12 Easy Ways to Enjoy Buffalo Chicken Without the Wings

Spicy food can be quite polarizing, but it seems like even the pickiest of eaters can make exceptions for the salty, tangy perfection that is buffalo sauce. There’s just something about cayenne pepper’s ability to heighten a dish and pair with meats and cheeses that makes it a taste bud sensation.

Since frying food can be both intimidating and unhealthy, we’ve rounded up 12 buffalo chicken recipes that aren’t traditional wings. From sliders and salads to dips and even pasta, there’s bound to be a dish that brings your level of heat.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

If burger night just isn’t cutting it, swap your patty with chicken and douse it in everyone’s favorite spicy sauce. Be sure to bring extra ingredients because your friends will inevitably want to follow suit.

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Chowhound

They say you shouldn’t mess up a good thing when you have it. A grilled cheese is a good thing, but “messing it up” with buffalo chicken is entirely worth it. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Chowhound

Need to eat more vegetables? Here’s your excuse. Your carrots, celery, and broccoli have never tasted better. Get the recipe.

Braised Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Chowhound

Those in search of a fancy upgrade to basic buffalo chicken, look no further. This braised variety will have your dinner guests wondering if they’re at a BBQ or a 5-star restaurant. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Yellow Bliss Roas

Altering classic nachos is sacrilege, but entirely worth it if that alteration is in the form of buffalo chicken and bleu cheese. Pile on the sour cream for an even creamier bite. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Bread

Tastes Better from Scratch

Frankly, you can stuff any ingredient, sweet or savory, into bread and it will probably taste amazing. This isn’t an opinion, it’s a fact. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Bleu Cheese Cole Slaw

Chowhound

Chicken tenders are inarguably one of the best finger foods of all time, so it only makes sense to season them with buffalo sauce and fry them up for easy eating. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Bake, Eat, Repeat

While true Italians may find this variation blasphemous to the pizza gods (and Italy, perhaps), there’s no denying that its flavor profile is anything short of delicious. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Slow Cooker Gourmet

If you’re concerned about your pasta expertise, have no fear. This recipe utilizes a slow cooker that simplifies the cooking process, leaving you more time to drink that delicious bottle of red. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Slow Cooker Gourmet

That’s one spicy meatball! Actually, that’s many spicy meatballs, all of which you can put on a hoagie, toss with spaghetti, or eat with a fork. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Five Heart Home

It may be summer, but soup is always in season if its ingredients are bold and unexpected. Eat your heart out, Campbell’s. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad

Happy Go Lucky Blog

This list wouldn’t be complete without a salad. Lucky for you, we’ve included one of the best: a veggie-heavy chopped variety with cucumber, avocado, and tomatoes. Get the recipe.

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What Is the Difference Between Types of Pepper?

Peppercorns were so important to the Tamils of Sri Lanka thousands of years ago that they were considered more valuable than pearls. In Medieval France, where peppercorns were more valued than gold, dock workers handling the cargo of ships arriving from India were required to wear pants and jackets without pockets or cuffs to prevent peppercorn smuggling.

Today we might value our pearl necklaces more than our jars of black pepper, but that doesn’t make it any less critical to countless dishes whose flavor is heightened and more nuanced with the addition of pepper in its green, black, and white incarnations. All true peppercorns are derived from the Piper nigrium, a flowering vine native to southern India and Sri Lanka that today flourishes throughout tropical areas in Asia and Africa.

Pink peppercorns, which impart a peppery floral flavor and are beloved for their festive rose color, are not actually peppercorns but rather a berry from the Schinus molle, a flowering bush from South America that now thrives in many southern American states.

The peppercorn of the true peppercorn plant varies in color and flavor depending upon its stage of ripeness. No matter its stage of maturity, all peppercorn varieties are high in manganese, vitamin K, copper, fiber, and iron.

Green Peppercorns

This is the unripe peppercorn berry that is highly perishable. Due to their delicate nature, green peppercorns are commonly pickled in brine soon after they are harvested to maintain their shelf life. They are enjoyed in savory dishes throughout Southeast Asia and are a frequent grilled steak dancing partner in Europe and America.

Black Peppercorns

Black peppercorns are green peppercorns that have oxidized as a result of the dehydration process. They are boiled in hot water before they are spread out on drying racks to be sun-dried. Egyptians used black pepper as one of their mummification spices and until it found its way into countless dishes throughout the world, it was primarily used as a medicinal ingredient. Black pepper remains the most widely consumed spice on the planet.

White Peppercorns

White peppercorns are harvested and boiled in water in the same manner as black peppercorns. The difference is that the skin of the white peppercorn is removed before it’s dehydrated. Many professional chefs prefer white peppercorns to black for aesthetic reasons and because it is mellower in flavor than its fiery black counterpart.

Black Pepper Lavash

Chowhound

Wow guests with homemade lavash spiked with cracked black pepper that is addictively crunchy. Get our Black Pepper Lavash recipe.

Spaghetti with Green Peppercorns

The simplicity of this four-ingredient dish belies its complex flavor, enabling the vibrant green peppercorns to find their footing in a straightforward foundation of pasta, olive oil and crunchy sea salt.  Get the recipe.

Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon

Chowhound

The bold flavors of green and black peppercorns come together in this statement-making filet mignon dish that aims to impress in just under fifteen minutes. Get our Pepper-Crusted Filet Mignon recipe.

Black Peppercorn Syrup

Chowhound

This is your new go-to ice cream drizzle and cocktail secret ingredient with its flash of peppery heat. Get our Black Peppercorn Syrup recipe.

Pink Peppercorn Panna Cotta with Macerated Cherries

Bon Appetit

Cherries and pink peppercorns form a perfect marriage of color and flavor in this elegant dessert recipe. Get the recipe.

White Pepper Ice Cream

Saveur

Pepper isn’t usually associated with sweet preparations such as this ice cream but the unexpected heat of white peppercorns in this recipe is the perfect summertime foil for the rich cream and egg yolk base. Get the recipe.

— Head photo by: Pixabay.

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Thomas' Limited Edition Blueberry Pancake Swirl Bread

With hints of rich, pancake flavor highlighted by a blueberry swirl running throughout each bite, the new Blueberry Pancake Swirl Bread features the bright, fresh flavors of the season.

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How To Make Cheese At Home

Making cheese is an ancient tradition that has been practiced by cultures throughout the world. It’s a relatively simple process that requires nothing more than a few ingredients, a bit of patience, and a smidgen of kitchen know-how.

Homemade cheese, often referred to as farmer cheese or queso fresco, is lower in fat than many of the alternatives such as cream cheese, and is higher in protein than many meat alternatives due to the inclusion of whole fat milk.

The trick is to avoid burning the milk as it simmers and to use an acid such as lemon or vinegar to coagulate the cheese. Note that vinegar will impart a more neutral flavor than lemon juice. Farmer cheese is comprised of the curds resulting from the separation process, but don’t discard the whey. It’s packed with healthful properties such as calcium and protein and is excellent as a meat tenderizer, a smoothie ingredient, or a marinade. Use it instead of water when preparing grains such as barley or amaranth for extra nutritional punch, or drink it as-is for a tangy and nutritious pick-me-up.

Farmer cheese is good in virtually anything it’s incorporated into such as omelets, sandwiches, pizza, tacos, and desserts. It’s wonderful drizzled with honey or even on its own. Making homemade cheese is also sure to impress your dinner guests who might not be aware of how simple and easy the process actually is.

1. You will need two quarts of whole fat milk, freshly squeezed lemon juice (or distilled white vinegar), and a pinch of salt to prepare your cheese. Add the milk to a heavy-bottom pot with a cooking thermometer attached to the side. Warm it slowly over medium heat, stirring almost constantly to avoid scorching the milk and to prevent it from boiling over.
2. Once the temperature reaches 185°, remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon juice or vinegar, one tablespoon at a time, while stirring gently with a wooden spoon. This step will separate the curds from the whey. It will not happen instantly, but keep stirring and eventually the separation will occur virtually all at once. Keep adding an additional tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar every few minutes until the separation takes place. Once it does, stop stirring and let the liquid rest, separate completely, and cool down for about 20 minutes.
3. Line a colander with a triple-layer of cheesecloth or a clean, doubled-up linen side towel. Carefully pour the curds and whey into the lined colander. Depending upon the consistency of cheese you are aiming for, let the curds and whey separate for between twenty minutes to an hour.
4. Season with salt by gently stirring it into the curds and then bind the cheesecloth up around the them. Spin the cloth up at the top to form a tight ball around the curds and squeeze hard to remove the residual whey. Reserve the whey, refrigerated, for another use.
5. Transfer the cheese in its cheesecloth to a plate and top with a weight, such as another plate or a skillet, and let it rest for a few hours to enable it to fully cool down and firm up. If you are looking for softer cheese, skip the weights but still let the cheese cool down at room temperature.
6. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to one week.

Here are six ways to use your fresh farmer’s cheese:

1. Classic Macaroni and Cheese

Chowhound

There’s nothing more comforting than mac and cheese, especially when it includes homemade farm cheese. In this recipe, swap out one cup of the cheddar for farm cheese that will make this dish creamier and even more addictive than it already is. Get our Classic Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

2. Thyme and Garlic Cheese Dip

Adding garlic and thyme to farm cheese and tangy sour cream perks up a dip that is perfect for raw vegetables or toasted pita bread. Get the recipe.

3. Grilled Egg and Cheese Sandwiches

Burroughs Family Farms

Gently-fried eggs ooze between slices of crunchy grilled bread and a tangy layer of farm cheese. Get the recipe.

4. Zucchini Lasagna with Farmers Cheese

Martha Stewart

Summertime is the perfect time for this lasagna recipe that celebrates this season’s bounty of fresh zucchini and the many virtues of farmers cheese. Get the recipe.

5. Farmer’s Cheese with Honey, Raisins and Cinnamon

A comforting dish with a pleasing texture of creamy cheese and crunchy walnuts, this recipe is as welcome at the breakfast table as it is at the end of a meal. Get the recipe.

6. No-Bake Farmers Cheese Cheesecake Desserts

Valya’s Taste of Home

There is no baking involved in this easy deconstructed cheesecake recipe that is all about the mellow flavor of farm cheese and the summer-sweetness of strawberries. Get the recipe.

— Head photo: The Kitchn.

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Butter Buds: Dairy Flavors Resource

The applications lab supports customers, brokers, distributors and the Butter Buds® sales staff with a variety services.

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Mint and Lime Mojito

We can wax on about the glory of the mojito – this perfect concoction of rum, mint, sugar, lime juice, and sparkling water — but I’m guessing you won’t need a lot of convincing in that regard.

Instead, let’s discuss the building of the mojito, which in my opinion, is what distinguishes a “good” mojito from a “truly incredible” mojito.

Continue reading "Mint and Lime Mojito" »

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Oatmega Grass-Fed Whey Protein Cookies

Oatmega's grass-fed whey protein cookies offer consumers a fun new way to mix up their protein routine.

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House Of Tsang Thai Curry Sauces

The varieties of curry sauces joins the House of Tsang® product portfolio, which includes a variety of stir-fry and dipping sauces and cooking oils

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Natalie's Carrot Ginger Turmeric Juice

A first of its kind in the fresh juice marketplace, Natalie’s Fresh Carrot Ginger Turmeric Juice contains only 4 ingredients: Carrots, Apples, Ginger and Turmeric.

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Grilled Korean Bulgogi Burgers With Kimchi Mayo and Pickled Daikon

When we want the flavors of Korean bulgogi (grilled marinated beef) and the convenient outdoor grilling method of a burger, there's an easy solution: combine them. By sticking with a classic burger patty, glazing it with a flavorful sauce, and stacking it with spicy kimchi mayo and pickled daikon radish, you can keep the best of both worlds without offending culinary purists. Get Recipe!

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Sandwich Bros. All Natural Flatbread Pockets

Sandwich Bros. is updating its packaging in an evolutionary approach to ensure it’s recognizable to its loyal consumers.

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Kashi Embraces Clear Sourcing in a Clean Label World

A 13-year veteran in R&D, ingredient sourcing and supply chain at Kellogg’s and Kashi, Owens speaks knowledgably about how ingredient sourcing issues now play a much more dynamic, visible role in new product development.

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