Brick Bites Recipe

Prepare chicken

If the breasts are thick, butterfly them or pound to an even 3/4-inch thickness to ensure even cooking. Pat dry with paper towels.

Make buffalo sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the hot sauce, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until combined. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the sauce for finishing. Put the remaining sauce in a shallow dish.

Marinate

Place the prepared chicken in the shallow dish and coat both sides with the buffalo sauce. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes or refrigerate up to 1 hour for more flavor.

Cook the chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon neutral oil (or use a grill pan). When hot, add the chicken and cook 4–6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and exterior is nicely browned. Brush with reserved buffalo sauce in the last minute of cooking. Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch thick strips (brick bites).

While the chicken cooks, assemble the salad. Chop or tear the Romaine into bite-sized pieces and place in a medium bowl. Dice the roma tomatoes into roughly 1/2-inch pieces and thinly slice the red onion. Add tomatoes and red onion to the Romaine.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the lettuce mixture and toss gently to coat. Keep chilled until plating.

If using fresh potatoes - prep

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) for oven-baked fries. Wash and peel the potatoes if desired, then cut into 1/4–1/2-inch sticks. Soak cut potatoes in cold water 20–30 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and pat dry thoroughly.

Bake or fry

For oven fries: toss dried potato sticks with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and paprika on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 25–30 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. For pan-fry: heat 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry potatoes in batches 4–6 minutes per side until golden; drain on paper towels and season immediately.

If using frozen fries

Follow package directions to bake or air-fry, then season with salt and paprika while hot.

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange a bed of dressed Romaine salad. Fan the sliced buffalo chicken (brick bites) over the salad.

Place a generous portion of fries alongside or in a small basket/ramekin on the plate.

Drizzle reserved extra buffalo sauce over the chicken if desired. Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles and chopped chives or parsley over the chicken and salad. Serve ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.

Serve immediately while fries and chicken are hot.