Buffalo Chicken Bites™ Recipe

In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, crumbled blue cheese, lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Stir until mostly smooth, leaving some blue cheese crumbles for texture. If dressing is too thick, whisk in milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to meld flavors.

Prepare chicken

Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and pat dry. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Season the pieces with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp garlic powder; toss to coat evenly.

Make cheese filling

In a bowl, combine shredded cheddar, softened cream cheese, finely chopped green onions and 1 tsp hot sauce. Mix until homogeneous. Taste and adjust seasoning (a pinch more salt or hot sauce if desired).

Stuff or combine

There are two options: (A) For stuffed bites, flatten each chicken cube slightly with the palm of your hand, place about 1 teaspoon of the cheese filling on a piece, then enclose with another small piece to form a sealed bite. Press edges to seal. (B) For simpler preparation, fold cheese filling into the chicken cubes so each piece is well coated and slightly sticky.

Coating station

Set up three shallow bowls: bowl 1 – 3 tbsp flour; bowl 2 – whisk 2 large eggs with 2 tbsp water until smooth; bowl 3 – 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Working in batches, dredge each bite first in flour (shake off excess), then dip in the egg wash, then press into breadcrumbs to fully coat. Place coated bites on a tray and let rest 5 minutes to help coating adhere.

Fry bites

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Fry bites in batches so oil temperature holds, about 3–4 minutes per side, turning as needed, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bites to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed between batches.

Prepare buffalo sauce

While bites fry, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1 cup spicy buffalo sauce and 1 tsp hot sauce; stir and warm until combined and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toss in sauce

Place the drained fried bites in a large bowl. Pour the warm buffalo sauce over them and gently toss to coat each piece evenly. Taste one; if you want extra heat, add a little more hot sauce.

Finish and serve

Transfer buffalo-coated bites to a serving platter. Sprinkle chopped parsley or extra green onions over the top. Serve immediately with chilled blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.