Our Cheesy Chicken Bites appetizer recipe combines cooked chicken, cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh garlic and parsley into bite-sized little morsels that are coated in crispy panko crumbs and baked until golden.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Yield: 30 to 36 pieces
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups cooked chicken, minced (see tip below)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Italian blend or mozzarella cheese (fine shred)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
3/4 cup panko crumbs, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
Marinara sauce for dipping (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set a grid-style baking rack (see notes) on a baking sheet and coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, and 3 tablespoons of the panko crumbs in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, parsley and a few grinds of black pepper and combine thoroughly.
Combine the remaining panko crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese on a dinner plate.
Form the chicken-cheese mixture into 1-inch balls then roll them in the panko crumbs, set them on the prepared baking rack and coat them with the olive oil spray.
Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes.
Serve with warm marinara for dipping.
