These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are an easy appetizer or dinner that is packed full of flavor. These are perfect for game day (less messy than wings), or are a great low carb dinner!
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When hosting a party I try to serve a variety of fun finger foods and these Easy Turkey Pinwheels and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are always the first to go!
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Table of contents
Why You'll Love This Buffalo Chicken Meatball Recipe!
I love recipes that have spicy buffalo sauce and while traditionally you may find many wing recipes with this flavor, these chicken meatballs are a tasty alternative. Packed full of flavor they are moist and bite-sized. The ground chicken is an ideal replacement for a chicken wing and is perfect for your next party or potluck.
They may be small, but they are mighty. You can enjoy them as an appetizer or they would be a perfect addition to a meal if you served them with some side dishes. The chicken buffalo meatballs are super easy to make and they do not disappoint.
- Perfect for parties - Whether you are hosting or attending, these chicken meatballs are ideal for gatherings and less messy than wings!
- Super easy to make - It is a simple recipe to create and bakes in the oven.
- Simple and fresh ingredients - You only need a handful of ingredients to make these delicious buffalo meatballs.
- Packed full of flavor - There is a lot of flavor packed into a small meatball.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Baking tray
- Wire rack
Key Ingredients
Ground chicken - ground chicken is a great option and perfect for meatballs. The chicken is super moist and delicious.
Panko crumbs - Panko crumbs are a great way to combine ground meat and other ingredients, binding everything together.
Blue cheese - I like to use crumbles of blue cheese. You can use your preferred brand.
Fresh parsley - Chopped fresh parsley is a great addition to the chicken meatballs and adds a bit of freshness.
Green onion - I love adding thinly sliced green onion to the meatball mixture.
Garlic - Minced garlic adds some extra flavor to the chicken meatball.
Hot sauce - I use Frank's hot sauce but you can use your preferred brand.
Butter - This combines with the hot sauce to make a velvety sauce.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Set out a rimmed baking tray with a rack or line with aluminum foil.
In a large bowl add ground chicken, panko crumbs, blue cheese crumbles, parsley, green onion, and garlic. Use your hands to combine the mixture being cautious to not over mix.
Form the chicken mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Line the meatballs on a cooking sheet. This makes 15 regular sized meatballs or you can size them smaller and make 20. Just adjust the cooking time a bit so they do not over cook.
Place the cooking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and when checked with a meat thermometer, they reach 165° F.
When the meatballs are finished cooking, melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in the hot sauce.
Add the meatballs to a bowl and pour hot sauce mixture over the meatballs. Toss the meatballs to cover in the sauce.
Serve the meatballs immediately with blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery, and carrot sticks. Garnish meatballs with additional blue cheese crumbles, parsley, and chopped green onion.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these with some toothpicks and with some vegetable crudities such as celery or carrot sticks. They are also perfect for dipping into either blue cheese or ranch dressing.
You could also serve these buffalo chicken meatballs with some French fries, pasta or rice. Or add the chicken meatballs to a sub roll with some extra melted cheese for a delicious sandwich.
Storage
If you have any leftovers then make sure they have cooled completely before transferring to an airtight container. You can then store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make Ahead
These are perfect to make ahead. You can prepare the meatball mixture and portion them into golf ball-sized balls and then refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking.
Freezing Instructions: Bake as directed and cool completely before freezing. Par freeze the meatballs (without sauce) on a baking tray for a few hours so that they are frozen enough to not stick together, then transfer to a labeled freezer bag. The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the meatballs overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven at 300° F. Make sure to cover them with aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out. Then make the sauce and toss the chicken meatballs in the buffalo sauce.
Substitutions and Additions
- Ground chicken - You can substitute the ground chicken for ground turkey or ground beef.
- Make them gluten-free - You can use gluten free breadcrumbs instead to make this appetizer ideal for a gluten-free diet.
- Add some extra spice - You could add some chili flakes or chili powder to the meatball mixture to give it that extra heat.
How Do You Get Perfect Meatballs?
A great tip is to rub your hands with some water before rolling the meatball mixture into the golf ball-sized balls. Keep a bowl of water close by so you can keep your hands wet. This stops the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands.
Can You Freeze These Chicken Meatballs?
It is best to freeze these chicken meatballs once baked but before adding to the hot sauce. Allow them to thaw completely before reheating in the oven and then coating them with buffalo hot sauce.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and a 5- star rating. I would love to hear from you! Subscribe Here to get new recipes sent straight to your inbox!
Easy Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- bowl
- baking tray with rack or aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup panko crumbs
- ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbles
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup hot sauce, I used Frank's
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Set a baking tray with a cooking rack or line tray with aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl mix add ground chicken, panko crumbs, blue cheese crumbles, parsley, green onion and garlic. Use your hands to combine the mixture being cautious to not over mix.
- Form the chicken mixture into golf ball- sized meatballs. Line the meatballs on a cooking sheet. Place the cooking sheet into preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the center in no longer pink and when checked with a meat thermometer they reach 165° F.
- When the meatballs are finished cooking, melt the butter in a sauce pan and stir in the hot sauce.
- Add the meatballs to a bowl and pour hot sauce mixture over the meatballs. Toss the meatballs to cover in the sauce.
- Serve the meatballs immediately with blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery and carrot sticks. Garnish meatballs with additional blue cheese crumbles, parsley and chopped green onion.
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