Football season is right around the corner. I can’t tell you how excited I am about cheering on my favorite teams, playing Fantasy Football and eating all the foods.
I love getting together with friends during football weekends, and these tailgate inspired buffalo chicken poppers are everything you ever wanted. These are only 3 SmartPoints for about 6 poppers.
When you are cheering on your favorite team with your friends and family, remember to eat. And please remember that eating delicious food doesn’t mean you have to kill your diet or your daily points.
You can still eat all the foods and stay within your points. How, you ask? Well, by making these buffalo chicken poppers for starters.
Below are some more tips and tricks to making sure you kill that tailgate like it’s your job.
I know that traditional tailgate food isn’t always the best for you.
It’s no secret that some of the best dips and snacks are packed with cheese-y goodness and calories, but don’t go into a party unprepared. Here are some tips for you guys.
How to master that tailgate even if you are working on losing weight:
- Make these buffalo chicken poppers so that you can eat something with buffalo sauce that isn’t a chicken wing.
- Either make or bring hummus or guacamole. Prep some veggies to use as your dippers instead of chips.
- If you use tortilla chips for salsa, make sure to count them out.
- Switch to a low-calorie beer to save yourself some calories (if that matters to you).
- If you have sweet tooth like me, bring some chocolate chips (count them out ahead of time) while others eat the cupcakes, brownies or cake. Indulge a little bit, but stay within your limits.
- You can always bring popcorn as well for a snack and pop it at the tailgate (if it’s at someone’s house).
I know that using the above tips can be a challenge, and you will be tempted. But it’s best to go into a tailgate as prepared as you can be.
Yes, some prep is involved, but there are lower calorie options out there that you can use instead.
You might not be able to have the spinach and artichoke dip, or the 7 layer dip, but you can still have a great time and get plenty of food.
Tailgate Inspired Buffalo Chicken Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 3 Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, buffalo wing sauce and feta cheese. Mix together. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs and set aside.
- Using your hands, create about 20-24 small balls. Coat each buffalo chicken ball with the panko and set on a cookie sheet that's been sprayed with olive oil spray. Repeat until all the buffalo chicken balls are coated in panko.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
These were so good. So easy and tasty too. And I just love feta. It’s one of my favorite cheeses.
These look insanely delicious. You had me at feta :-]
Thanks Emelia, they are so good. Trust me on that.
Thank you Brandi! I am worried about it too. I feel like this just starts the whole problem seasons (Halloween – hello candy, Thanksgiving, Christmas). I’m hoping to stay on plan as well this weekend (and all of football season for that matter). We can do it!
Sounds good! They weren’t that bad to make (making the balls was the hardest part). But it was fairly easy, so don’t worry. You can totally do it!
Oh wow these sound great, I’ll definitely have to try these out!
Recipe printed! I have been worrying about tailgate season since July, so we shall see how Saturday goes (it will be helpful to have these 🙂 ) I am going to do my absolute best to stay on plan and also remember not to beat myself up if I go over…it is not the end of the world and I have my weekly points!
This will absolutely be made in my house. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂