Buffalo Chicken Bacon Bites
These easy to make appetizers are as delicious as they are simple, and offer all the flavors of your favorite chicken wings with less mess. I start with a basic meatball recipe made with ground chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, and hot sauce. Then scoop the mixture onto bacon strips, wrap and bake. I like to prepare the mixture and wrap them the day before, then the day of I can pop them in a hot oven and they are ready in no time. I like to keep them on the mild side, but you can increase the heat with some red pepper flakes, or a different type of hot sauce. If you want to make these with ground beef, I recommend using 90% lean. This recipe idea is really very flexible, I am already thinking about a goat cheese and caramelized onion version. I wonder what sauce I could make with that...
- 8 ounces ground chicken (or turkey)
- 2 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons Franks hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 strips bacon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons Franks hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons bleu cheese crumbles
Combine ground chicken with 2 Tablespoons bleu cheese, 2 Tablespoons hot sauce, and garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and mix well.
Cut bacon strips in half and lay out in a row.
Using a 1/2 ounce portion scoop, place a scoop of the mixture on the end of each strip of bacon.
Roll bacon around meat mixture and place seam side down on a rack placed inside a sheet pan. If you do not have a rack, line your sheet pan with parchment paper.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.
Combine melted butter, 2 Tablespoons hot sauce, and crumbled bleu cheese and stir until combined.
When buffalo bites have finished cooking, place on serving platter, and spoon sauce over each bite.
Serve immediately.