Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Cheese Bites
Spicy Chicken and Pepper Jack Cheese Bites
Author: The Blue Jean Chef, Meredith Laurence
Serves: 8
Watch out with this one... these are addictive! Don't say I didn't warn you...
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese
- 1 Jalapeño, diced
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- oil, in a spray bottle
- salsa, for dipping
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese in a bowl to make it easy to combine. Add the pepper Jack cheese, Jalapeño pepper, scallions, paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt. Fold in the shredded cooked chicken and combine well. Roll this mixture into 1-inch balls.
- Set up a dredging station. Place the flour into a shallow dish. Place the beaten eggs into a second shallow dish. Finally, combine the panko breadcrumbs and remaining teaspoon of salt in a third dish.
- Working with one at a time, coat the balls in the breadcrumbs. Roll each ball in the flour first, then dip them into the eggs and finally roll them in the panko breadcrumbs to coat all sides. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- Spray the chicken and cheese balls with oil and air-fry in batches for 8 minutes. Shake the basket a few times throughout the cooking process to help the balls brown evenly.
- Serve hot with salsa on the side.
