I would be a liar if I said I never craved junk food. The foods from days of yore, before I knew better, before my health declined, before I gained weight. Thankfully logic and common sense (and the threat of a super unhappy gut) keeps me from running out and eating the junkiest junk foods ever created, but this doesn’t mean that now and again I don’t think of it. Every so often I find myself fondly dreaming of those foods I used to indulge in.
The good news is, from these random cravings oftentimes I am inspired to create a healthier version of those old dishes.
Around here I find myself far more inclined to create dishes using seasonal produce. I want to inspire you to get creative, to find ways to introduce more healthy vegetables and fruit, to possibly look to foods you wouldn’t otherwise, inspiring meals you maybe wouldn’t have thought of. Nothing makes me happier. But on the rare occasions I recreate these old foods, I feel like it’s just as important to share these. If I am craving these flavors, surely I am not alone.
I grew up in Buffalo, NY. Special occasions, birthdays, graduations, Christmas eve, even visits to the hospitals, funerals, and the like – these are often celebrated (or not) with pizza and wings. It’s a Buffalo staple. It’s been a long time since I could just bust into the box of sheet pizza and go to town. Buffalo wings, oftentimes are likely gluten-free, but sometimes breaded or coatedthey are also just so loaded with grease, tons of butter (or butter-like flavor) and who knows what else. Beyond that, chicken fingers, which used to be my junk food jam, those are just as bad, if not worse. Oh by the way, speaking of foods I will never, ever, eat again, if you haven’t had a chicken finger sub in Buffalo, you haven’t lived.
Randomly last week I was craving Buffalo food. I was dreaming of Buffalo chicken anything, with just a smidgen of good blue cheese dressing. I wanted a sandwich and it was all I could think about. To know me, is to know how ridiculous this is. I don’t eat chicken that often and most days you’ll find me craving a huge salad or a big green smoothie. So, naturally I went with it. I thought about how I could recreate these flavors in a way that wouldn’t make me feel terrible. Something light, easy, grain-free and with dairy-free options.
Considering I can tolerate a small amount of goat’s and sheep’s milk dairy, I opted to make a quick blue cheese dressing myself. You drizzle a scant teaspoon on each little slider, if that, so it’s not all that bad. If you can’t tolerate dairy at all, I share several links at the bottom of this post for non-dairy ranch dressings, that would also be great.
Additionally, these sliders can be made with store-bought gluten-free sweet potato waffle fries OR simply sweet potato rounds. I opted for the waffle fries for fancier photos, but to be honest, I just as well prefer the rounds. Simple and I know what’s in them.
These tiny little bites have all the delicious Buffalo chicken flavors I remember from where I grew up, you get a crispy little sandwich without grains or other junk and the homemade blue cheese is top notch.
[print_this]Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Sliders
{grain-free / gluten-free with dairy-free options}
serves 4-6 (depends on how large you make them and if they are a snack or a meal)
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless organic (pasture-raised) chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)
- 1 cup Frank’s original hot sauce (or other hot sauce of your choice)
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, shredded
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or about 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (optional)
Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker. Dump the hot sauce over top, add the celery, carrots and garlic. Give it a stir. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.
Shred the chicken, add back to the slow cooker and if adding butter, add it now. Give it a good stir. Let cook another 20-30 minutes or so, while you prep the sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potato Sliders:
- 1 bag store-bought gluten-free sweet potato fries
OR
- 2-3 large sweet potatoes, cut into rounds or waffle cut, using a mandoline slicer
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
If using store-bought sweet potato waffle fries, cook according to package directions. If making your own sweet potato rounds, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/4 – 1/2-inch thick rounds. Lightly grease with olive oil on both sides. Season with a little salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, roast for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Roast for less time if they are waffle cut. Cook until tender and slightly crispy on the edges.
To Assemble:
Top each sweet potato round or fry with a small spoonful of the shredded Buffalo Chicken. Top with a light drizzle of blue cheese or ranch dressing (see below). Top with another sweet potato round or fry. Take a toothpick and stick it down the center. Voila!
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 2-3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I used sheep’s milk Roquefort)
- 1/4 cup yogurt (I used goat’s milk)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I went with homemade)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well to combine. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
[/print_this]For Dairy-free/Egg-free Dressing Options Try One of These:
Vegan Raw Ranch Dressing from The Blender Girl
Green Goddess Ranch Dressing from Nosh and Nourish
Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream from With Food + Love
NOTES: I used Alexia Sweet Potato Waffle Fries for these photos. While they are non-GMO, I don’t personally love the ingredient list, so I wouldn’t run around promoting them. I like fresh sweet potato rounds, myself. That said, for a once in a while treat, these work quite great. (Thanks to Alex Thomopoulos for the idea)
7 Responses
I just stumbled upon your blog while searching for dairy-free vegan recipes. I live just outside of Buffalo and was recently put on a restrictive diet. No meat, no dairy, no wheat, no peanuts, no legumes. I’m on the first week and feeling stressed about what I can actually eat. I’ve been searching your archives and have a nice list of what I can cook & eat later this week. And then I saw your post from today where you said you’re originally from Buffalo! Definitely going to have to try this recipe as I have such a hankering for all the bad, truly Buffalo foods.
Oh my goodness these look amazing! I love buffalo flavored everything, and the addition of shredded veggies just makes it that much better! I’m making this very soon.
Using a mandoline to make waffle fries? Such a great cooking tip! Thanks for sharing.
Hey, Dmitri – thanks for checking in. Sounds like you have some great peppers growing. I’ve order from Pepper Joe in the past and had success. We have a garden area in our backyard but we also grow in pots, staring indoors. It takes a bit more care in the pots because they can dry out more quickly. Keep the soil a bit moist but do;#28&17nt overwater. Just be careful not to let them dry out and shrivel, and keep them with PLENTY of sun. Let me know how they turn out!
In case you wondered if me salivating like a rabid dog is attractive, it’s not. But that’s kind of the effect that’s going on over here because give me all the buffalo’d errrthang. Seriously so yum, Beth! And go you for indulging a craving. Makes ya human. 😉
I grew up in Buffalo too and my first stop once I arrived was to get a chicken finger sub. I wholeheartedly agree that you haven’t lived if you haven’t had one. You have combined 2 things I love; sweet potatoes and Buffalo. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
YUM! I know this will be a crowd pleaser with friends.
Also, thank you for using the frozen fries and keeping it real. oxoxo