RECIPE: The Meatball Shop's Mini Buffalo Chicken Balls

INGREDIENTS

2    tablespoons vegetable oil
4    tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce or any other favorite hot sauce
1    pound ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
1    egg
1/2 rib celery, minced
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1    teaspoon salt
Blue cheese dressing

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle the oil into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface; set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter and hot sauce and cook over low heat, whisking until butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs and salt and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, 3/4-inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place balls in the prepared dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. Meatballs should be touching each other.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving. Serve with blue cheese dressing. Makes about 40 meatballs.

To make ahead: Make sure the meatballs are fully cooked (otherwise, they fall apart when thawed) and cooled. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat, the meatballs can be cooked in a microwave for 4 minutes (add 2 minutes more cooking time if they are frozen) or turn into a baking pan, add 3 tablespoons water, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes.