Orange County 4-H extension agent demonstrates lower-calorie buffalo chicken skewers

Casey Daniel, a 4-H extension agent in Orange County, Virginia, demonstrated how to make a lower-calorie version of buffalo-style chicken using boneless, skinless chicken thighs threaded on skewers and cooked in an oven, a skillet or a grill pan.

Daniel said the recipe can be adapted to participants' tastes and emphasized food-safety steps: discard marinade that contacted raw chicken, keep separate tongs for raw and cooked meat, and verify doneness with a food thermometer. "Chicken is going to be, at a safe fully cooked temperature at a 165 degrees Fahrenheit," Daniel said during the recorded demonstration.

The demonstration outlined simple preparation steps. Daniel used skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into strips (each thigh cut into two pieces), marinated in a preferred wing sauce with about a tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking, then threaded onto soaked wooden skewers. She advised soaking wooden skewers if they will be cooked on a grill to reduce the risk of burning.

For cooking, Daniel placed skewers on a tray in an oven preheated to 425 degrees and estimated a cook time of about 10 to 15 minutes, noting that a smaller toaster oven may take longer. She also showed a traditional skillet method (using a light coating of oil) and a grill-pan option with a grill press for indoor grilling. Because the thighs were thin, she said they would cook quickly and recommended turning them with tongs. She finished some oven skewers under the broiler briefly to add color and caramelization.

Daniel reiterated food-safety details demonstrated during the session: do not reuse marinade that has contacted raw chicken ("the original wing sauce that we used for the marinade has gone in the trash because that was contaminated with the raw chicken"), use a food thermometer to confirm 165 F, and keep separate utensils for raw and cooked product. She also offered serving variations — teriyaki, Parmesan-garlic, honey or honey-barbecue — and suggested garnishes such as chopped green onions and a light sprinkling of blue cheese crumbles to save calories compared with heavier dressings.

Daniel closed the demonstration by encouraging listeners to adapt the recipe to their preferences and noted its suitability for a game-day menu. "And it's a great recipe you can try for your next big game," she said.