Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

A recipe for spicy chicken meatballs made with jalapeno peppers and serrano peppers (optional!), served with classic Buffalo sauce, then topped with blue cheese crumbles. Pure Madness style.

Ingredients:

•     1 tablespoon olive oil
•     1 celery stalk chopped
•     1 small onion chopped
•     1 jalapeno pepper chopped
•     1 serrano pepper chopped (optional)
•     3 cloves garlic chopped
•     1 teaspoon taco seasonings Cajun is GREAT here as well
•     1 egg beaten
•     1-1/4 pound ground chicken
•     1 cup panko
•     Salt and pepper to taste
•     Crumbled blue cheese and blue cheese dressing for serving
•     Chopped scallions, fresh chopped herbs and spicy chili flakes for serving

FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE

•     1 cup hot pepper sauce see notes abovee
•     4 teaspoons butter
•     1 teaspoon garlic powder
•     Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a large pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat.
2. Add celery, onion and chili peppers. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
4. Remove from heat and add contents to a mixing bowl. Cool slightly.
5. Add taco seasonings, egg, chicken and panko. Salt and pepper to your tastes.
6. Hand mix the meat mixture until everything is combined, but do not over mix. If you over mix with your hands, the meatballs can become mealy.
7. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. You should get about 20 meatballs.
8. Heat the pan again to medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Cook the meatballs 2-3 minutes per side, roughly 10 minutes total, until they are cooked through. Remove from heat.

BAKED VERSION:

1. Alternatively, you can add your meatballs to a prepared baking sheet, lightly oiled, and bake them at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
2. While chicken is cooking, add pepper sauce, butter, garlic powder and salt and pepper to a small pot. Heat gently, stirring, until butter is melted.
3. Pour Buffalo sauce over the chicken meatballs and serve topped with crumbled blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, chopped scallions, fresh chopped herbs and spicy chili flakes.