This is another great “ball” recipe from The Meatball Shop cookbook.
My friend Beth, who has always known the best cookbooks, had tried this recipe herself and told me how wonderful it was. She was right as always and this is definitely blog worthy.
When paired with a blue cheese dip, these buffalo balls are delicious. I include them in many of my family gatherings and they are always a hit.
By the way, the author’s have a restaurant in New York City which is on my “to try” list. I hear that these balls, in particular, are among their favorites.
As I promised, this is another fabulous “ball” appetizer to try. You can make them ahead and freeze them. How great is that?
Ingredients for the Chicken Balls
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup Frank’s Redhot sauce (or any other favorite hot sauce)
1 pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
1 large egg
1/2 celery stalk, minced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat oven to 450.
Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the surface.
Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching each other.
Roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 155F. (I changed this temperature to 10 degrees below original recipes to allow cooking time after it is taken out of the oven).
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
It’s that simple!
