Buffalo Balls

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 lbs ground chicken, thigh meat
• 3 cups ritz crackers, crumbled, divided
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon basil, dried
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
• 2 cups blue cheese, crumbled, divided
• canola oil (for frying)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 lb unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 1/2 cups hot sauce (he recommends crystal)
• 1 celery, head cut into matchsticks

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1 1/2 cups crackers, black pepper, paprika, basil, celery salt, cumin, pepper, half the cayenne pepper, and 1 cup blue cheese. mix well. cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• 2 preheat oven to 275 degrees f.
• 3 set out a cooling rack over a cookie sheet.
• 4 pour 2 inches of canola oil into a large, deep skillet. over medium-high heat, heat the oil to 350 degrees f.
• 5 form the chicken mixture into walnut-size balls and set them aside on a plate.
• 6 beat egg in a shallow bowl and place remaining 1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs in another bowl. dip each ball in egg then roll in cracker crumbs.
• 7 add balls to hot oil, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. remove to cooling rack.
• 8 when all the balls are fried, put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• 9 in a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. add garlic and jalapenos and cook for 2 minutes. stir hot sauce and keep warm.
• 10 to serve, drizzle sauce over buffalo balls or use sauce as a dip on the side and serve with celery sticks and remaining blue cheese.