Veggie Chicken Cheese Poppers With Berry Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened and cut up into cubes
4 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup kernel corn, drained well if canned (thawed if frozen)
1 green onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons hot sauce (we use Texas Pete)
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded fine
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
panko breadcrumbs, to coat (bread crumbs)
Berry Sauce
1/2 cup jam (blueberry or your choice)
2 tablespoons berry juice (cherry or your choice)

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix cheeses thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients except Panko. Chill for 10 minutes or so if necessary to form balls easier.
TO BAKE: Heat oven to 425F degrees. Using the palms of your hands, roll the mixture into 1 1/2\" sized balls (keep them bite-sized). Roll each ball into the panko to coat evenly.
Place each ball on a greased baking sheet (or use parchment or a silpat). Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a serving platter in a single layer. Serve with sauce.
TO FRY: Place 1 cup flour, 3 eggs, and 1 1/2 cup Panko into 3 separate bowls. Roll each ball in the flour, then the egg and then the Panko. Set aside in a single layer (baking sheet works great).
Heat a deep fryer (or large pot) filled with 2-3\" of vegetable oil to 350\u00b0F Fry the poppers in batches (do not crowd them). Cook for 1-2 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sauce.
BERRY SAUCE: Heat jam and juice in a small saucepan. Simmer down to desired consistency (that of a dipping sauce). Serve sauce warm.