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This is my favorite appetizer ever. I served this honey chipotle fried mozzarella with ranch, but you can use blue cheese, marinara, or any sauce you like.
Looking for more delicious cheese-inspired appetizers? Check out this queso fundido and classic cheese ball.
Table of Contents
If you’ve ever eaten at Chili’s, you probably know their fried mozzarella is amazing. It’s crispy on the outside and filled with melty, gooey cheese. Recently, they added a honey chipotle version.
I had to try making it myself. It turned out delicious, maybe even better than Chili’s!
Reasons to Make This Recipe…
- Feeds a crowd.
- It’s a lot cheaper to make at home than to buy at a restaurant.
- Cooks in minutes.
- You can make a big batch and freeze the ones you don’t cook. Then just fry one or two whenever you feel like eating fried mozzarella.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
Chipotle Sauce – There are two kinds of chipotle sauce you can buy. One comes with adobo peppers, and the other is just the sauce without any peppers. Make sure to get the one without the peppers. You can find it at a Hispanic grocery store, in the Hispanic section of your regular store, or online.
Mozzarella – Make sure to buy the mozzarella cheese block that comes without any liquid. It has to be low moisture.
Breadcrumbs – I used a combination of panko and plain seasoned breadcrumbs for the best crust.
Pro Tips
- Make sure to coat the mozzarella sticks two times. The cheese is thick, and one layer won’t be enough to keep it inside. If you only coat it once, the cheese might leak out when you fry it.
- It is crucial that you freeze the mozzarella after coating it in the breadcrumbs for at least 30 minutes, otherwise, it will fall apart while it fries.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella cheese for best results.
Storage
Put any leftovers in a container with a lid and keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave, but they might get a little soft. If you want them crispy again, use an air fryer.
You can also freeze any uncooked mozzarella sticks. They freeze well and you can fry them anytime. Frozen mozzarella sticks can last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback and would greatly appreciate it ❤️
Honey Chipotle Fried Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 1 lb Mozzarella cheese , low moisture*
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ⅓ cup chipotle sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- oil, for frying
Instructions
- Cut cheese into long thick even slices. About 1/2 inch thick.
- Combine the panko and seasoned breadcrumbs, salt, and granulated garlic in a shallow dish and set it aside.
- Whisk the eggs and milk and set it aside.
- Put a cheese stick in the flour and cover it completely. Next, dip it into the egg and make sure all the flour is covered, and shake off any excess egg. Then roll it in the breadcrumbs. After that, dip the same cheese stick into the egg again and then into the breadcrumbs one more time. You only need to use flour once, but use the egg and breadcrumbs twice. Repeat this same process with all the cheese sticks.
- Freeze the cheese sticks for 30 minutes. While the cheese sticks are in the freezer, prepare the honey chipotle sauce. All you have to do is combine the honey and chipotle sauce in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. This should take a few minutes. Once it comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat and taste it. If you want it sweeter, add more honey. If you want it spicier, add more chipotle sauce or cayenne pepper.
- Heat some vegetable or canola oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the cheese sticks for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush the mozzarella sticks with the honey chipotle sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to coat the mozzarella sticks two times. The cheese is thick, and one layer won’t be enough to keep it inside. If you only coat it once, the cheese might leak out when you fry it.
- It is crucial that you freeze the mozzarella after coating it in the breadcrumbs for at least 30 minutes, otherwise, it will fall apart while it fries.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella cheese for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
