These delightful golden bites feature a crispy exterior and a buttery herb center, making them a perfect appetizer or main dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic
1 pound ground chicken
2 large eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
as needed cooking spray
Method
In a mixing bowl, blend softened butter with minced garlic and finely shredded parsley until creamy and uniform. Shape this herb butter into 12 small discs and place them on a tray. Freeze for about 20 minutes until firm.
Form the ground chicken into 12 evenly sized spheres. Create a deep cavity in the center of each sphere, insert a frozen herb butter disc, and carefully mold the chicken around it, sealing it completely. Repeat this for all chicken spheres.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they are fluffy. In another bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with paprika, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
Coat each chicken sphere in the whisked eggs, then roll it in the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Dip it back into the egg wash and then again in the breadcrumbs for an extra crunchy layer. Arrange the coated spheres on a baking sheet and freeze them for another 10 minutes.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Place half of the chicken spheres in the air fryer basket and lightly spray them with cooking oil.
Cook for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the spheres using tongs, spraying them once more with cooking oil. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken spheres.
