game day food | cookingonthebrightside

I have been a burger-like mood lately. I mean way more than usual. The delicious burger I shared last week is great – but obviously, like I said, more of a “cheat day” type meal.

Lucky for you, this week’s post is still a between-the-buns offering, but is more on the healthy side. Best news? Perfect for a game day gathering – which is majorly important now that football is upon us (Woo hoo!). These savory sliders are easy to prep ahead of time, pop in the oven and during a time out, dress them up and plate them!

I had some ground chicken to use and I can only imagine your surprise that it didn’t go towards buffalo something or other. Instead, I added some sautéed onions and marinara sauce that keep the patties from drying out while cooking. I’ve done this as a dinner for two with some crispy zucchini chips as a side, and have also done a big batch for a larger gathering – easy to customize for any size group!

Chicken Parm Sliders (Makes 8 sliders / 5 WW points per slider)

2 tsp. olive oil

3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped.

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 pound ground chicken (I usually opt for ground chicken breast – leaner)

1/2 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan

1 Tbsp. bread crumbs (I use whole wheat crumbs if possible)

1 cup Prego Light Smart sauce, divided

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

8 whole wheat slider buns

1/2 cup reduced-fat mozzarella, shredded

Fresh basil leaves for topping

Spray butter (I use “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” spray)

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onions and Italian seasoning and saute for 3-5 minutes until onions are softened.

In a medium bowl, add ground chicken, half of the Prego sauce, grated parmesan, sautéed onions, bread crumbs, salt and peppers. Mix together by hand until ingredients are dispersed evenly. Form into 8 small patties. Line a plate with wax paper and add patties. Cover and chill at least 20 minutes to ensure binding.

When you’re ready to cook, remove patties. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and cook at 375 for 15 minutes. Flip and cook another 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Remove patties from the oven.

Add a cooked patty to the bottom half of each slider bun. (I also spray the top halves and put them in next to the patties to let them toast a little.)Top with about 1 Tbsp. of shredded mozzarella. Add 1 Tbsp. Prego sauce from the remaining 1/2 cup. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted slightly. Top with a basil leaf and bun.

Then, well, you know what to do…

Have a great weekend y’all!

Sooo, here’s the thing about our ~~not-so~~ major DIY project:

I have zero patience.

As in, I am annoyed that it’s not just done. As in, I found myself wanting to just stay home from work in order to get stuff done at home. Pesky jobs. You know, other than funding the project.

The good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Which is good considering we’re throwing a party in 2 weeks and well, the half bath is kind of crucial for that type of event.

I am loving watching everything come together and to see the fixtures and miscellaneous items we’ve ordered arrive. I always panic when I pick out things that aren’t “meant” to go together – like at my wedding, thought I had a theme in my head but was so freaked out it would just look like a bunch of random crap. It did not. So I think I need to have a little faith in myself. And my husband. And vice versa. *Wink wink.*

Luckily we have lights on for now and barring a few more hours of allowing paint to try, we should have lights from here on out – which is fantastic for my sanity! It means I don’t have to come home and chop and prep like a mad woman with the daylight hours waning.

So obviously, that means we need to celebrate. And you know how we celebrate on this blog, right? Buffalo chicken.

I figured if my buffalo chicken tacos turned out to be a hit, these had to be. Y’all. They are delicious – I highly suggest them for a delicious dinner the next time you just want to park on your couch and watch a big game. Super easy and they do not take long to throw together. I know you might think I’m ashamed of my love for all the buffalo things – but I’m not. Not even a little.

Give these a try and let me know what you think!

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas (5 WW pts. per enchilada)

5 whole wheat and/or high fiber tortillas

1 cup shredded chicken breast

1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

2 green onions, chopped

1 medium stalk celery, chopped

1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce

1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

1/3 cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, mix together enchilada sauce with 1/3 cup hot sauce. Adjust as your heat tolerance dictates.

Mix cheeses together in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix shredded chicken with 1/4 cup shredded cheese, green onions, celery, 2 Tbsp. hot sauce and about 1 Tbsp. of the enchilada sauce mixture.

Add a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish.

Add 2-3 Tbsp. chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll lengthwise and fold ends under and place seam-side down in the casserole dish. When all of the tortillas are filled, pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Add remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with blue cheese and cook another 5-7 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted…yeah baby.

Add to your plate…

And of course, devour.

Have a great weekend y’all!

cookingonthebrightside

Adventures in Eating, Drinking and Being Mary

Tag Archives: game day food

Chicken Parm Sliders

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas