Here is a healthy twist to an old favorite. These little meatballs are full of chicken, vegetables, and doused in hot sauce. They are baked in the oven and served with a yogurt based blue cheese dip. They taste delicious and are a guilt-free addition to game day snacks. Give them a try and I bet they just might replace the old stand by.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Blue Cheese Dip:
Chicken Meatballs:
1 pound ground chicken breast
1/4 cup plain panko + 1/4 cup plain panko
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup Frank's RedHot Wings Buffalo Sauce
cooking spray
disposable pan
Blue Cheese Dip:
1 - 7-ounce container Greek yogurt
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 drops Frank's RedHot Sauce
Kosher salt
coarse ground black pepper
Time-Saving Tips: The dip can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The vegetables can be prepped earlier in the day. The meatball mixture should be mixed and refrigerated an hour before shaping.
Let's see what we need.
Let's cook.
Combine the yogurt and blue cheese. Gently press the blue cheese with a spoon to break it down a bit. Add the remaining ingredients and then refrigerate. It is best to make the dip few hours in advance so the flavor develops.
Mix together 1/4 cup panko and the milk in a small bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes. Then combine it with the chicken, remaining dry panko, carrots, celery, onions, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate the mixture for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Adjust the rack to the middle of the oven. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Shape the meat mixture into 30 equal size meatballs. The mixture is fairly soft so you might find it helpful to lightly wet your hand when shaping the meatballs. This will help prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
Once they are ready pour the Buffalo sauce in the pan. Gently fold the meatballs into the sauce making sure they are all well coated. Then transfer to a serving platter.
They're ready! Look how awesome this platter looks! The meatballs are delicious and healthy for you, too. This no-guilt party food is great for entertaining, potlucks, and game day.
Enjoy!