game day recipes | The Artful Gourmet :: Food Stylist | Photographer | Blogger

The #Superbowl is only a couple days away and I’m so excited it’s in #Tampa this year! To celebrate game day, I decided to make these Keto Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders and oh my gosh, they are deeeeelish.

On FIRE, actually! (no pun intended).

My recipe is inspired by the famous Nashville Chicken invented by Prince’s Hot Chicken in #Nashville, Tennessee. Their hot and spicy fried chicken is breaded with lots of cayenne pepper incorporated into the batter and is topped with a fiery-hot spiced oil served with two slices of white bread and kosher dill pickles. You can also get it as a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, which is served on a freshly baked bun with coleslaw, pickles, and either Kickin’ Ranch or Sweet Heat sauce. Their heat levels range from mild, to medium, to XXX hot! Hattie B’s also has an amazing Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich too except they use a Southern Comeback Sauce which is made with ketchup, mayo, chili sauce, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and spices.

My version is #keto-friendly and #lowcarb due to the fact that I decided to pan-sear the chicken with the spices and oil, instead of breading it and frying it (You could also grill the chicken as well). I used a handcrafted, small batch Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning by The Spice Lab, (which I found in Publix and they also sell online at Amazon). You can also make your own by mixing 6 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon paprika.

I also made these delicious homemade Keto Slider Buns that are made with almond flour, mozzarella and cream cheese, a little salt and baking powder, topped with melted butter and baked to a crispy perfection. They are so good and buttery, they taste like biscuits! Which is perfect with some spicy chicken, of course.

The sliders are topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part! So here’s how I made these bad boys…

First, I sprinkled the chicken with the Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning on both sides,

added some buttermilk and hot sauce in a resealable large bag in the fridge to let marinate for a few hours . This lets all the flavors meld together and the buttermilk breaks down the proteins in the chicken to make it super juicy.

Then I made the keto buns by melting the mozzarella and cream cheese together with three eggs, almond flour and baking powder and salt, mixing it together into a dough.

I separated the dough into six balls, and then flattened them a little on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brushed them with some melted butter. Then I baked them for about 12 minutes until lightly browned, and let them cool on a wire rack before slicing.

I made the broccoli slaw by mixing in about 1/2 cup of Marie’s creamy blue cheese dressing and letting it stay cool in the fridge while I made the chicken. You could also use ranch dressing here if you prefer, but I love the tangy, cooling blue cheese with the fiery hot sauce and spices on the chicken.

Next, I took the chicken out of the marinade and discarded that. Heated up some oil over medium-high in a large skillet and sprinkled more Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning on both sides of the chicken, cooking about 8 minutes per side.

Then I sliced the chicken into pieces, and added them back into the pan with some additional oil to coat the chicken with all the delicious spices and brown bits in the pan.

Once the chicken was done, i built the sliders by spreading some Buffalo mayo on the bottom bun, topping it with a few slices of the spicy chicken. Drizzled more Buffalo sauce on top of the chicken, then topped with sliced dill pickles, and blue cheese broccoli slaw.

And you have my friends, a total masterpiece, guilt-free! And perfect for game day on Sunday! Bet you can’t eat just one 😉

Nashville Chicken Sliders {Keto/Low Carb}

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 slider

These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders are totally delicious and served on Keto-friendly, low carb buns! Pan-seared spicy buttermilk chicken topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing. They are so delicious and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part!

Ingredients

Nashville Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup hot sauce
4 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup light olive oil or canola oil, divided
Keto buns:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
3 large eggs
3 cups fine almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
Garnishes:
1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup Buffalo mayo
12 pickle slices
2 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Instructions

Nashville Chicken:
Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 2 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning. Combine the chicken, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large resealable plastic bag or dish covered in plastic wrap. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, up to overnight.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the buttermilk marinade and discard.
Season the chicken with additional 2 tablespoons Nashville hot Chicken Seasoning and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
Slice chicken breasts into pieces and add additional oil into the sauté pan. Toss together over medium heat for a few more minutes until chicken pieces are fully coated with the oil and spices. Remove from heat and set aside, covered in foil, until ready to build sliders.
Keto buns:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the mozzarella and cream cheese. Heat on high for 2 minutes until melted.
Add the eggs and stir to combine, then mix in the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
Form the dough into 6 balls, and slightly flatten on to the parchment paper.
Melt the butter and brush over the tops of the slider buns.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until buns are golden brown; let cool slightly before slicing in half.
Make the broccoli slaw by mixing the blue cheese dressing in with the slaw in a medium mixing bowl.
To assemble the sliders, spread the Buffalo mayo on the bottom buns. Top with a few pieces of the Nashville chicken, 2 pickles, drizzle with Buffalo sauce. Add 1/4 cup broccoli blue cheese slaw mixture and the top halves.
Serve immediately with additional hot sauce on the side, if desired.

Notes

I used Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning from The Spice Lab, which you can find on Amazon or at Publix, or feel free to make your own. You could also use ranch dressing on the broccoli slaw if you prefer, and grill the chicken breasts instead of pan-searing them for extra char and flavor.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/02/keto-nashville-hot-chicken-sliders/

Hey guys! So the #Superbowl 2021 is near and I am so excited that it’s going to be in #Tampa, Florida this year, because this is MY TOWN now, and I can’t wait for the festivities to begin! (GO BUCS!!!) I was recently invited to participate in the Twin Dragon Blogger Challenge, and I decided to make these Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls to celebrate the occasion as well as my city, using their Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers.

I love these egg roll wrappers, because they are basically an empty canvas for any appetizer and you can get creative and fill them with anything you like! Whether you fry them or bake them, they are super easy to work with and come out perfectly crispy and delicious every time.

I’m sure you have all heard of the famous Cuban sandwich right? Well these delicious crispy egg rolls are a spin-off on the Tampa-style sandwich and they taste just as amazing!

Over a century ago, Spanish-Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr. created a sandwich at his famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City in in Tampa, Florida called the ‘Mixto’. He wanted to honor the immigrants who first moved into the neighborhood, and a tribute to the city of Tampa. This famous sandwich has layers and layers of good things all baked into a crispy sandwich on Cuban bread: Ham for the Spaniards, Genoa salami for the Italians, Mojo roast pork for the Cubans, and Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard for the German and Jewish immigrants.

My Tampa-Style Cuban egg rolls are the absolute perfect appetizer – made with juicy roasted Mojo pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, Genoa salami, dill pickles and a drizzle of mustard – all wrapped up in a crunchy baked egg roll. They’re served with a tangy dipping sauce I made with three types of mustard (yellow, Dijon and grainy), mayonnaise, a dash of hot sauce and chives…delicious little bites for the #Superbowl or any game day, party or gathering!

#Mojo is a classic #Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean and Spanish cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with (key) lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich and of course, my Egg Rolls! I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or buy online. You can also choose to make your own Mojo marinade – here is a great recipe online.

First, cut a few slits in the pork, pour the marinade over the pork in a plastic baggie and seal up to let marinate for a few hours up to overnight in the fridge. Roast the pork in a dutch oven for about 35-45 minutes until the pork is at least 145 degrees F in the center. (Rule of thumb for pork loin is approximately 20 minutes per pound and this was a 2 pound boneless roast). Let the roast cool a few minutes, then slice into thin pieces.

Cut the other ingredients (ham, swiss, salami, pickles, yellow mustard) and get ready to make the egg rolls. This is the fun part!

Start a little egg roll making station like I did above and get movin’ on these delicious crispy bundles of goodness.

First, lay the egg wrapper on a baking sheet or tray and wet the edges all around with some water. Start layering the ingredients in the center bottom of the wrapper: ham, cheese, salami, pork, pickles and a top with a drizzle of mustard.

Roll up each egg roll wrapper from the pointy end at the bottom, fold in the sides and roll up to seal.

Place the egg rolls seam side down on a parchment (or foil-lined) baking sheet. Brush the egg rolls lightly and evenly with oil or melted butter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until they are crispy and golden brown.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce with the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce, yellow mustard and grainy mustard. Throw a few chives in there too, and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Once the egg rolls are done, let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Serve them on a platter and garnish with more chives…serve the dipping sauce on the side.

Absolutely delicioso and totally addicting! And you’ll be able to celebrate the Superbowl in style, Tampa-style that is 🙂

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls :: Super Bowl #2021!

Yield: Makes 8 egg rolls or 16 egg rolls (cut in half.)

Ingredients

Egg Rolls:
1 cup Cuban Mojo marinade (store-bought or homemade)
2 pounds boneless pork loin, thin sliced
Garlic salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
8 slices Black Forest ham, thin sliced
8 slices Swiss cheese, thin sliced
16 small slices Genoa Salami with peppercorns
16 dill pickle slices
Yellow mustard, for drizzling
8 Twin Dragon Egg roll wrappers
Melted butter or oil, for brushing
Spicy Mustard Sauce:
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon grainy old-style mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1-2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Instructions

Make Mojo Pork:
Cut small slits all over the pork roast with a knife and place the roast in a large resealable baggie. Pour the Mojo marinade over the top; season with garlic salt and pepper. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours, up to overnight. (See notes below*)
When ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pork on a small rack or cut vegetables in a roasting pan or casserole dish and roast for about 40-45 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 145 degrees F. (cooking time is approx. 20-25 minutes per pound so adjust accordingly depending on the size of your pork roast.)
Cool roast completely and cut into 8-12 thin slices, and store the leftover roast in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Make the egg rolls:
Turn the the oven heat up to 425 F. Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
Cut the ham, salami, Mojo pork and cheese into medium-size slices, about 2”x3”” wide (small enough to fit diagonally inside the center of the egg roll wrappers with room around to fold..eyeball it.)
Layout the egg rolls flat on a work surface with a small cup of water nearby. Layer 2 slices each of ham, salami, pork, cheese and 2 pickle slices diagonally across the center of each wrapper, add a small drizzle of yellow mustard on top.
Moisten the edges with water and roll the egg roll wrapper from the bottom, folding in the sides and rolling wrapper tightly to secure the edges. Lay the rolls flap side down on the baking sheet.
Continue with the remaining egg roll wrappers.
Lightly brush the egg rolls with melted butter or oil, evenly on both sides.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until crispy and golden brown.
Make the dipping sauce:
Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by mixing together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, grainy mustard, hot sauce, and chives; cover and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serve the egg rolls on a platter or tray with mustard-mayo dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with additional chives over the egg rolls, if desired.

Notes

You can double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd.

Mojo is a classic Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with key lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich. I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or online. If you choose to make your own marinade here is a recipe online.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/02/tampa-style-cuban-egg-rolls-super-bowl-2021/

Look at all this

CRISPY. CHEESY. SAVORY. GOODNESS.

Serve them with the tangy Mustard-Mayo Dipping Sauce..sooo good!

Cut the egg rolls in half if you want smaller pieces…

Oh, and you may want to double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd – beware…I could eat the entire tray myself these are so good!

If you want to make these yourself, you can find JSL Twin Dragon wrappers at Albertsons, Amazon, Instacart, Shaw’s, Von’s, Stater Bros, Lucky’s, Food Maxx, Fred Meyer, QFC, Target, Cub Foods, Rainbow Foods, Safeway, Associated Stores, Price Rite, Winco, Price Chopper, and Gelson’s.

For more great recipes and products by Twin Dragon, please visit them online at:

#ChefYaki #TwinDragon #JSLFoods #BloggerRecipeChallenge #TheArtfulGourmet #artfulgourmet #kristenhess