My work had a book signing event last week, and a coworker and I did the catering. We did a few different things, including these little cakes, which we made 2 double batches of (there’s a limit to how much chicken-glop fits in one bowl!) which was over 200 little bites of delicious! The recipe calls for chives, which we just didn’t get because we were grocery shopping too many days in advance (I know you can usually keep them alive in a glass of water, but Rawlins water has killed everything I’ve put in it), and then we totally forgot the celery and extra blue cheese garnish at the end in the bustle of the event, but they were still super delicious, and everyone really liked them!

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (we used breasts)
• 1 cup buffalo sauce (the original recipe recommended Saucy Mama, but that’s not available here, and I love Franks anyway…)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 4 ounce blue cheese wedge, crumbled

Crust:

• 3 cups Panko
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 cup butter, melted

Garnish:

• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 stalks celery, diced

Now, the recipe originally called for finely dicing the chicken. Because we were doing so much, I brought my food processor and we just blitzed the chicken in that, and it worked super well. It was fast, and prevented any random large chunks in the cakes. I recommend it!

Once your chicken is cut, one way or another, combine it in a large bowl with the buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and 4 ounces of blue cheese, stirring until well combined. Set aside.

Keep in mind, this is a double batch. (You can probably see why we didn’t do all 4 batches at once…)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease at least 2 mini muffin pans.

In a medium bowl, combine the Panko, Parmesan, and chives, then drizzle the butter over it and stir until evenly combined.

Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the Panko mixture into each mini muffin cup, then press down with your fingers to make a well in the middle and to compress so it holds together well. Repeat with all the other cups in the pan.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken into each muffin cup, then sprinkle more of the Panko mixture on top.

Bake 20 minutes, or until golden.

Let cool in the pan 15 minutes before removing. A butter knife works just fine to pop them out of the pans. Sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese and the celery, then serve. Or, y’know, throw them on a platter and out into the buffet, whichever!

Mini Buffalo Chicken Cakes

Marginally adapted from Noble Pig.

Filling:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 4 ounce blue cheese wedge, crumbled

Crust:

• 3 cups Panko
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 cup butter, melted

Garnish:

• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 stalks celery, diced

Finely dice the chicken, or cut in a food processor. Combine chicken in a large bowl with the buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and 4 ounces of blue cheese, stirring until well combined. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease at least 2 mini muffin pans.

In a medium bowl, combine the Panko, Parmesan, and chives, then drizzle the butter over it and stir until evenly combined. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the Panko mixture into each mini muffin cup, then press down with your fingers to make a well in the middle and to compress so it holds together well. Repeat with all the other cups in the pan.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken into each muffin cup, then sprinkle more of the Panko mixture on top.

Bake 20 minutes, or until golden, then let cool in the pan 15 minutes before removing. Sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese and the celery, then serve.