Crunchy Buffalo Chicken Cups

Happy MLK, Jr. Day! I am lucky to have today off and couldn't be happier to sleep in, maybe take a bubble bath, and basically do nothing but relax!

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture that truly does these delicious little appetizers justice. I made them for a Christmas party and needed to serve them to my guests while they were still hot, so I didn't have time to take 20 pictures from all different angles like I normally do. But trust me, these are good! The filling is very similar to buffalo chicken dip (but better, according to my brother, who's a very tough critic) and it sits on little cups made out of Fritos and cheddar cheese. How could they not be delicious?? They'd make a great Super Bowl appetizer, so add these to your list if you're already planning what to make on February 2nd. They'll be a hit, I promise!

This recipe is from Pampered Chef, as is the bamboo serving platter in the photo above. I LOVE that platter! The recipe is in PC's Fall/Winter 2013 Season's Best Recipe Book. As soon as I got the book, that was the first recipe that caught my eye and it did not disappoint!

Crunchy Buffalo Chicken Cups

2 cups corn chips (like Fritos)
6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups, divided)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup finely diced cooked chicken breast (I poached the chicken)
2 Tbsp hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
2 Tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray wells of a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray

Pulse corn chips in a food processor until they're broken into crumbs. Add one cup of the cheddar cheese to the processor and process until the cheese and chips are incorporated. Spoon about 1 Tbsp chip mixture into each well of the pan (I used my PC small scoop to make this easier) and flatten the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the wells. Again, PC came to my rescue with their mini-tart shaper to do this job, but you can use your fingers, the handle of a wooden spoon, whatever works. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until cups are slightly bubbly and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 3 - 4 minutes.

Set aside 1 Tbsp of green onions for garnish and add the rest to a mixing bowl. Add chicken, hot sauce, sour cream, blue cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Mix well and then microwave, uncovered, for 30 - 60 seconds or until mixture is warm enough to your liking and the cheese is slightly melted.

Gently remove the cups from the mini muffin tin and place on your serving platter. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of chicken mixture into each cup. Drizzle with additional hot sauce, if desired, and sprinkle with reserved green onions.