Boneless Buffalo Chicken

These were really really good. I normally don't like hot and spicy foods like this but it was quite tasty. I kept dipping the chicken into the blue cheese dip I made and it helped calm the heat. Don loved the chicken and can not wait for me to make them again. I did not even try to feed these to the kids. I found the recipe in the Feb/March 2009 issue of Cook's Country. These would be a great dish to serve on Superbowl Sunday.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into 1 1/2 each chunks
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot sauce, preferably Franks, avoid the hotter ones like Tabasco
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups vegetable oil

Marinate: Combine chicken, buttermilk, and salt in large zipper-lock bag and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Combine hot sauce, water, sugar, butter, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until thickened, about minutes.

Coat: Whisk egg whites in shallow bowl until foamy. Stir flour, baking soda, remaining cornstarch, and 6 tablespoons hot sauce mixture in second shallow dish until mixture resembles coarse meal. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Toss half of chicken with egg whites until well coated, then dredge chicken in cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer coated chicken to plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Fry: Heat oil in dutch oven over medium high heat until oil registers 350 degrees. Fry half of chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes, turning each piece halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to paper towel lined plate. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

Toss: Warm remaining hot sauce mixture over medium low heat until simmering. Combine chicken and hot sauce mixture in a large bowl and toss to coat. Serve.