Why You’ll Love This these Cream Cheese Chicken Balls
These cream cheese chicken balls are like little pockets of pure comfort food magic, with that creamy, tangy center that practically melts in your mouth.
You get the best of both worlds here – juicy, tender chicken on the outside and that rich, velvety cream cheese surprise waiting inside, all wrapped up in a golden, crispy coating that makes everything better.
The whole thing comes together so easily too, which is perfect for those nights when you want something that looks fancy but doesn’t require a culinary degree to pull off.
Ingredients List
This recipe keeps things wonderfully simple with just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have sitting in your kitchen right now.
- 4 chicken breasts
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 hunks
- Breadcrumbs, fresh or ready made
- 1-2 beaten eggs
- 1 tablespoon oil
A few things to keep in mind about these ingredients:
- The cream cheese is definitely the star here, but it’s also packing quite a bit of saturated fat and calories, so maybe don’t make this your everyday dinner
- You can lighten things up a bit by using reduced-fat cream cheese, though you’ll lose some of that ultra-creamy texture
- Fresh breadcrumbs will give you a better crunch than the store-bought kind, but honestly, nobody’s judging if you grab the container from the pantry
- Chicken breast is lean protein, which helps balance out all that cream cheese indulgence
- Consider using whole wheat breadcrumbs if you want to sneak in a little extra fiber without anyone noticing
Step by Step Directions
These chicken cream cheese balls combine the richness of cream cheese with tender chicken in a crispy, golden coating that’s surprisingly easy to make.
- Flatten chicken breasts using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Place one hunk of cream cheese in the center of each flattened chicken breast.
- Fold the chicken around the cream cheese, forming a ball with the cheese sealed inside.
- Dip each chicken ball into the beaten egg mixture.
- Roll in breadcrumbs until completely coated.
- Refrigerate the coated chicken balls for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken balls for about 5 minutes, turning to cook all sides.
- Transfer the browned chicken balls to a baking dish.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
For consistently tender results, invest in a premium meat tenderizer mallet to ensure your chicken breasts are evenly flattened.
Substitutions and Variations
• Baking shortcuts – If you’re feeling lazy (no judgment here), skip the pan-frying step and bake them straight from the fridge.
Add about 15 minutes to the cooking time, and they’ll still turn out golden and delicious.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These cream cheese chicken balls are hearty enough to be the star of the show, but they love some good company on the plate.
- Roasted vegetables – Brussels sprouts, carrots, or green beans work beautifully since they can roast alongside the chicken for the last 30 minutes of baking time.
- Creamy mashed potatoes – Because sometimes you need carbs to soak up all that melted cream cheese goodness that might escape during cooking.
- Simple green salad – A crisp salad with vinaigrette cuts through the richness perfectly, plus it makes you feel like you’re eating vegetables even though you’re really just here for the cheese-stuffed chicken.
- Rice pilaf or wild rice – These grains are like little sponges for any pan drippings, and they add a nice nutty flavor that doesn’t compete with the main event.
- Steamed broccoli with lemon – The bright citrus note wakes up your taste buds between bites of creamy, savory chicken.
- Garlic bread – Look, I’m not saying you need more carbs, but if you’re already going all-in on comfort food, why not embrace it completely?
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share some game-changing tips that’ll turn you from a cream cheese chicken amateur into someone who actually knows what they’re doing.
- Pound that chicken like it owes you money – Get those breasts to about ¼ inch thick so they cook evenly and don’t turn into hockey pucks while the cream cheese is still cold in the middle.
- Chill the cream cheese beforehand – Room temperature cream cheese will ooze out faster than you can say “kitchen disaster,” so keep those hunks nice and firm from the fridge.
- Use toothpicks as your secret weapon – Secure the seam where you folded the chicken together, because nothing says “amateur hour” quite like cream cheese escaping all over your pan.
- Double-dip in the egg wash – One quick dip won’t cut it when you’re dealing with oddly-shaped chicken balls, so give them a thorough coating or your breadcrumbs will fall off like autumn leaves.
- Press those breadcrumbs on with purpose – Don’t just roll them around gently, really pat and press that coating so it stays put during the cooking marathon ahead.
- Check for doneness with a thermometer – The chicken needs to hit 165°F internally, and since these aren’t your typical flat chicken pieces, guessing is basically gambling with food safety.
- Let them rest for 5 minutes after baking – This gives the cream cheese time to stop bubbling like a volcano and settle into creamy perfection instead of molten lava that burns your tongue.
Nutritional Facts
Each cream cheese chicken ball packs a serious protein punch while delivering that indulgent comfort food satisfaction you’re craving.
- Calories: 485 per serving
- Protein: 42g (excellent source for muscle maintenance and satiety)
- Fat: 28g (primarily from cream cheese and cooking oil)
- Saturated Fat: 12g (about 60% of daily recommended value)
- Carbohydrates: 15g (mainly from breadcrumb coating)
- Fiber: 1g
- Sodium: 520mg (varies considerably based on breadcrumb type)
- Cholesterol: 185mg (from chicken, eggs, and cream cheese)
- Calcium: 8% daily value (thanks to that cream cheese center)
- Iron: 6% daily value
- Vitamin A: 12% daily value
- Potassium: 580mg (good source from chicken)
Key Nutritional Notes:
- High in complete proteins containing all essential amino acids
- Rich in phosphorus for bone health
- Contains B-vitamins, especially niacin and B6 from chicken
- Calorie-dense due to cream cheese and breading – perfect for hearty appetites but portion control recommended for weight management
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond their impressive nutritional profile, cream cheese chicken balls carry some fascinating culinary secrets that’ll make you appreciate this dish even more.
Did you know cream cheese was invented by accident in 1872 when a New York dairyman tried making French cheese? The technique of stuffing chicken actually dates back to ancient Rome, where they’d fill poultry with various ingredients for banquets.
I find it interesting that refrigerating the balls before cooking isn’t just for convenience—it prevents the cream cheese from leaking out during the cooking process, creating that perfect molten center we all love.
