Cranberry chicken meatball sliders
If you’re looking for a festive appetizer for the holiday season, these cranberry and chicken meatball sliders are the answer! They’re made with everyone’s favorite King’s Hawaiian rolls, which makes them all more delicious!
INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
– 1 lb ground chicken
– 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
– 1 tsp kosher salt
– 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
– 1/2 tsp garlic powder
– 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
For the sandwiches:
– 15 1 oz sweet rolls (such as King’s Hawaiian)
– 3/4 cup cranberry sauce (homemade or canned)
– 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
– 6 oz cheddar cheese shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
– 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
– 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
– 1 tbsp honey
– 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
– Preheat the oven to 375°F.
– Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, mascarpone, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined.
– On a parchment-lined baking sheet, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the meat mixture into 15 equal meatballs. Dip two fingers in water and slightly press down on each meatball to form a thick patty shape. Bake in the preheated 375°F oven until they are browned with an internal temperature of 165°F, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the meatballs aside.
– Make the sandwiches. Slice the sweet roll buns in half. This can be done with them still attached to each other, or they can be pulled apart and individually sliced. Place the bottom portion of the buns in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Brush with the Dijon mustard, and then add the cranberry sauce.
– Place a baked meatball on each bun and finish by sprinkling the cheese evenly on top. Place the top of the buns on to create sandwiches.
– Prepare the butter. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, whole-grain mustard, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Melt and stir over low heat, 2-3 minutes. Remove and drizzle or brush evenly over the prepared sandwiches. Allow the butter to soak in for 10 minutes.
– Bake in the preheated 375°F oven until the cheese is melted and the top of the buns are golden, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
