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Perfectly seasoned and oh so juicy, these savory baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs have got it going on! Full of cheddar cheese, drenched in spicy buffalo sauce, and then topped with pungent salty sharp blue cheese with a sprinkle of fresh green onions they are the perfect party appetizer or potluck finger food!
Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe
If you love buffalo wings you are going to love this recipe! In fact, I love all things with buffalo sauce myself! Probably why I’ve developed other recipes using this amazing tasty iconic sauce like my Buffalo Chicken Lasagna and my Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins. In my world, it just makes everything better.
Because buffalo sauce is a tad special. It’s got a cayenne pepper base like a lot of hot sauces, but it’s also full of vinegar, garlic, and a bit of butter that smoothes it all out. In truth, it’s the fat in the butter and heavy dose of vinegar that make buffalo sauce stand out.
And this simple delicious buffalo chicken meatballs recipe is based around this addictively good sauce. It’s so yummy and literally, all you have to do is mix ground chicken together, with some shredded cheddar cheese, buffalo sauce, and a few other ingredients. Then bake, toss the meatballs in more buffalo sauce, top with blue cheese, green onions, and serve! It’s that simple and the results are finger-licking good!
Why You’ll Love These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Quick And Easy! You can have homemade meatballs in 30 minutes! The recipe requires almost no prep at all and it’s baked in the oven which means less cleanup too!
- Buffalo Chicken Twist! Just as good as buffalo chicken wings, but in a meatball. This recipe is a tasty and fun twist on a well-known finger food.
- Crowd Pleaser! Your guests will love these buffalo style chicken meatballs. You can serve them with a toothpick at a party, on a bun, or even over pasta or rice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken Meatballs
- Ground Chicken – I used ground chicken to make these meatballs, but you can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
- Cheddar Cheese – Used to both add delicious cheesy flavor and bind the meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs help to keep the meatballs from becoming dry.
- Egg – Used to bind the meatballs together.
- Salt – A dash of salt is always a must to bring out all the natural flavors.
- Black Pepper – Regular ground black pepper is perfect.
- Buffalo Sauce – This recipe would not be complete without its star ingredient. Any homemade buffalo sauce or store-bought variety will do just fine.
- Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley adds a touch of fresh herb flavor that contrasts with the heat.
Toppings
- Buffalo Sauce – Used to coat the perfectly cooked meatballs for the ultimate finish.
- Blue Cheese – Buffalo sauce and blue cheese are like a match made in heaven. Yet, you can omit the cheese or use a different kind if you don’t like blue cheese.
- Green Onions – Freshly chopped green onions, also called scallions, add a final layer of yum.
More Ways To Use Ground Chicken
This recipe is as easy as one-two-three! Quite literally, you just make the meatballs, bake, and top! There is barely any prep and little to no cleanup.
Preheat And Prep The Pan
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. It’s a good rule of thumb to always turn your oven on before you even begin any dish that needs to be baked and to get your pan ready ahead of time.
Make The Chicken Meatballs
To make the meatballs, combine the ground chicken, cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, black pepper, buffalo sauce, and fresh parsley together in a large bowl. You can use a wooden spoon to mix it all together, but I often find that using my hands actually does the best job of incorporating all the ingredients really well. So don’t be afraid to get your hands in there and go to town!
Then once the ground meat mixture is made, it’s time to form the meatballs! To do this, just simply divide the chicken mixture into 15 equal portions and form them into meatballs.
Bake The Chicken Meatballs
Now that you’ve got your meatballs formed, it’s time to bake! So place them on the prepared baking sheet and then pop them in the preheated oven to bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked through.
To be fully cooked the meatballs must have reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) when checked with a digital cooking thermometer. So if the meatballs have not reached 165°F after 25 minutes of baking just put them back in the oven for a few more minutes and then test the temperature again.
Assemble The Dish
When the meatballs are done cooking, you need to quickly transfer them to a large bowl and toss them with the buffalo sauce. Doing this while they’re still warm allows the meatballs to absorb some of the sauce and keep them nice and juicy too! But do be careful not to burn yourself.
Then put the coated meatballs in your dish of choice and top them with the crumbled blue cheese and green onions. Now, serve the hot buffalo chicken meatballs with a side of ranch dressing, blue cheese, or your favorite dipping sauce along with some celery sticks if you like!
Can I Use Other Types Of Ground Meat?
Yes! You can also make the meatballs with turkey, beef, or pork. You could even add some finely chopped bacon to the ground chicken mixture for some added porky goodness!
Can I Fry The Chicken Meatballs?
Yes, of course! Once the meatballs are made just add some vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium. Then once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan in a single layer and cook until well browned on all sides and cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Use all the buffalo sauce. For the most flavorful meatballs use all the buffalo sauce that the recipe calls for. The chicken, cheddar, and breadcrumbs mellow it out as all the flavors meld together in the oven.
- Line the baking sheet. Do not forget to line your baking sheet. The cheese of these yummy meatballs will stick to the pan.
- Temp the chicken meatballs. To make sure your meatballs are fully cooked you will want to use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to ensure they have reached at least 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
Leftovers
Buffalo chicken meatballs will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. To reheat, simply put them in the microwave for a few minutes on medium heat or in the oven at about 350°F (176°C) for about 10 minutes.
Make Ahead
You can easily make this buffalo chicken meatball recipe ahead of time. All you have to do is just make the meatballs and bake them but don’t toss them with the buffalo sauce or garnish. Simply wrap the cooked meatballs well in plastic wrap and either store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Then when you are ready to serve, simply just reheat the meatballs, then finish the recipe by tossing them with the buffalo sauce and topping with the crumbled blue cheese and green onions.
Other Incredible Meatball Recipes To Try
- Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
- Grilled Vietnamese Meatballs
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Chicken Meatballs Alfredo
- Turkey Meatballs
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Meatballs
- Sweet And Sour Chicken Meatballs
- BBQ Meatballs
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
Toppings
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbled
- 2 green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, buffalo sauce and fresh parsley. Form into 15 meatballs, then place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Meatballs are cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer the meatballs to a bowl and immediately toss them with buffalo sauce. Top with crumbled blue cheese, and green onions. Serve with ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips & Notes:
- Use all the buffalo sauce. For the most flavorful meatballs use all the buffalo sauce that the recipe calls for. The chicken, cheddar, and breadcrumbs mellow it out as all the flavors meld together in the oven.
- Line the baking sheet. Do not forget to line your baking sheet. The cheese of these yummy meatballs will stick to the pan.
- Temp the chicken meatballs. To make sure your meatballs are fully cooked you will want to use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to ensure they have reached at least 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- Buffalo chicken meatballs will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. To reheat, simply put them in the microwave for a few minutes on medium heat or in the oven at about 350°F (176°C) for about 10 minutes.
