RITZ Spicy Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

• 0.8 cup roka cheese dressing blue kraft
• 2 Tbsp butter melted
• 5 stalks celery divided
• 1 lb ground chicken 
• 0.3 cup oil 
• 0.5 cup pepper sauce hot divided
• 2.5 cups ritz crackers divided crushed

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375F.
2. Chop 1 celery stalk finely; mix with chicken, 1 cup cracker crumbs and 3 Tbsp. hot sauce just until blended. Shape into 24 balls.
3. Mix remaining hot sauce and butter in shallow bowl.
4. Place remaining cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl.
5. Roll chicken balls, 1 at a time, in hot sauce mixture, then in crumbs until evenly coated.
6. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet.
7. Add chicken balls, in batches; cook 3 to 4 min. or until lightly browned, turning after 2 min.
8. Drain on paper towels. (Note: Meatballs will not be done but will finish cooking in the oven.)
9. Place on rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
10. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until done (165F). Meanwhile, cut remaining celery into thin sticks.
11. Serve meatballs with dressing and celery sticks.