Dough-Wrapped Chicken Legs Stuffed With Cheddar Cheese And Queso
Is there anything more comforting than a bucket of fried chicken, perhaps courtesy of KFC, Popeyes, or Chick-fil-A? We didn't think so. But the next time you get a craving when you're lounging around at home, why not just whip up some good 'ol chicken wings yourself instead of ordering in? With this recipe, you can take your homemade fried chicken to the next level by stuffing it with cheese and wrapping it in dough to make it extra crispy. The Colonel would definitely approve!
You'll Need:
For the dough:
- 2 cups flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the chicken:
- 5 chicken legs
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the filling:
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar
- ¼ cup Velveeta queso blanco
Here's How:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the dough. Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. In a second bowl, mix the egg, cream cheese, and vegetable oil. Now add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Knead with your hands to form a supple dough and refrigerate for at least an hour. Meanwhile, season the drumsticks with paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the oil and mix well. Place the coated chicken legs on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 35 minutes. Let the chicken cool down and then separate the meat from the bone. Cut the meat into small pieces and clean the bone. Set the bones aside for now, you'll need them again later.
2. Put the chopped meat in a bowl, add the diced bell pepper, queso, and cheddar cheese, and mix until combined.
3. Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it into 5 equal pieces. Form the pieces of dough into round, flat circles.
4. Fill each piece of dough with 1 tbsp of the meat and cheese mixture. Then place one of the clean bones from earlier in the middle and press the dough around it so it looks like a normal drumstick. Put the stuffed drumsticks into the freezer for about 20 minutes.
5. Heat some oil in a large pot to about 350°F and fry the drumsticks. Hold the chicken by the bone so you can get an even color all around and fry until they're golden brown.
This is like going to the State Fair and indulging in some crazy fried chicken, but from the comfort of your own home. With this fried chicken recipe under your wings, your next party is going to be off the chain! Bon appétit!
Check out the recipe for the Cheesy Chicken Legs featured in the bonus video.