Buffalo Chicken French Dip

I knew this sandwich was going to be good, but I just didn’t know how good. Wow! This sandwich exceeded my expectations by far. In just one bite you get all of the flavors out of that classic Buffalo Wing appetizer; chicken, blue cheese, sauce, and even celery, but with out all, well–some of the mess. The fact that the chicken isn’t fried and that there is very little butter in the sauce makes my arteries a little happier. O.K., who I am kidding. I’ll just make up for the loss of calories and fat in a little dessert afterwards.

If I owned a sports bar and grill, I would put these on the menu STAT.But, if you are like me and you enjoy being in the comfort of your own home during sporting events, especially when the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers go head to head for a Super Bowl bid this Sunday, then I really think this would be the perfect sandwich to serve for your party.

I roasted my own chicken, but a store bought rotisserie chicken will save you time. I made my own Ciabatta rolls, but a good sturdy french roll will do. Just don’t use a soft roll because it will get soggy in the sauce. I also recommend using a good quality wedge blue cheese. The pre-crumbled cheese lacks in flavor. Assemble the sandwiches, slice them in half and plate them with a small dish of the dipping sauce and let your family and friends dip in and cheer on the home team–Go Bears!

Oh, and about that dessert? Stayed tuned for a classic…

Buffalo Chicken French Dip

Prep: 20 minsCook: 5 minsAssemble Time: 5 minsTotal: 30 mins Servings: 6 Two classic foods are turned into one amazing sandwich!

Ingredients 

• 6 Ciabatta or French rolls, spliced in half horizontally and lightly buttered on each cut side
• 1 Romaine heart, washed, rinsed and torn into into bite-size pieces
• 1 (3 ½-4 pound chicken), roasted and meat shredded into large pieces
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ¾ cup celery, finely diced
• 1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 (5 ounce) bottle of Frank's hot sauce
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. Set the oven rack to the highest position and turn on the broiler. In a medium saucepan, bring the hot sauce, broth, and butter to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, blue cheese, and lemon juice.
3. Place the rolls buttered side up on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until lightly browned and toasted. Remove the rolls from the oven and evenly spread the blue cheese mixture on each top and bottom halve. Place a handful of lettuce on the bottom halves and top with shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper then place on the top portion of the roll. Slice in half and serve with the warm dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 927kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 83g, Fat: 48g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 253mg, Sodium: 1597mg, Potassium: 801mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1993IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 84mg, Iron: 15mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.