Baked Chicken Cheese Meatballs

I was looking for a low carb cheesy chicken recipe, and made these Baked Chicken Cheese Meatballs.

Ingredients:

Ranch Dressing:

• 3/4 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise + 1.5 tsp lemon or lime juice (or 1/4 cup Greek yogurt)
• 1.5 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tablespoons onion flakes
• 1 ounce milk, as needed to thin out

Meatballs:

• 1 pound shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons powdered Romano cheese
• 6 slices bacon (you will cook to crisp, and crumble)
• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 6 ounces cheddar, cut into sixteen ~ 1/2" cubes
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons ground flax meal

Instructions:

1. In food processor, whirl cottage cheese until smooth, adding i mayo or yogurt. Add in spices, whirl until well mixed. Scoop dip into small bowl, let sit in fridge for 1 hour or more.
2. As needed, cook and shred chicken. (I used my Instant Pot - put 1 cup of water in bottom, put 2 frozen chicken breasts on a trivet, sprinkle lightly with spices [not in ingredient list : onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.] Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Use natural release for ~5 minutes, then use quick release. Remove chicken, shred with two forks on a cutting board. Let cool a few minutes.)
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Mix spices into almond meal in a medium bowl. Remove 1/2 cup of almond meal, place in a low flat container for coating the balls. Stir in the Romano cheese to the coating mix.
5. Cook 6 slices of bacon to crispy, crumble into bits.
6. In the medium bowl with spices almond flour, mix in the flax meal. Mix in the chicken and mozzarella cheese. Stir in the beaten eggs until evenly mixed.
7. Separate the chicken/cheese mix into 16 portions.
8. Form each portion into a patty, wrap each patty around a cheddar chunk into a ball.
9. Roll each ball in the coating mix.
10. Place chicken balls in a single layer on a cooking rack in a cookie sheet.
11. Spray each ball lightly with cooking spray.
12. Cook the chicken cheese balls for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Serve warm, with ranch dressing and sliced veggies.

 

Carole's Notes:

We liked this! They were a fun finger food.

The recipe is adapted https://www.mrfood.com/Appetizers/Not-Fried-Chicken-Cheese-Balls and the ranch dressing from Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole