Buffalo Chicken Bites

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Day number 6 thousand of the pandemic,  I am going stir crazy and as a result am doing some weird stuff with food (don’t get me started on the tuna pinwheels.) But out of my boredom and off-kilter imagination, good things often happen. These Buffalo Chicken Bites are one of those good things.

Dear Lawd, these are delicious. I have made them three times. Once I had them for breakfast. My mom, the pickiest person on Earth, likes them.

I always give you suggestions for making my recipes your own. Don’t  change a darned thing. Don’t. I shredded a rotisserie chicken for ease. I also used Hooters wing sauce because it is thick. I usually use Franks. You can use your  favorite sauce. But otherwise, do this.

Servings: 25-30 pieces
Time:  Active: 15 minutes; Freeze: 1 hour; Cook: 10 Minutes; Bites in about 90 minutes
Hardware:  A hand mixer, a large mixing, a silicone spatula, a large plastic container with a lid, large plate, 3 shallow bowls, a deep skillet, a large metal slotted spoon (or a skimmer/spider web), a paper towel covered plate, an oil thermometer

 Ingredients

• 1-8oz package cream cheese
• 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
• 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons of wing sauce (I used Hooters)
• 1-1 oz packet of ranch dressing mix (this is optional, you could skip it and just add a dash of salt)
• 2 eggs (maybe a third)
  
• 1 ½  cups of breadcrumbs
• 1 ½ cup of flour
• 1-2 cups of oil for frying
• Salt and pepper
  
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing 

Buffalo Chicken Bites

1. Put the cream cheese out to soften.
2. Using the hand mixer, mix the softened cream cheese, wing sauce and dressing mix OR stir together until the cream cheese and wing sauce are thoroughly combined. Then mix in the shredded chicken and cheddar cheese. You will need to stop mixing and use the spatula to clear the beaters a few times.
3. Roll 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into balls. If you make them too large, they won’t cook all the way through later. Place the balls in the freezer for at least on hour. (I froze them for 3 days and they were okay.)
4. Remove the Bites from the freezer. Put enough oil in the skillet to cover the Bites.  Preheat the oil until it is 350°.  You will want to monitor the oil temperature and keep it between 320° and 350°.
5. While the oil is heating, place the eggs into one bowl and beat vigorously. Place the flour into the second bowl and the crumbs into the third one. Stir a little salt and pepper into the flour and the crumbs.
6. Dip a frozen Bite into the flour, then the egg and then the crumbs. You can dip it in the same order twice if you need to, but make sure it is completely encased in crumbs. Repeat this for all the Bites.
7. Place a few Bites in a single layer in the hot oil. Don’t crowd the skillet. You will have to cook in batches.
8. Allow them to cook until they are golden brown. Flip them over at least once. I find that it is easiest to just cook one and then cut it open. If it is still frozen in the middle, turn the oil down and increase the cooking time. Use this test Bite to gauge how long to cook them.
9. As they finish, place them on the paper towel covered plate to drain.  You can place the plate in the oven on the lowest setting to keep them warm.
10. Serve right away. Offer your guests ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.