Guest Chef CHEF G’s BAKED CHICKEN-WRAPPED MOZZARELLA STICKS

Smoked and habanero mozzarella string cheese wrapped in seasoned and flattened chicken tenderloins, coated with seasoned regular and panko bread crumbs, then baked to tender perfection. Oh My Good-Good-Ness!

There have been a few popular recipes trending on the interwebs for mozzarella-stuffed chicken bites, and I prepared a batch myself last week. They were tasty, but I was not all that impressed because they were rather tiny. I’m a grown man with big hands, and my finger foods need to be super-sized. So I said to myself, “Self, why not use the whole mozzarella stick?” And that’s what I did.

The result was phenomenal! Hot and gooey mozzarella cheese surrounded by moist and tender chicken, with a flavorful crunchy exterior. After tasting these, I don’t want regular mozzarella sticks ever again in life.

If you try my recipe, I know that you will absolutely love it. And to make the preparation really easy I used only salt and pepper on the chicken, and already seasoned bread crumbs. Simple goodness. But please feel free to be creative and use your preferred spices.

BON APPÉTIT!
~Chef G

RECIPE; Guest Chef CHEF G’s BAKED CHICKEN-WRAPPED MOZZARELLA STICKS

INGREDIENTS:

• 8-10 sticks mozzarella string cheese, frozen
• 8-10 pieces chicken tenderloin
• 2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup seasoned regular bread crumbs
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION:

In a large bowl or baking pan combine panko and regular bread crumbs. In a separate small bowl, add the flour. In a third bowl, add the eggs and whisk well.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then carefully flatten each tenderloin as thinly as possible with a meat mallet without tearing them apart.

Place one whole stick of frozen cheese on one edge of flattened chicken, and carefully roll to completely cover the cheese. It does not have to be perfect or pretty. Repeat with the remaining cheese and chicken.

Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Roll wrapped cheese sticks in the flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip into the whisked eggs, covering all dry flour spots. Then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Make sure you coat the cheese sticks well, including the ends. If needed, dip dry sections back into the egg bowl and re-coat with bread crumbs. Place sticks on prepared baking sheet.

When all sticks are coated cook immediately, or freeze on sheet until ready to bake. The cheese must be frozen before baking so it doesn’t ooze out while in the oven.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 deg F (190 C). Place sticks in oven and cook for about 30-35 minutes, turning them over halfway through.

When done, serve immediately with marinara, Ranch dressing, or whatever your taste buds desire.

ENJOY!