Sweet Heat Buffalo Chicken Breasts

My Adventurous Daughter loves all things spicy.  She especially loves buffalo wings.  However, she's not a fan of the bones.  It's hard to get around those tiny bones and there's not much meat there.  So, I thought why not make whole chicken breasts with buffalo sauce.  Duh!  You get that great spicy flavor, but a lot more meat. I added some cane syrup to give the heat a little sweet.  Yum!

*Note:  I only made 2 chicken breasts because my Pickiest Eater Ever Son and Old School Italian Husband do not like spicy.


SWEET HEAT BUFFALO CHICKEN BREASTS

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt/pepper
Louisiana Buffalo sauce (I like Crystal Brand)
Pure dark cane syrup (I like Steen's. You could substitute honey)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish.  Place chicken breasts in baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.

Pour some buffalo sauce over the chicken, enough to cover.  The more you use, the spicier they will be.

We went heavy on the buffalo sauce.  Next, drizzle some cane syrup on top, as much or as little as you like.

Return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, depending on thickness (until the chicken is cooked through).

Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.  I like to serve this with ranch flavored pasta salad.

This chicken comes out so tender (the vinegar in the buffalo sauce tenderizes it).  The mixture of the heat from the sauce and the sweet from the cane syrup is just delicious.  If your a buffalo wing fan, this one's a must-try for you!

Buffalo Baked Chicken

Just about everyone likes buffalo wings.  Delicious flavor, crispy skin, tender meat, yum!  That was the inspiration for this simple supper.  And, SURPRISE, my pickiest eater ever son loved it!  Woohoo, mom win!  Here's how you make it:

BUFFALO BAKED CHICKEN

Bone-in chicken thighs (you can use legs, too)
Salt/pepper
Louisiana hot sauce (I like Crystal brand)
Butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Meanwhile, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Rub a little (or a lot) hot sauce into the chicken.  Massage it a little so it gets all over the chicken (under the skin, too).  Let the chicken sit a while (your preheating the oven anyway).

Cut butter into thin pats.  Place one pat on top of each piece of chicken.  This will help with the flavor and help crisp the skin.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

The chicken is crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.  Plus it makes a delicious little "sauce" on the bottom of the pan.  Spoon this over the chicken to make it truly decadent.  If you like things really spicy, add a lot of hot sauce.  If not, just use a little.  It will give it a wonderful flavor without being too hot to handle.  This one is definitely a keeper.  Anytime my pickiest eater ever son comments not once, not twice, but three times that he likes a dish, it becomes part of the repertoire.  (And I smile the smile of a truly happy Mom)