Buffalo Chicken Balls

Insert metal blade into food processor. Place cooked chicken into the processor bowl and pulse until chicken is uniformly and finely chopped. Remove chicken to a large bowl and set aside.

Add softened cream cheese to the food processor bowl and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the hot sauce, garlic powder and onion powder to the cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Taste to see if you’d like to add the other 1/4 cup of hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot).

Add cream cheese mixture to the chicken. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir to combine everything. Taste to see if you need to season with salt and pepper.

Shape mixture into 3/4-1″ balls and place on wax paper lined baking sheet.

Heat oil in deep heavy pot to 350 degrees. Set up a work station with three shallow pans. Place the flour in one pan and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs with a tablespoon of water in the second pan. Place the Panko bread crumbs in the third pan. Roll each chicken ball in the flour, then in the egg, then the Panko. Drop carefully into the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes or until nicely browned. Drain on paper towel.

Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing as a dip.