~ Buffalo-Style Shredded Chicken 'n Slaw Sliders ~

In case you haven't heard, Buffalo wings were created at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, late one night in 1964, when Frank and Teresa Bellisimo needed some pub grub for the last of that evening's customers.  Teresa sauced the now iconic deep-fried chicken wings with a concoction of Frank's RedHot sauce and melted butter which became just as famous as the wings.  By the 1980's, Buffalo wing sauce was being applied to a whole host of other food creations too:

"Buffalo" chicken dip, "Buffalo" chicken quesadillas, "Buffalo" chicken salad (one of my personal favorites), "Buffalo" chicken pizza, "Buffalo" popcorn chicken and shrimp, and, "Buffalo" chicken fingers, nuggets and fries.  If it's got "Buffalo" in the name, it's got Buffalo sauce in it, on it, or alongside it. There are even "Buffalo"-flavored potato chips (kind of fake tasting and not one of my favorites).

My Buffalo chicken sliders are a recipe I spun-off the shredded chicken topping I use to make Buffalo chicken pizza.  Topped with my easy-to-make ~ Buffalo-Style Blue-Cheese & Celery "Slider Slaw" ~ they were an instant hit with my football-watching family:

5  cups store-bought coleslaw mix (10 ounces)

1 1/4  cups crumbled blue cheese

1  cup diced celery (4 ounces)

3/4  cup diced scallion (4 ounces)

1/2  teaspoon celery seed

10-12  tablespoons chunky-style blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing, your choice

1-2 tablespoons Frank's RedHot Wing Sauce, not Frank's RedHot

^^^ Prep, place and mix all of the ingredients together in a big bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

For my tender, all-white-meat shredded buffalo-style chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders, about 10 tenders

3/4  cup prepared Frank's RedHot Wing Sauce, not Franks RedHot, or your favorite brand of wing sauce

1  quart cold water, for poaching chicken tenders

1  tablespoon sea salt, for poaching chicken tenders 

3/4  cup very-thinly sliced scallions, white and green part only (Note:  Yellow or sweet onion can be substituted for scallions in both the slaw and the chicken filling.)

8  ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, about 2 cups

12, 2 1/2"-3" round or square slider-sized rolls (Note:  Those pictured in this post are King's Hawaiian brand.) 

~Step 1.  Place tenders in a 3 1/2-quart chef's pan, then add the water and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Adjust heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover pan and cook until soft and tender, 30 minutes.  While chicken is simmering, slice the scallions, grate the Jack cheese, and set both aside.  Remove chicken from heat, drain into a colander, and allow to cool until you can handle them with your hands, about 15 minutes.  Using your fingertips break chicken in chunks, then pull it into small bite-sized bits and pieces, placing it in a medium bowl as you work.

~Step 2.  Add the 1/2 cup of scallions and 1/2 cup of the Jack cheese to the pulled chicken. Using two forks or two spoons, toss like you would a salad, to thoroughly combine.  Add the Buffalo wing sauce and toss again, making sure that everything is completely coated in sauce. 

Top each slider w/1/3-1/2 cup meat filling & 1/3-1/2 cup slaw:

Buffalo-Style Shredded Chicken 'n Slaw Sliders:  Recipe yields 5-6 cups chicken filling and 5-6 cups slaw and 12 slider sandwiches.

Special Equipment List:  3 1/2-quart chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid; colander; cutting board; chef's knife;  hand-held box grater

Cook's Note: ~ Frank's-Style Buffalo-Style Wing Sauce ~ can be found on store shelves everywhere. That said, it's super-easy to make at home, and, because it's made with real-deal melted butter (instead of butter flavoring) it tastes better too. To get my recipe, click into Categories 1, 8, 17 or 20.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2016)

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