Whether it's the Super Bowl, World Series, or a fun family game night at home, game day wouldn't be complete without an arsenal of addictively delicious appetizers. And while the tried-and-true favorites like nachos and hot wings are always welcome, isn't it refreshing to offer something new and unexpected on the menu? In this blog post, we will tantalize your taste buds with an out-of-this-world appetizer recipe: Air Fried Mozzarella Chicken Fries! Picture this: tender ground chicken, delicately wrapped around a stick of creamy mozzarella cheese, breaded to crispy perfection, and then expertly cooked in an air fryer. We capture the best of two guilty pleasures, cheese sticks and chicken fries, into a one-bite wonder where health-conscious meets yummy...Let's Get Cooking!
The first step to making these killer Mozzarella Chicken Fries is to prepare the chicken portion. Begin by combining the ground chicken with Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, garlic, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and an egg to hold it all together. Be sure to season with some salt and pepper and use your hands to thoroughly mix all the ingredients together.
Once the chicken mixture is good to go, take some regular store-bought mozzarella string cheese sticks and slice them in half lengthwise. You could leave them whole, but I think that is a bit too much cheese for these particular chicken fries, but hey, is "too much cheese" even possible?
Now that are base ingredient portions are ready it's time to assemble them into our Mozzarella Chicken Fries. It is slightly hard to explain, but I think you can get the gist and after a few, figure out what works best for you. First, cut a sheet of plastic wrap about the size of a sheet of paper and lay it on your work surface/counter. Grab a 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in your hands and roll it into a log about the length of your cheese sticks. Lay that in the middle of the plastic wrap and flatten it out with your hand or the back of a spoon into a rectangle-like shape.
Now take a piece of the mozzarella cheese and lay it in the middle of the flattened chicken mixture.
Okay, that was the two easy parts, lol. Now comes some finesse and technique to roll the chicken mixture around the cheese and form a log. Grab the bottom of the plastic wrap and bring it up towards the top. When the chicken mixture goes over the cheese and begins to meet with the top section, use your hands to bring it together through the plastic wrap and seal it closed. Once a log is somewhat formed, grab the two outer ends of the plastic wrap and roll the log until the ends tighten up like a cigar or piece of candy. Be sure to try and seal the ends with the chicken mixture so the cheese is completely surrounded and contained within the "chicken fry." It is slightly difficult at first, but after a few you will get the hang of it.
Leave everything as is and set your first Mozzarella Chicken Fry off to the side and start over with a fresh piece of plastic wrap and repeat the previous couple steps. Grab a portion of chicken mixture, roll it, flatten it, add the cheese, and form the log. You should end up with 16-18 complete Mozzarella Chicken Fries using the remainder of the ingredients.
When finished, transfer all the Mozzarella Chicken Fries to the fridge and refrigerate for at least an hour to make sure everything is staying within safe temperature ranges. This can also be done a day or two ahead of time in preparation for gameday!
When it comes time for cooking these tasty treats, you need to prepare a dredging station. The first container should have some AP Flour and garlic salt. The second container should hold the remaining 3 eggs and heavy cream, which will need to be whisked together. The third container will have the remaining Italian bread crumbs mixed with the panko. You can also preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while assembling your dredging station so it is ready to go.
Unwrap one of the Mozzarella Chicken Fries and roll it in the flour/garlic salt mix. Make sure it is completely covered and transfer it to the egg/cream mixture. Once it is completely coated with this wet dredge, roll the log in the bread crumbs until they completely coat the outside all over. You may have to press the crumbs with your hands to make sure they really stick and adhere, but otherwise, set the first one aside and repeat until you have 8 or so Mozzarella Chicken Fries ready for the air fryer.
When ready, transfer the breaded Mozzarella Chicken Fries to your air fryer filling it as much as possible but leaving room between each log. Spray a light layer of nonstick spray over them to help brown the breading and let them cook for 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, roll them over, give them another spray of oil, and cook an additional 6 minutes.
After 12 minutes total at 400 degrees, the outside should brown and crispy. The real indicator they are done is the cheese just beginning to ooze out but use a thermometer to ensure the chicken layer reached 165 degrees to be safe. Otherwise, keep dredging and repeating the process as needed. Serve your Mozzarella Chicken Fries with a side of marinara sauce for dipping and watch them get devoured one after another! They are highly addictive so be sure to prep enough to feed your entire crowd at least 2 each, trust me. Serving up these air fried Mozzarella Chicken Fries will guarantee you the MVP status at your next game day gathering. Not only do they offer a fun and tasty twist on the usual fare, but they also have the added benefit of being healthier than the traditional deep-fried snacks. So what's stopping you? Go ahead and shake up your appetizer game. I bet you’ll have your guests clamoring for more...Just Keep Cooking!
MOZZARELLA CHICKEN FRIES
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