Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tbsp hot sauce

Meatloaf

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced (about 1 cup), celery leaves set aside for serving
• Half a medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce
• 750 g of minced chicken, 50/50 light and dark meat
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 and 1/4 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9 x 5 x 3 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Sauce:
   
   Combine ketchup and hot sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
   
   Meatloaf:
   
   Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, sauté the celery and onion until softened, 3–5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet (including the fat) to a large bowl. Stir in the hot sauce. Add the chicken, blue cheese, salt, pepper, eggs, and 1.5 cups of breadcrumbs and mix well.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, pressing down firmly, especially in the center, to create an indentation. This will prevent the meatloaf from puffing up during baking. Brush the surface with the sauce. Combine the Parmesan cheese with 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and sprinkle the mixture over the meatloaf. Bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown, 45 minutes to an hour. Let rest for about 15 minutes, then slice and serve.
4. Meanwhile, toast the remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in a dry frying pan until lightly golden brown and set aside. Garnish the meatloaf slices with the toasted breadcrumbs and chopped celery leaves.