Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
Cut: Ground chicken
Ingredients
2 lbs (900 g) ground chicken
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Cajun seasoning
1 tsp (5 ml) cayenne pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) panko crumbs
1/4 cup (60 ml) carrot, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) Franks hot sauce
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) EACH salt and pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) Franks hot sauce
1 cup (250 ml) blue cheese dressing (like Renee's)
1/4 cup (60 ml) crumbled Blue cheese
Preparation
Tip: This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, panko crumbs, carrot, garlic, green onion, butter, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Moisten hands with water or lightly coat with oil, shape chicken mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Mixture should make about 45 meatballs and will likely require 2 cookie sheets to fit all the meatballs.
Heat oven to 375F. Bake meatballs for 45-50 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Meatballs will be fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 175F (80C) using a digital meat thermometer. Remove meatballs from oven and transfer to a large bowl and keep warm (or cool the meatballs then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months)
In a microwave safe bowl, combine the ½ cup hot sauce, Blue cheese dressing and the crumbled Blue cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds, and mix well. Pour ½ the Blue cheese sauce over the meatballs and toss lightly to coat.
Serve meatballs on cocktail picks with the rest of the Blue cheese sauce for dipping, along with a little extra hot sauce for those who like a little extra heat.
As seen on Great Tastes of Manitoba 2015/16
