Enjoy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs as a party snack, game day appetizer, or easy weeknight dinner idea. You only need a few ingredients along with a couple of spices, and the meatballs are done in less than 30 minutes!
If you are a fan of buffalo chicken wings, I know you will love these meatballs. Lately, buffalo chicken recipes have been my jam, so I made Buffalo Chicken Fries, and the week before that I tested a Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe so I could have these perfected before the big game.
Honestly, meatballs made with ground chicken are underrated. It’s cheaper to purchase than other ground meats, is a lighter option, and can be made a ton of different ways. Also, the nutrition profile is quite impressive. While these may be small they sure are mighty! Each meatball is less than 50 calories, has 5 grams of protein, and are keto, paleo, and Whole30 friendly.
By the way, it’s really easy to make a double batch of these. What you don’t eat, just freeze for later!
MORE TASTY CHICKEN AND APPETIZER RECIPES
BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
- ground chicken
- minced garlic – if you don’t have any sub garlic powder instead
- cayenne pepper
- coarse black pepper
- coarse sea salt
- Italian herb seasoned bread crumbs – you can also use panko, plain bread crumbs, or your favorite gluten free option
- milk – we like whole milk, but any milk will do
- egg
- chopped parsley
- Buffalo sauce
- Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
- Blue cheese crumbles
HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO MEATBALLS WITH GROUND CHICKEN
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a non stick cooking spray)and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the milk and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Just long enough that the breadcrumbs absorb the milk. This will help add moisture to the meatballs.
Add in the ground chicken, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, and egg to the mixture and stir.
Use a cookie scoop and form 1 1/2 inch balls of the meatball mixture. Roll between your hands and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken meatballs are rolled. Leave just a little space between each one.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Drizzle the buffalo sauce over the meatballs and toss to coat.
Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter. Drizzle more buffalo or hot sauce over. Serve with blue cheese, ranch, celery, and carrots.
You can also sprinkle some chopped parsley or green onions and blue cheese crumbles for garnish.
CAN YOU USE GROUND TURKEY INSTEAD?
Sure! Just swap the ground chicken for turkey and finish making the recipe just like I did!
STORING AND FREEZING CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Once they have cooled completely, they are ready to be put away. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
You can freeze the meatballs raw or after they have been cooked.
KEEPING CHICKEN MEATBALLS TENDER
The secret to keeping buffalo meatballs tender is to not overcook them. Because ground chicken is very lean it can dry out quicker than beef meatballs. Use a digital thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatballs. Remove them from the oven as soon as they reach 165°F.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ cup Italian herb seasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for garnish
- Buffalo sauce
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Blue cheese crumbles for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs and milk. Allow the bread crumbs to absorb the milk for about 5 minutes.
- Add ground chicken, minced garlic, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and egg to the bread crumb mixture and stir well.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to form equal balls of the meat mixture. Roll each ball between your palms and place on a parchment paper-lined baking pan/sheet.
- Bake 10-15 minutes or until the center of the meatballs reach 165°F.
- Drizzle with ½ cup of buffalo sauce and toss to coat the meatballs.
- Place meatballs on a platter for serving. Drizzle with more buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and blue cheese crumbles, if desired.
- Serve with toothpicks.
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