Hurricane Irene last weekend was the perfect excuse we needed to stay in the house and relax as a family. We enjoyed each other's company of course but a fun weekend with my loves just wouldn't be right without delicious food. :)
I originally made these absolutely AMAZING buffalo chicken cheese balls as an appetizer for the Thanksgiving dinner I hosted at my house last year. They were a HUGE hit and I knew I wanted to make them again.
They could NOT be easier to make and if you are a fan of buffalo style anything, you will love these.
Ingredients
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup freshly sliced scallions
1 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
{The original recipe calls for a rotisserie chicken but because we were in the middle of a weather emergency {!!!), my market was out of them. ...so I had to improvise. I took two skin on/bone in chicken breasts drizzled them with oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika and roasted them on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 15 - 20 minutes. When they were golden brown and cooked through, I took them out and let cool. I then pulled the meat off the bone and chopped into small pieces.}
{Before you begin, heat some oil in a fryer. We like to fry with peanut oil. It's a bit more expensive, but it makes a BIG difference in taste.}
{You need 3 separate bowls for an assembly line. First: flour.}
{Second: Eggs.}
{Third: Panko bread crumbs.}
{Next, shred your cheese. I always use the block of sharp cheddar and shred it myself...not the bagged-already-shredded cheese. I think it's fresher.}
{You'll need some good'ole bottled hot sauce.}
{Chop up the green onions.}
{Next, it's just dumping and mixing. :) To a large bowl, add the chicken and then the hot sauce.}
{Add the green onions.}
{Your cheese goes in too.}
{Mix everything until well combined.}
{Grab about a palm-full of your chicken mixture and form into balls. About the size of a golf ball. Or a little smaller. After shaping your ball, start breading. First, roll it in the flour.}
{And then in the egg.}
{Finally in the breadcrumbs.}
{Repeat until you have your breaded balls. :)}
{Now it's time to start frying. Makes sure your oil is heated to 350 degrees before dropping your balls in.}
{Cook for about 2-3 minutes per batch, until they are beautifully golden brown.}
{Be sure to put them on paper towel to drain the excess oil.}
{They will be super cheesy and delicious with tons of flavor and plenty of kick!}
{Serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing and ENJOY!}
We enjoyed ours as dinner with savory sauteed green beans {I'll have to share that recipe soon; so very easy and so very GOOD} and sliced cantaloupe.
These would also be perfect for a cocktail party; they are sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Let me know if you plan to try these! :)