Buffalo Chicken Chili

Buffalo Chicken Chili

If you love the flavor of buffalo chicken, you'll have to try this easy buffalo chicken chili! I started with a recipe I found on Pinterest, but the version below is the one I that made.

You will need:

• 1 pound of ground chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 half of a diced onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 15 oz diced tomatoes
• 15 oz canned white beans (drained)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups of hot sauce
• cheese for topping (bleu cheese, feta, cheddar)(optional)
• sour cream (optional)

To make this chili, cook the ground chicken. Add the oil to a pot, along with the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking them for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, and beans. Stir in the chicken broth and hot sauce, and let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, until hot. Top with your choice of cheese or toppings, and enjoy!

This a great twist on chicken chili, with a kick of spicy buffalo wing flavor!

Try it in the crockpot!

You may also enjoy:

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Spicy Hummus & Parmesan Chicken

Black Bottom Cupcakes (Gluten Free!)

Sometimes, the strangest food combinations actually go together, and combine to make something amazing, like chips on sandwiches, or cupcakes with bacon. Enter one of the most deliciously strange food combinations of all, chocolate and cheese, and you have the black bottom cupcake.

There are plenty of black bottom cupcake recipes to be found on the internet, but I decided to take a traditional recipe, and attempt to make it gluten free. It has been three months since I gave up gluten, and with Easter occurring in two days, it was important to me to have a recipe that would be safe to eat, without tasting "off" to the friends and family I would be sharing it with.

You will need:

For the cream cheese topping:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 to 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the cake bottom:

• 1 & 1/2 cups of gluten free all purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup of cocoa
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the cheese topping together, and set aside.

Mix the xanthan gum in with the olive oil until dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients for the cake bottom, and mix until smooth. Pour the cake batter into greased muffin tin (I used muffin cups), filling each cup about halfway. Top with a scoop of the cheese mixture, and bake for 25 minutes.

This recipe makes 18 regular sized cupcakes, and they are amazing!

You may also be interested in:

Breakfast Muffins (Bacon, egg, cheese, sausage)

Easy Macaroni & Cheese

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

This chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe is a very filling dinner dish that is great served hot, or cold leftover the next day.

Note: this recipe is not gluten free as written, so be sure to substitute the flour and pasta for a gluten free variety if you are avoiding gluten!

You will need:

• 13 ounces of pasta
• 12 ounces of chicken
• Bacon (approximately 10 strips)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter

Cook your chicken thoroughly, and cut into bite sized pieces (or you can use precooked chicken if you wish). Cut up your bacon into smaller pieces and cook with the butter until crispy.

Cook the noodles as instructed on the package.

Add the chicken, flour, ranch, milk, and cheddar cheese to the pan with the bacon, and cook over medium-high heat until all ingredients are blended and the cheese has melted. Pour the sauce over the noodles and mix everything together. Serve topped with parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!

This chicken bacon ranch pasta recipe is very filling, but also really good, and the leftovers are an easy lunch, because this pasta tastes great (maybe even better!) cold.

You may also enjoy:
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Easy Mac and Cheese

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Buffalo Chicken Tacos

These buffalo chicken tacos are extremely easy to make! Prep time is 10-15 minutes.

You will need:

• 6 crunchy taco shells
• 12 ounces shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing (can use bleu cheese if desired)
• Shredded cheddar or other cheese of your choice
• Cole slaw (you can find this with the pre-packaged salad in your grocery store)

Mix the chicken together with the hot sauce and ranch dressing in a small bowl. Arrange your taco shells on a baking sheet, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Fill the taco shells with shredded chicken, and top with cheddar cheese.

The stand up taco shells will be much easier for this, because at least one of the regular taco shells will fall over. However, if you have the regular taco shells, just be sure to stuff the cheese back in if they tip over. Bake the shells for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Add the cole slaw to the tacos, and enjoy!

The cole slaw adds a nice crunch to the taco, and offsets the spiciness of the chicken, while baking it all together not only heats up the chicken, but melts the cheese on top to help hold the contents together. That way, when you bite into your taco, it doesn't crack apart into so many pieces!


  You may also enjoy:
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas
Breakfast Muffins: All the Best Parts of Breakfast in One Little Cupcake!

Spicy Hummus & Parmesan Chicken

This recipe was so easy. I am always looking for ways to use chicken breasts in recipes, and this was a great way to use some leftover hummus!

You will need:

• 4 chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
• Approx. 4 tbsp hummus
• Paprika
• Lime or lemon juice
• Grated parmesan
• Parsley

For this recipe, I used a spicy hummus. If you have a regular hummus on hand, try mixing in some cayenne pepper to taste. While it definitely had a kick, this recipe is not too spicy, but it has a great flavor!


To start, arrange the chicken breasts in a baking dish or pan. While I used a baking pan (as you will see in pictures), I recommend using a smaller dish, where the chicken pieces will be closer together. This is because the hummus may melt while in the oven, and a smaller dish will help prevent it from sliding off of the chicken.

Cover your chicken breasts with the hummus. Be very careful not to dip the spoon used to press the hummus on the raw chicken back into the tub of hummus. If your spoon touches the raw chicken, and ends up back in the tub of hummus, do not eat what is left over.



Squeeze a few spritzes of your lemon or lime juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with paprika, and cover with a generous helping of grated parmesan. Finish with a sprinkle of parsley.

Cook the chicken in an oven preheated to 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 30 minutes worked for my frozen chicken, so if your chicken is not frozen, it should be finished in about twenty minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy! I served this with a side of quinoa pasta with alfredo and a mix of vegetables.



You may also be interested in:
Breakfast Muffins: All the Best Parts of Breakfast in One Little Cupcake! (gluten free/low carb)
Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas (gluten free/low carb)

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Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas

Tortillas were definitely off the table (literally and figuratively) when I decided to try a gluten free diet. Crunchy tacos seemed to be the only option, especially when my first and only attempt at soft tacos using corn tortillas was definitely not up to standard.

When I made my most recent grocery list, I casually browsed for another substitute item, prepared to risk another "sort of palatable" dinner. I found tortillas made of brown rice, which had mostly positive reviews. The only negative feedback was that they, like many other gluten free tortilla options, tended to get "crispy" or crumbly if the temperature was too cool. My reasoning for purchasing them was that I could use the brown rice tortillas for quesadillas, since the tortillas could remain flat (and not folded, which poses a problem with crumbly tortillas) and, since quesadillas are cooked on the stove, who cares if the quesadilla is a little "crispy"?!

You can use whichever tortillas you like, but, if you are on a gluten free eating plan, I highly recommend that you give this recipe a try.

Easy, Zesty Chicken Taco Quesadillas

(two servings)

You will need:

• 4 tortillas
• 12 oz. shredded chicken
• Taco seasoning to taste (about 1/2 of 1.25 oz packet)
• 1 & 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• Salsa & toppings as desired

To start, mix your shredded chicken in a bowl with the seasoning. I just used a pre-cooked can, but with a little extra prep time, you can cook and shred your own. Mix the seasoning well, making sure to coat all of the chicken, and avoiding clumps of seasoning.

Next, get your tortillas ready. If you are using regular wheat tortillas, you are probably all set.

If you are using gluten free tortillas, they may be frozen to start. Lay them flat between two paper towels (keeping another paper towel or wax paper between them) and microwave them for 30-60 seconds until warm. 

Next, layer cheese, the seasoned chicken, and another layer of cheese between the tortillas. Lightly coat a frying pan in non-stick cooking spray, and turn the stove to medium heat. Gently place your quesadilla in the pan, and cook until the cheese is mostly melted, for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the bottom tortilla! Using a spatula, gently flip the quesadilla, and cook the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes. 

Repeat the process for the next tortilla. Slice the finished quesadillas into pieces with a pizza cutter, serve with salsa and toppings, and enjoy!

You may also be interested in:

Low Carb & Gluten Free Pizza

Easy Mac & Cheese

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Tomato Pesto Bites

Sometimes, looking for a snack leads to an impromptu recipe using whatever ingredients can be found in the refrigerator. This recipe is great for when you want a snack, but don't want (or have) chips or the "typical" snack foods.

Plus, it's easy to make, gluten free, and low carb!

You will need:

• Medium tomato, approx. one per person
• Ricotta cheese
• Pesto
• Shredded mozzarella
• Bacon (cooked)
• Ground basil (optional)

To make, slice the tomatoes into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Because you will be picking them up to eat them, you don't want the tomato slices to fall apart, or the ingredients to fall through. Layer pesto, ricotta, and mozzarella on top of the slices. Top with a piece of bacon, and garnish with basil.

This makes a low calorie and surprisingly filling snack, which could also serve as an appetizer!

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Easy Mac & Cheese (With Gluten Free Option)

Macaroni and cheese is quite possibly one of my favorite foods, and this recipe is one that can easily be made gluten free if needed. In fact, it's pretty easy to make overall!

Ingredients:

• Noodles of your choice (I used one 13 oz box of regular wheat penne, and about half of an 8 oz. box of gluten free quinoa noodles)
• One 8 oz cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 fat)
• 2 cups of shredded cheese of your choice (recommended that you use mostly cheddar, but feel free to mix it up!)
• 3 tbsp flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free)
• 1/2-1 tsp of ground cayenne pepper, depending on your preference
• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 2 cups of milk (I used skim in the recipe)

Boil and strain the noodles according to the package directions. In a medium pan add butter/olive oil and cream cheese. It is helpful to cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces before tossing it into the pan, if you are using an 8 ounce block. Cook this on medium-high heat for a few minutes to soften the cream cheese further.

Add the milk slowly, and the flour and cayenne pepper. Mix ingredients to continue melting the cream cheese. When the mixture is smooth, add your shredded cheese. Continue cooking and stirring until you have a creamy cheese sauce.

Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles, and you're finished!

Using the amount of ingredients listed for the cheese sauce, I had just enough for 15-16 oz of noodles. If you are gluten free, you will likely only need to swap out the flour and noodles for gluten free options. The cheese sauce tastes no different with gluten free flour as opposed to regular white flour, which is great if you, like me, are cooking for a household where not everyone else is avoiding gluten.

Wheat noodles, and gluten free macaroni & cheese!

The overall cooking time is 15-20 minutes, making a meal that is quick and delicious!

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Low Carb (and Gluten free!) Pizza

I've been gluten free for about a month now, and it really is not as hard as I thought it would be! For this pizza, I used the "No Dough Pizza" recipe pinned to my Pinterest board (don't forget to follow me!).

For the crust, the recipe calls for garlic powder, cream cheese, parmesan, and black pepper. I didn't have any black pepper, so I didn't use it, and it turned out just fine. Also, I used 1/3 fat cream cheese, and it was still great. The original author used full fat, but I can safely say that reduced fat works very well.

I also used a 9 x 13 inch baking pan instead of a dish. The crust doesn't rise enough to raise an issue, so if you have a smaller baking pan, feel free to use it!

Recipe:

Crust:
1 package of cream cheese (8 ounces)
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)

Mix ingredients and pour into greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until brown at the edges. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Top with sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice. Bake for 10 minutes.

The husband (who is not gluten free) loved it. It's important to note this crust is not "crunchy" or "crispy". It's essentially a thin quiche. But besides that, it's definitely a pizza! Plus, it's very filling. I could only eat one piece of it!

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