Buffalo Chicken Bacon Mozzarella Bombs (Printable version)

Buffalo-spiced chicken envelopes mozzarella and bacon in a crispy panko shell for a bold, cheesy appetizer.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fillings

01 - 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
02 - 3.5 oz cooked bacon, crumbled

→ Chicken Mix

03 - 1 lb ground chicken
04 - 4 fl oz buffalo sauce, divided
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1 teaspoon paprika
08 - Salt to taste
09 - Black pepper to taste

→ Coating

10 - 3.5 oz all-purpose flour
11 - 2 large eggs, beaten
12 - 3.5 oz panko breadcrumbs

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil or canola oil for frying

# Directions:

01 - Cube the mozzarella cheese into bite-sized pieces. Wrap each cube with crumbled bacon and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken with 2 fl oz buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
03 - Take a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture and flatten in your palm. Place a bacon-wrapped mozzarella cube in the center, then completely encase it with chicken, forming a sealed ball. Repeat with remaining ingredients to create 12 bombs.
04 - Dredge each chicken bomb in flour, dip into beaten egg, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
05 - Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F and fry bombs in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Alternatively, place bombs on a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 18-20 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
06 - While hot, drizzle or toss the bombs with remaining 2 fl oz buffalo sauce. Garnish with extra bacon crumbles if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every bite hides a molten mozzarella center wrapped in salty bacon, so the surprise never gets old.
  • They fry up fast and hold their shape beautifully, which means you can make a batch ahead and still look like a hero.
  • The buffalo sauce clings to the crispy panko shell without making things soggy, giving you heat and crunch in one go.
02 -
  • Seal the chicken completely around the cheese or it will leak out during cooking and leave you with sad, hollow shells.
  • Don't skip the flour step in the breading, it's what helps the egg stick and the whole coating stay put.
  • Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches or the bombs will soak up grease instead of crisping up.
03 -
  • Chill the formed bombs in the fridge for 15 minutes before breading, it helps them hold their shape and makes coating easier.
  • Use a thermometer to check your oil temperature, too hot and the outside burns before the chicken cooks, too cool and they turn greasy.
  • If you're baking, flip them halfway through so both sides get golden and crisp.
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