Chicken Cheese Ball Recipe (2024)

Chicken Cheese Ball always made an appearance around my house growing up. Especially around the holidays, whenever Mama hosted a shower, or for other special occasions, her chicken cheese ball was sure to requested.

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It is definitely one of the easiest recipes to toss together when entertaining, which probably explains why she has always loved to make it through the years.

I just remember being excited when it was finally time to serve her chicken cheese ball at whatever event she was hosting so that I could have a bite. She’d usually prepare it the evening before, or even earlier, and there it would be, taunting me in the refrigerator until time for her party. Talk about tempting!

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Now that I’m older, I’m the one keeping the cheese ball covered in the refrigerator and begging my family not to dive into it too early. I probably should learn to just make two of them, one for entertaining and one for my family to enjoy.

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Mama’s chicken cheese ball recipes are legendary in our family. The one I’m sharing today is her classic version that we all loved. I’ll have to share some of her other chicken cheese ball recipes soon so that you can give them a try, too. They are out of this world.

Here are a few tips for making her chicken cheese ball ahead of time.

Have all of the ingredients at room temperature before you begin mixing them. Then, you can easily stir all of the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Have a large piece of plastic wrap ready for wrapping the chicken cheese ball for chilling as you begin mixing your ingredients together. Then, just pour your cheese ball mixture onto the center of the wrap and form it into a ball.

Press the chopped pecans onto the cheese ball before it is refrigerated as they will adhere better to the outside of the chicken cheese ball once it is chilled.

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So, be sure to pick up the ingredients for this recipe if you don’t already have them in your pantry so that you can make this over the holidays. It’s perfect to pull out of the refrigerator to snack on anytime of the day.

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Here’s Mama’s Chicken Cheese Ball recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you love it.

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Chicken Cheese Ball Recipe

Robyn Stone

5 from 12 votes

Chicken Cheese Ball makes an easy, elegant dish when entertaining. This family favorite chicken cheese ball recipe can be made up to three days ahead.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) can chicken, white meat only preferred
  • 2 (8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion, or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 cups chopped pecans
  • crackers and fruit, for serving

Instructions

  • Mix together chicken, cream cheese, onion or onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans in a medium mixing bowl.

  • Pour chicken cheese ball mixture into the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap, press chicken cheese ball mixture to form a ball.

  • Press remaining chopped pecans onto top and sides of chicken cheese ball.

  • Wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to 3 days before serving.

  • Serve with crackers and fruit.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Chicken Cheese Ball Recipe (7)

Categorized as:30 Minutes or Less Recipes, All Recipes, Appetizers, By Cooking Style, By Special Diets, Christmas Recipes, Cooking, Egg-Free Recipes, Game Day Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Grain-Free Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, No Cook Recipes, Recipes, Shower Recipes, Simple Recipes, Southern Favorites, Sugar-Free Recipes

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Chicken Cheese Ball Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How are cheese balls made? ›

The basic ingredients of cheese balls are simple: Mix cream cheese with another grated semi-soft or semi-hard cheese. Add herbs, spices, or other ingredients for flavor. Combine the ingredients well and roll the mixture into a ball.

How do you thicken a cheese ball? ›

Your cheese ball is too runny: Once you have added all the extras, and it's all mixed in well, if the texture is more salad dressing-like than something you might spread on a bagel, you can tighten it up easily by adding unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing before you add more.

What is a good cracker for a cheese ball? ›

What to Serve with Cheese Ball. That's an important question and I obviously have a strong opinion. Here are some options: Crackers – Ritz Crackers, Wheat Thins, Multi-Grain, Milton's.

How long is a homemade cheese ball good for? ›

Storing: A cheese ball should be stored in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for several days or up to 2 weeks depending on the freshness of your ingredients. To estimate how long your cheese ball will stay fresh, first notice the expiration date on the ingredients you are using.

What are the ingredients in current cheese balls? ›

Corn Grits, Rice Grits, Edible Vegetable Oil (Palmolein Oil), Cheddar Cheese Powder, Iodized Salt, Sugar, Maltodextrin (Ins 1400), Flavour Enhancer (Ins 621), Food Color (Ins 110) And Natural Cheese Flavour. Manufacturer Name: Yashoda Foods Pvt Ltd. Tilottama 15, Rupandehi, Nepal.

What is the difference between cheese puffs and cheese balls? ›

For one, while Puffs and Balls are equally airy during the first bite, Cheese Balls maintain their delightful crunch throughout the chewing process. The Puffs, on the other hand, immediately melt and stick to anything and everything.

What does cornstarch do to cheese? ›

For a cheese dip or sauce, the addition of cornstarch serves a similar function: Starch molecules absorb water and expand, not only thickening the liquid phase of the sauce, but also physically preventing the proteins from binding into long, tangled strands and the fats from separating out and pooling.

Why is my cheese ball so hard? ›

Why is my cheese ball so hard? You want your cheese ball to be firm enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to allow for easy spreading. To achieve this consistency, the key is making sure your cream cheese is softened before preparing.

What can I use instead of crackers for cheese? ›

Carrot Sticks

These are a classic cracker alternative, and go with pretty much any dip as well as cheese. Sticks are best for dip but you can cut carrot rounds if you want the shape of a typical cracker and then top with cheese or create a fancy topping (like cream cheese, smoked salmon and dill).

Can you freeze a cheese ball? ›

Cheese balls freeze quite well. Again, it's best to wrap the cheese ball in one layer of plastic wrap, then one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to four weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Are Ritz crackers butter crackers? ›

Our Favorite Butter Cracker: Ritz

Simply put, these scalloped golden discs have an ideal level of saltiness.

What is a fun fact about the cheese ball? ›

"According to legend," writes Michelle Buffardi, author of Great Balls of Cheese, "the first cheese ball in recorded history was made in 1801 by Elisha Brown, Jr. on his farm and presented to President Thomas Jefferson" at the White House.

Can a cheese ball be left out overnight? ›

The U.S. Department of Health doesn't recommend keeping any perishable food sitting out of the fridge for more than two hours — and that's certainly the case for soft cheeses, like cottage or cream cheese, brie, or fresh mozzarella.

What cheese are cheese balls made of? ›

Second, you'll want to make sure you use a cheese that melts well. This recipe calls for mozzarella or cheddar, but soft cheeses or Alpine cheeses like Swiss cheese will also work. Don't use hard, aged cheeses like Parmesan because they won't melt quickly enough. Third, consider double breading the cheese balls.

How are cheezels made? ›

Usually, Cheezels are made from corn and rice, and many kinds of powdered cheeses. Other flavours of the snack have been produced by Snack Brands Australia, such as: Original Cheese. Pizza.

Are UTZ cheese balls baked or fried? ›

The Utz Red Hot Cheddar Cheese Balls are made with real cheese and are baked for a taste of irresistibly combination of spicy cheesy goodness.

References

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