With The Patriots back in the Super Bowl this coming Sunday and Bad Bunny performing the Halftime Show, it goes without saying that I will be seated, fully locked in and ready to dive into some seriously amazing snacks – which is always a highlight of any sporting event or party, really.
I’m a savory and spicy girl, so anything with hot sauce is usually what I reach for, first. To celebrate the festivities this coming weekend, I thought I’d share an easy and satisfying appetizer recipe I came across at the start of this most recent NFL season that has quickly become my my go-to when I want to make a snack for myself or for any of my friends and family who are watching the game alongside me!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
6-8 SERVINGS:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 celery stalks, finely minced
- ½ white onion, finely minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
- 1 cup blue-cheese dressing and/or crumbled blue cheese (optional)
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery and onion, and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cooled celery mixture with the egg, mustard and ground chicken to combine. Add the bread crumbs, salt and pepper; mix to combine.
3. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until golden brown all over, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 10 minutes total). Shake the pan to roll the meatballs around in the hot oil to ensure they’re fully cooked through.
4. In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and whisk to combine until smooth. Toss the meatballs in the sauce to coat.
5. Serve the meatballs warm with a side of blue-cheese dressing or topped with the crumbled blue cheese (if using). The meatballs can be made up to two days ahead and gently reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
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These meatballs pretty much melt into your mouth the second you bite into them, and definitely have a kick of heat it you add a little extra buffalo/hot sauce the way that I tend to do.
I’ve read that you can also get similar tasty results if you use turkey instead of chicken, which may be something I’ll have to try the next time I go to whip a batch of these up!
Have a great weekend ahead, everyone – and Go Pats!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 