Being healthy does not mean deprivation.
One crucial thing I had to learn during my initial 130 lb weight loss journey… was how not to deprive myself. I had to find a way to satisfy the cravings I had while still “eating healthy”. I loved nachos, cookies, cake, ice cream, candy bars, 7 layer dip, buffalo chicken wings… the works. Classic “fat kid” and “drunk college kid” food, right? So when my wife told me she was gonna make a low-fat buffalo chicken dip…
Yes – LOW-FAT Buffalo Chicken DIP
She literally just came up with it one day. An idea turned to trial & error turned to delicious reality. With the Super Bowl LITERALLY tomorrow… you may be in a position where maybe you’re hosting a party and want to provide something relatively healthy. Maybe you’re ATTENDING a party and… well… want to actually have something you’re going to EAT. YOU, sir or madam, are in luck.
This recipe is ridiculously easy to make.
It almost feels silly assembling a full-on recipe like this… but here it is.
Tools:
- Oven
- Assorted cooking utensils (spoons, spatulas, etc) & measuring devices(dry and liquid)
- Large mixing bowl
- Shallow oven-safe dish (casserole dish, pyrex, etc – there’s some personal preference here, see procedure step 5)
- Electric Hand-Mixer
Ingredients:
- 16 Oz. Fat-Free Sour Cream
- 10 oz Reduced-Fat Crumbled Bleu Cheese
- 24 Oz. Fat-Free Cream Cheese
- 1 Cup Frank’s Red Hot (original)
- 2 Cups Boneless, Skinless Chicken
Procedure:
Bake The Chicken. (Honestly, wasn’t exactly prepared to give instructions on how to bake chicken. I tend to do it quick & dirty, just throw it on a broiler pan or cookie sheet at 350 or 400 and take it out when it’s “done”. Yes, I realize this is SOOOO not the best way, and it might end up a little dry… but honestly… I’m lazy. I’m thinking, though, that maybe a “hey I CAN cook” basics post is in order. If that does come down the road… I’ll edit this post to include it. For now… Sorry… I’m sure you can hack it baking the chicken. *NOTE* – any additional fat you use baking the chicken will not factor in to this recipe. Do math.)- Shred the chicken. Honestly, this is kind of a preference thing, but the way Megan did it the first time around was shredding the chicken and I thought it was great. I’m sure you could cube it or do whatever you want… I’m sticking with shredded.
- Mix everything (but the chicken) together in a bowl. This way you don’t totally destroy the chicken. Use that electric hand mixer.
- Add the chicken. Try not to totally destroy it. Unless you want that. Then go for it. You might want to use a spatula or spoon or something for this part. Unless you shredded the chicken… then the hand mixer will work just fine.
- Bake at 350 for 20 – 35 min. This is where the personal preference comes into play. Depending on the size and depth of the dish you choose to bake in, the cook time will vary. Several shallower, smaller dishes may result in shorter cook times whereas a larger, deeper dish may take longer. Use your best judgement and check it to make sure it’s REALLY done.
- Enjoy your low-fat buffalo chicken dip! I don’t think I need to tell you… let it cool off a minute. Unless you like eating molten-hot lava… then go for it.
Nutrition Facts:
If you follow the recipe above, based on a 4 oz (half-cup) serving, you’ll end up with the below nutrition facts:
Hot Tips:
This recipe for low-fat buffalo chicken dip is going to produce a medium level of spiciness, though some may consider it mild. If you like it spicy, go ahead and dump in more Red Hot. Or add something a little more intense. Want more protein in there? Dump in some more chicken! You can tweak this around to suit you, but as long as you’re mostly following that recipe up top… it’s going to have the right taste and consistency. I strongly recommend you choose your dipping implement carefully. Find a nice whole wheat tortilla chip, or celery, or some other veggie. Make good choices.
Again, the serving size IS 4 oz (half-cup), but it’s only 120 calories and 2.5g fat, so even if you have 2 or *gasp* 3 servings… you’re still not going to become a whale. Just make good choices on the dipping implement and we’re set. ENJOY!
