I have always called these tiny sandwiches Buffalo Chicken Sliders, but over the weekend we decided to change the name to Quarterback Chicken Sliders. First, because they are perfect game day food and who doesn’t like a quarterback? Second, because the more I thought about it, I realized you can make these with just about any of your favorite sauces.  Buffalo, Barbeque, Sweet and Sour, Lime-Ginger, Tonkatsu (for an Asian flare), just to name a few of the ones I think would be great for these. The following recipe is for the buffalo sauce option, but you would just follow the same directions, substituting the sauce for something different.

They are very easy to make and can be served up alongside any of your other favorite game day foods. These ‘tiny sandwiches of goodness’ get rave reviews around my house and are asked for again and again. I hope you will try them and love them too.

** To make these Gluten-free you can eliminate the flour altogether and only use the Corn Starch in your batter; or you can use something like Bob’s Red Mill A/P Flour, which can be found in a lot of grocery or health food stores. Whole Foods also carries a variety of gluten free buns, or you can eat the chicken by itself and forget the buns altogether. Texas Pete’s Wing Sauce is also Gluten-free.

Quarterback Chicken Sliders

• oil, for frying
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (we love Texas Pete’s), plus more for topping sandwiches
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cut these like I am going to butterfly them, but just cut them all the way through so that each piece is not very thick and they cook more evenly. You will end up with 8 breast pieces)
• salt and black pepper, you can add what you want according to your taste
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup corn starch
• 24 small buns, you can use any kind you prefer, fresh are better (I have used fresh dinner rolls, water rolls or Kings Hawaiian Rolls)
• Blue Cheese dressing (or Ranch if you prefer)
• Optional ingredients: blue cheese crumbles, tomato slices, lettuce, celery, pickles

If you aren’t cooking for a big crowd, you could cut the recipe in half. This yields 24.

Cut the chicken breasts into thirds. I can usually get about 3 pieces out of each breast I use so I end up with 24 pieces.

In a medium-size bowl, using a whisk, beat the eggs with the hot sauce until well blended. In another medium bowl, mix the flour, corn starch, and salt and pepper until well combined (I use a whisk for this too). Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture. Then repeat this step again so that your chicken has a nice thick coating on it.

In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350 degrees F. Fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until juice is clear and chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from pan/deep fryer and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Put the chicken on the buns and then top with crumbled blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, lettuce tomato, pickles…whatever your heart desires!

This time we served them up with Black Bean Salsa served in Scoops and with celery and blue cheese dressing.