Crispy Buffalo Chicken Bites

I love buffalo chicken in pretty much any form, but rolled into little balls, covered in panko, and fried until crispy? Yes, please. These have a cheesy, spicy center and a golden crust that practically begs to be dunked in ranch. And since we’re starting with a rotisserie chicken, the hardest part is pulling the meat off without eating half of it.

Make these for game day, have friends over, or call them dinner. I’m certainly not here to judge. Just don’t skip Katy’s classic ranch. A generous dip is part of the experience.

Also, now feels like a good time to tell you that these disposable kitchen gloves are your friends. Rolling meatballs, handling raw chicken, getting elbow-deep in spicy buffalo chicken… all excellent occasions to keep the food out from under your nails. We love cooking. We don’t need to wear it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled off and finely chopped or shredded

• ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely chopped or shredded

• ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, finely chopped or shredded

• ½ cup Frank’s RedHot sauce

• 1 T garlic powder

• 1 T onion powder

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 4-5 scallions, chopped

• Flour, for breading

• 2-3 eggs, beaten, for breading

• Panko breadcrumbs, for breading

• Neutral oil, for frying

• Katy’s classic ranch, for serving

  
  

DIRECTIONS

1.) In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, cheddar, mozzarella, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and scallions. Mix well, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

2.) Using your hands, firmly pack the mixture into balls about 2 inches wide. If they feel loose, refrigerate them before breading to help them hold their shape.

3.) Set up your breading station with three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko. Roll each ball in flour, shake off the excess, dip into the egg, and coat in panko. Press the crumbs gently into the surface.

4.) Heat oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, keeping the pot no more than halfway full. Carefully lower the chicken bites into the oil in small batches. Fry until golden brown, adjusting the heat to maintain the oil temperature. They will brown quickly! I browned them, then decided to move them to the oven. Salt once you've removed them from the oil.

5.) Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 250°F oven until ready to serve.

6.) Serve with plenty of ranch for dipping. Crispy, cheesy, spicy, creamy. All the good things. Top with some extra scallions to garnish!