Buffalo Chicken Bacon Mozzarella Bombs (Printable)

Crispy panko-coated buffalo chicken stuffed with melty mozzarella and smoky bacon for a spicy, cheesy appetizer.

# What You 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 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1 tsp onion powder
07 - 1 tsp 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 as needed for frying

# Directions:

01 - Cut mozzarella cheese into bite-sized cubes. 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 blended.
03 - Take a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture and flatten in your palm. Place a bacon-wrapped mozzarella cube in the center, then encase completely with chicken, forming a sealed ball. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 12 bombs.
04 - Dredge each chicken ball in flour, dip into beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
05 - Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry bombs in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.
06 - Place bombs on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 18-20 minutes, or until crisp and cooked through.
07 - While hot, drizzle or toss bombs with remaining 2 fl oz buffalo sauce. Garnish with extra bacon crumbles if desired. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • Every bite delivers that perfect trifecta: molten mozzarella, smoky bacon, and a buffalo kick that doesn't overpower.
  • They fry up fast or bake just as well, so you can match your mood or your schedule.
  • These hold their shape beautifully, making them ideal for passing around at gatherings without the mess of wings.
  • The panko crust stays shatteringly crisp even after a few minutes on the plate.
02 -
  • Seal every seam tightly or the cheese will escape during cooking and leave you with hollow, sad little shells.
  • Don't skip chilling the formed bombs for 15 minutes before coating, it firms up the chicken and makes breading so much easier.
  • If frying, keep the oil temperature steady, too low and they'll soak up grease, too high and they'll brown before the chicken cooks through.
03 -
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the chicken mixture evenly so all your bombs cook at the same rate.
  • Press the panko onto the egg-coated balls with your palms instead of just rolling, it creates a thicker, more protective crust.
  • Let fried bombs rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels so the bottoms stay crisp instead of steaming.
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