While we were in Ohio I really only had one chance to get in the kitchen and cook. I made these buffalo chicken bites for my dad's family Christmas Eve party. I was lucky to get one decent picture before my dad swooped in and started stealing them, and they were totally gone not long after his first stolen bite.
With New Years Eve coming up and playoff/Super Bowl parties, you might find yourself looking for an appetizer, and I HIGHLY recommend these. Spicy and creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside. Also easy to grab, dunk, and eat while socializing or watching a football game. Win, win, win. And if you still need convincing, these can be made ahead of time and frozen or kept in the fridge.
Ingredients
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (About 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin discarded)
1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce - to taste (I used Frank's Buffalo Sauce)
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp ranch or bleu cheese dressing
1 3/4 cups sharp or medium shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup all-purpose flour*
3eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl stir together the cream cheese, hot sauce, and ranch (or bleu cheese). Add the chicken, cheddar cheese, and green onions, stir to combine. For larger bites, use a medium cookie scoop to create even portions. For smaller bites roll 1 heaping tablespoon into a ball. Place the rounded portions on a cookie sheet. For easier coating, refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
Place the flour, egg, and crushed corn flakes in three separate bowls. Roll each ball in the flour*, shake off any excess flour and dip in the egg, then roll the ball in the cornflake crumbs until evenly coated. Place back on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauce.
The coated balls can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for later. To freeze, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet and place in a freezer bag for storage. When ready to use them, place the frozen balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
* I TOTALLY forgot to roll mine in the flour, they still came out just fine. The purpose of the flour is to help the corn flake coating adhere a little better. It's your call to use the flour or to omit.
Yields 2 dozen larger bites or 3 dozen smaller bites
Slightly adapted from Pennies on a Platter, originally from The Food Network and as seen on Macaroni and Cheesecake and Made by Melissa