Cheers to the Weekend: Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks

Nothing screams the weekend more than a giant pile of buffalo chicken wings or crispy mozzarella sticks, but rather have you decide between one or the other, I’ve decided to make miracles happen for you because you can now just have both of them in one hybrid mega crunchy spicy cheesy stick. Just call me your crunchy spicy cheesy fairy godmother. These Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sicks are what dreams are made of, I’m certain of it, and if they’re not part of your weekend plans–hopefully said plans also involve cocktails or wine–then you need to rearrange your plans to include them. The recipe yields quite a few sticks, and before you start contemplating whether or not you should cut it in half or something crazy like that, stop and think about how amazing it would be if you made the full batch and enjoyed them all yourself. Maybe it’s been that kind of week and you just need to treat yourself, it is the weekend after all, but in case you’re trying to be good, then just invite some friends over, that way you guys can all be bad together. While you’re being bad, don’t forget to Cheers to the Weekend. 

I love this recipe because it’s literally just throw everything into a large bowl and mix. It couldn’t get any easier than that. Combine the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, salt, pepper and granulated garlic until evenly mixed. 

**Tip: This is a great way to use up any leftover chicken you might have from the night before. Or you can just buy rotisserie chicken from the store and use that instead. If you really want to make it from scratch , you can boil 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, let them cool and then shred!**

Pour the mixture into a  8 by 8-inch square baking dish, lined with parchment or wax paper. Using a rubber spatula, press it down into an even layer.

**Tip: You can even place another sheet of parchment or wax paper on top and then press the mixture down with your hands. You want it firmly packed down.**

Place in the freezer until firm, for at least 3 hours or longer if you have the time. You want it fully frozen because it’ll be easier to cut. Once firm, invert onto a cutting board, remove the paper and then cut in half. Cut each half into 20 even thin sticks. 

To bread the mozzarella sticks, first coat in flour, then dip into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs, then back into the egg, and then finally once again into the breadcrumbs. 

**Note: The double coating will make them super crunchy but also it helps keep the filling in during frying.**

Place the breaded sticks in the freezer once again, for about an hour. The firmer they are the better they will hold up in the hot oil. At this point you can keep them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months, and then just fry them as you need them when you plan on eating them.

Fry in hot canola oil (360 degrees F in temperature) in batches, until golden brown and crispy, flipping over about halfway, about 2 to 3 minutes in total. 

**Tip: It’s important to not over crowd the oil because it’ll drop the temperature too much and they won’t fry evenly.**

Sprinkle the top with chopped parsley for color because they’re brown sticks, and then serve them with ranch or blue cheese on the side for dipping and dunking because you can’t have buffalo wings without that cool factor for dipping.

 
If you want to make these for a party or gathering, you can definitely cut them into small pieces and then fry them as nuggets. That would be a great party to attend. The next time you’re debating about whether to serve wings or mozzarella sticks, just forget about both of those and serve this hybrid instead, because that way you can have your cake and eat it too. Now that’s major Cheers to the Weekend status if you ask me. 

Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks

These are the ultimate snack, appetizer or party food! They're packed with so much flavor and are a real crowd pleaser. Keep them in the freezer and just fry whenever you need them.

Servings 20 mozzarella sticks

Prep Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast or thigh either leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• canola oil for frying
• ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, chicken, hot sauce, mozzarella, Cheddar, salt, pepper, and garlic until evenly combined. Transfer into a 8 by 8-inch square baking dish, lined with parchment paper. Using a rubber spatula, firmly press down the mixture to create a smooth even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours.
• Pour the flour into a shallow baking dish. Whisk the eggs in a separate baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and panko in a third baking dish. Set aside.
• Invert the chicken and cheese mixture onto a cutting board, and remove the parchment paper. Cut in half, then cut into 20 even thin "sticks." Working as quickly as possible, coat each stick in flour, then dip into the egg, then in to the breadcrumbs, once again into the egg, and once more into the breadcrumbs. Place breaded mozzarella sticks onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 1 hour before frying.
• Fill a heavy duty dutch oven halfway up with oil, and heat to 360 degrees F, using a deep-fry thermometer. Once hot, add in a few of the sticks at a time, and fry until golden brown and crispy, turning over halfway, about 2 to 3 minutes in total. Strain and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Continue frying the remaining mozzarella sticks. Serve with ranch or blue cheese on the side for dipping.

Notes

These can be breaded and frozen, and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just fry straight from the freezer when ready to eat.

Adapted from Buzzfeed

Author: The Candid Appetite