Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

By
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo
Jennifer Perillo is an experienced recipe developer, cookbook author, and blogger behind In Jennie's Kitchen.
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Updated on 07/5/21
buffalo chicken meatballs - hero

Jennifer Perillo

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 20 meatballs

What’s better than Buffalo wings on game day? Three words: Buffalo chicken meatballs! One big reason to love this even more is they make for mess-free eating, unlike regular Buffalo wings (hello, sticky fingers!). All the flavor you love from the classic American comfort snack is transformed into an easy family dinner you can serve for dinner, pack in school lunches, or even make bite-sized to serve as an appetizer.

Now, let’s talk about the most important part of Buffalo chicken meatballs: the hot sauce. Yes, you can use your favorite kind and even go for a milder flavor for more sensitive or picky palates, but for a true Buffalo-style experience, Frank’s Hot Sauce seals the deal, so it’s worth tracking down for this recipe.

As for the dipping sauce, it’s ranch all the way. This one is a lightened-up version made with plain yogurt, sour cream, chives, and lemon juice, skipping the usual ranch spices to let the seasoning in the meatballs take front and center. If you want a more classic take on ranch dressing, we’ve got you covered here. 

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • Olive oil, for greasing pan

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/4 cup hot sauce

  • 1 pound ground chicken

  • 1 clove garlic, grated

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

For the Ranch Dipping Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Generously brush an 11-inch by 17-inch baking sheet with olive oil.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - gather the ingredients
    Jennifer Perillo

  2. In a small bowl, beat the egg, butter and hot sauce together.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - mix wet ingredients
     Jennifer Perillo

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, pepper, salt, parsley, panko, and the egg mixture. Stir until well mixed using a rubber spatula or fork.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - add chicken and parsley
    Jennifer Perillo

  4. Form the mixture into 20 equal sized balls. The mixture will be very wet and sticky; dabbing your fingertips in a bit of water helps form the balls.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - form meatballs
    Jennifer Perillo

  5. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - arrange on baking sheet
    Jennifer Perillo

  6. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until golden all over and chicken is cooked through (165 F on an instant read thermometer).

    buffalo chicken meatballs - bake meatballs
    Jennifer Perillo 

  7. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, sour cream, chives, and lemon juice together.

    buffalo chicken meatballs - make ranch dipping sauce
    Jennifer Perillo

  8. Serve the meatballs with the ranch dipping sauce on the side.

Tips

  • To thaw frozen ground chicken, let it sit in the fridge overnight or add the tightly-sealed container to a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes until it’s thawed out.
  • Forming the meatballs is a little tricky because ground chicken is wetter than ground beef. Keep a bowl of water nearby when shaping them to dab your fingertips in for easier rolling.
  • You can also make these in advance. Shape the balls and flash freeze them for Buffalo chicken meatballs on demand. Bake them straight from the freezer following the cooking directions, adding an extra 5 minutes baking time.

Variations

  • You can swap in ground turkey to make Buffalo turkey meatballs if you prefer.
  • Panko breadcrumbs help bind the meat and seasonings, but you can swap in gluten-free breadcrumbs so everyone can enjoy them (regular breadcrumbs work, too).
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
490 Calories
35g Fat
14g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 490
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 15g 74%
Cholesterol 216mg 72%
Sodium 492mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 8mg 39%
Calcium 107mg 8%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 994mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)