Chicken Americana With Wisconsin Bleu Cheese Food

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk with the blue cheese, minced garlic, Worcestershire, the 1 tablespoon vinegar, hot sauce, garlic powder and a generous pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning. Add more vinegar if it needs additional acidity. Add more salt, if necessary. Add a splash of water, if necessary, to loosen the dressing or if the flavors are too intense. Set aside.
• Make the Buffalo sauce: Melt the butter with the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the hot sauce. Keep warm.
• Prepare the wings: Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F over medium heat. Prepare 2 rimmed baking sheets, one lined with a wire rack. In a large bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Separate the larger wings from the smaller ones. Season all of them with salt and toss in the flour mix. Shake off the excess.
• Fry the wings: Lower half of the larger wings into the oil and gently "swirl" the oil with a slotted spoon as they fry. This swirling will assure the wings fry more evenly on all sides. When they are light to medium brown, 5 to 7 minutes, remove them with the slotted spoon and lay them out on the wire rack. Season with salt. Cook the rest of the wings in batches, keeping the fried wings warm on the second baking sheet in the oven until all are cooked. Leave the wings in the oven for at least 10 minutes to assure all are cooked through.
• Toss the wings in a large bowl with all of the Buffalo sauce. Serve on a large platter with the blue cheese dressing and vegetables on the side.

HERBED BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag. Whisk vinegar, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add to chicken; seal bag. Chill 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack generously with oil. Arrange chicken on grill. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plates; top each with slice of cheese.
• Sold in the spice section of supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

CHICKEN AMERICANA WITH WISCONSIN BLEU CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place each chicken breast between two sheets of wax paper and pound to 1/2 inch thickness, being careful not to tear the paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine bleu cheese, cream cheese, walnuts, bread crumbs, parsley and pepper. Blend thoroughly.
• Place 1/3 cup mixture on one side of the checken breast. Roll breast to enclose the filling. Secure the breast with toothpicks. Repeat process with all of the chicken breasts.
• Lightly flour the chicken breasts. Saute the breasts in butter until golden brown. To finish the breasts, bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove breasts and let rest 5 to 8 minutes. Remove toothpicks. Slice and serve.