizzle.
While you're letting that cook, let's start on the other stuff...
...the fattening stuff.
Throw a block of cream cheese into a glass pan. It makes this much easier if you let it sit out for awhile. When it's cold, it's a little more difficult to handle.
Use your
clean hands and smooth it over the bottom of the pan.
Now, back to the chicken.
You don't want the chicken completely cooked, because there's still one more step in this process.
Go ahead and drain it. I'm not a big fan of chicken fat.
Throw the chicken back in the pan and add the buffalo sauce (or hot sauce, whichever you decided on).
Stir it up and enjoy the pungent smell. And i do mean pungent. Warning: do not put your face too close to it, especially when you're wearing glasses. That stuff pops.
If you want, you can add tiny cut up tomato pieces. I choose all fat and cholesterol. I choose heart disease.
When it's cooked all the way through and slightly browned, go ahead and take some utensils and tear the chicken up into smaller pieces. It's much easier to do when the chicken is cooked than when it's raw. Once again, beware of the popping.
Throw the chicken on top of the cream cheese.
Add a handful of cheddar cheese...
....and a few handfuls of mozzarella cheese.
Now, for those of you who plan on living long, this is about it for you. Cover with tinfoil and cook at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until everything is cooked thoroughly.
But some of you want more from this dish. I can feel it.
I understand that restlessness.
So, I went above and beyond...
...I added another layer...
...of absolutely...
...everything...
Pour on a little bit of buffalo (or hot) sauce
(it almost looks like tic tac toe)
Cover it up with tinfoil and cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until everything is cooked thoroughly.
Please don't try a third layer.
It's just not worth it.
Peace, love, and chicken,
Rachael
