Hot and Cool (blog challenge day 27)

Day 27: “post your favorite recipe”

OK, I’m going to not do that, exactly. To me, a “recipe” means you have to give things like measurements and temperatures. I don’t have that for you. What I AM going to do, just because y’all are so special to me, is tell you how I make my buffalo chicken fingers, because they’re fan-effing-tastic. The non-recipe is based on my mom’s chicken wings (if you want to use wings, go ahead; I just find the strips are easier to judge as far as cooking times, etc)

The secret, my friends, is TZATZIKI.

For the uninitiated, tzatziki is Greek yogurt stuff with cucumber and a whole lot of yum. I get mine in the deli section of the grocery store, where they keep the hummus and all of that (President’s Choice tzatziki is yummy). Yours might keep it in the dairy section. Either way, you’re going to mix that with milk to make it thick enough to coat your chicken strips*. Then dip that in bread crumbs to coat, and cook in the oven. I’m not giving times or temperatures, because my oven is strange, and it depends on how thick you’re cutting your chicken. I usually go 380 degrees for ten minutes, flip, then check to see how much longer they need (usually 7-10 more minutes).

After that, dip in your hot sauce of choice (I always use Frank’s hot sauce mixed with melted butter. More butter=milder sauce.)

Then chow down. The tzatziki adds a cool flavour that offsets the hot sauce very nicely, and it makes the meat wicked tender. Unless you overcook it… watch out for that.

Serve with rice, or whatever you feel like. Mashed potatoes work well, too. Pour extra sauce all over your side dish. Num.

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*Yes, raw chicken, not frozen chicken strips. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and slice them up. Feel free to make nugget shapes if you’re feeling rebellious.