Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

First of all, I LOVE chicken in the crockpot!  It makes for such delicious tasting chicken and it’s so easy.  This recipe from Skinnytaste is for a lightened up version of potato skins.  I made these as part of an appetizer dinner a few weeks ago.  I love finding recipes for traditionally unhealthy appetizers that are made over into something that you don’t feel guilty eating.  Skinnytaste has this delicious recipe for low-fat homemade blue cheese dressing.  I didn’t use it when I made these potato skins, but have made it in the past… check it out!

Servings:  12

Size:  1 potato skin

Points Plus: 3pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3-4 hours (buffalo chicken), 25 minutes (potato skins)

Ingredient List:

Chicken-

12 oz. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 stalk of celery, diced

½ medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

16 oz. chicken broth

1/3 cup hot sauce (Frank’s brand is great!)

Potato Skins –

6 medium russet potatoes

12 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese, reduced-fat

½ cup carrots, sliced into matchsticks

½ cup celery, sliced into matchsticks

¼ cup light blue cheese dressing

Directions:

Get out your crockpot – one of my favorite kitchen tools!  Add the chicken breasts, celery, onion, garlic and broth making sure you have enough broth to cover the top of the chicken.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.  Once the chicken is done cooking, remove from the crockpot and shred with two forks.  Save about ½ cup of the broth mixture.  Discard the remaining broth.  Place the shredded chicken, reserved broth and hot sauce back in the crockpot and stir until well mixed.  Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes (this is really just to get the buffalo flavor to settle into your chicken and to keep it warm). 

Cook the potatoes, either by microwave or by oven (you will save time in the microwave!), making sure to pierce each potato with a fork to allow the steam to come through.  Allow the potatoes to cool after you have finished cooking to make it easier to make them into potato skins  Slice the potatoes in half horizontally and scoop out the filling leaving about ¼ inch wall of potato in each potato skin.  Preheat the oven to 450°.  Season the potato skins with salt and pepper.  Bake potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil for about 10 minutes.  Add two Tbsp. of buffalo chicken and one Tbsp. shredded cheddar to each potato skin.  Pop them back in the oven to cook for a few minutes or until the cheese melts.  To assemble, add 1 tsp. light blue cheese dressing and a sprinkle of carrot and celery matchsticks on top.  Serve immediately!

Tip:

If you have a lot on your party menu, making the buffalo chicken ahead of time would be a great time saver!  The chicken will keep in the fridge so you could even make it the day before if need be.

XOXO Megan