Buffalo Chicken Bacon Mozzarella Bombs (Print Version)

Crispy buffalo-spiced chicken spheres filled with gooey mozzarella and smoky bacon, coated in golden panko breadcrumbs.

# What You'll 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 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1 teaspoon 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 for frying

# How to Make:

01 - Cut mozzarella cheese into bite-sized cubes. Wrap each cube with a portion of 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 the chicken mixture and flatten it in your palm. Place a bacon-wrapped mozzarella cube in the center, then encase it fully with the 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. Alternatively, place bombs on a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 18–20 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
06 - While hot, drizzle or toss the bombs with the remaining 2 fl oz buffalo sauce. Garnish with extra bacon crumbles if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every bite delivers three textures at once: shatteringly crisp panko, juicy spiced chicken, and that gooey cheese pull everyone craves.
  • The buffalo sauce brings just enough fire to make your taste buds pay attention without scaring off anyone at the table.
  • You can fry them for maximum crunch or bake them to keep things lighter, and either way they disappear fast.
  • They look impressive enough for a party but come together with pantry staples and about 45 minutes of real work.
02 -
  • Seal the chicken completely around the filling or the cheese will leak out during cooking and leave you with hollow shells.
  • Don't skip the flour step in the breading process, it's the anchor that keeps the egg and panko from sliding off in the oil.
  • If baking, give them a light spray of oil before they go in the oven so the panko actually crisps instead of staying pale and soft.
03 -
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the chicken mixture evenly so all the bombs cook at the same rate.
  • Let the coated bombs rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before frying, it helps the breading set and reduces the chance of it falling off in the oil.
  • Always test your oil temperature with a scrap of bread, if it browns in about 60 seconds, you're in the right range.
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