Based on Mama’s chicken cheese ball that she made for so many holidays, parties, and showers, these are two-bite treats that are as gorgeous to look at as they are scrumptious to eat. Her original recipe used canned chicken, two blocks of cream cheese, and mayonnaise, all formed into a large ball. While it was absolutely delicious, it was also indulgent. I’ve updated the recipe to use home-cooked chicken and lighter, tangier goat cheese in place of some of the cream cheese, and I’ve portioned the mixture into individual truffle-sized bites. That way, everyone gets their own!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup finely chopped reduced sugar dried cranberries
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallions
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios)
- Crackers and fruit, for serving
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with the olive oil.
- Arrange the chicken breasts on the baking sheet and cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper or foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F and the juices run clear when the flesh is pricked with a sharp knife, about 30 minutes. Let the chicken cool and then chop finely.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, goat cheese, cranberries, scallions, garlic powder, salt, and 1 cup of the nuts. Scoop out tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls, then roll the balls in the remaining nuts. Refrigerate in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for 1 hour or up to 3 days before serving.
- When ready to serve, let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Serve with crackers and fruit.
