Buffalo Chicken in a Bread Bowl
This fiery-hot dish isn't for the squeamish. Serve with plenty of extra bread and drinks.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
4 round, ½ -pound loaves of
pumpernickel or honey wheat bread
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ cup butter
1 small onion, minced
3 jalapeño peppers, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup hot sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1½ cups water or chicken broth
½ cup beer
2 ribs celery, sliced
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup ranch or bleu cheese dressing
Slice tops off bread loaves; set aside. Carefully hollow out insides, leaving at least ½ thick shell. (Reserve bread for bread crumbs.) Place each bread loaf on plate or in shallow bowl.
Dice chicken breasts. Combine flour, salt, cayenne, and chili powder; coat chicken in flour mixture. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in butter; remove to platter. Add onion, jalapeño peppers, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes.
Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add vinegar, hot sauce, sugar, water or broth, and beer; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, allowing sauce to reduce.
Add celery and chicken; reduce heat to medium and continue cooking 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
Spoon hot chicken and celery into bread bowls with some of the sauce. Combine sour cream and dressing; place a dollop over each bread bowl and serve with bread tops on the side.
