Appetizers
Cheese Stuffed Apple Chicken Meatballs
Description
Prior to every Super Bowl Sunday, Ben sits me down and sketches an Xs and Os football strategy refresh. Instead, all I see are toothpicks for Xs and Cheese Stuffed Apple Chicken Meatballs for Os.
Ingredients
- ¼ small tart apple grated
- ¼ small red onion grated
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg white
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup homemade apple butter or store-bought
- ½ cup homemade barbecue sauce or store-bought prepared sauce
Directions
- Place rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with tin foil, then set an ovenproof wire rack on top. Coat rack with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together apple, red onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, pepper, egg white, and panko. Add ground chicken and lightly mix with a fork until just combined, being careful not to compact the chicken.
- Divide the mixture into quarters, then separate each quarter into 4 balls. You should now have a total of 16 meatballs.
- Press a cube of cheddar into the center of each ball, then close the chicken around the cheese to seal it.
- Arrange meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until cooked through.
- To finish, place the cooked meatballs in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the butter, apple butter, and barbecue sauce until the butter melts. Pour sauce over the top of the meatballs, toss gently to coat, and keep warm in the slow cooker.
