Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe That Delivers Bold Heat and Flavor

Buffalo chicken meatballs recipe lovers know there's something special about combining two beloved comfort foods into one crowd-pleasing dish.

There's a reason this dish has become such a hit at gatherings and game day celebrations across the country.

When you crave bold flavors with just enough heat to keep things interesting, this option hits all the right notes.

It's filling enough to serve as a main course yet portable enough to pass around as an appetizer.

Plus, they're surprisingly simple to prepare, even on busy weeknights when time is tight.

Make a big batch tonight and watch them disappear faster than you can refill the serving platter.

What Makes Buffalo Chicken Meatballs a Favorite

• Lean Protein Option: Ground chicken and turkey make these meatballs much lighter than beef versions while still keeping them moist and flavorful.
• Crowd-Pleaser For Gatherings: Baked meatballs with buffalo sauce and blue cheese work great for parties, game day, or feeding a group without fuss.
• Kid-Friendly Main: The familiar buffalo chicken taste comes in an easy-to-eat form that most children find approachable and fun to eat.
• Manageable Cooking Process: Combining ingredients in a bowl and baking on a sheet tray beats standing over a stove, and the recipe scales up naturally if more people show up.

Which Ingredients Are Used to Make Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• Ground Chicken (1 pound): Use 85/15 blend for the right balance of flavor and moisture in the meatballs.
• Ground Turkey (1 pound): Choose 80/20 blend to add richness without making the mixture too heavy.
• Frank’s RedHot Sauce (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, divided): This specific sauce gives the classic buffalo flavor, with 2 tablespoons mixed into the breadcrumb base and 1 cup melted with butter for coating.

• Sweet Onion (1 cup, cut into chunks): Provides natural sweetness that balances the heat of the hot sauce.
• Celery Stalks (2 stalks cut into chunks, plus celery sticks for serving): The cooked portion adds moisture and mild flavor to the mixture, while raw sticks serve as a cooling accompaniment with dressing.
• Garlic Cloves (2 large): Minces down to release its pungent flavor throughout the meatballs.
• Panko Breadcrumbs (1 cup): Creates a tender crumb structure that keeps the meatballs from becoming dense.
• Milk (2 tablespoons): Hydrates the breadcrumbs for a lighter texture.
• Eggs (2 whole): Binds all the ingredients together.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 tablespoons): Used to sauté the aromatics and bring out their flavors.
• Kosher Salt (2 teaspoons), Freshly Ground Black Pepper (1/2 teaspoon): Season the entire mixture evenly.
• Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (1/4 cup, chopped fine): Adds a fresh herbal note to cut through the richness.

• Butter (4 tablespoons): Melted with the hot sauce to create a silky coating.
• Blue Cheese Dressing (for serving): Serves as a cooling complement to the spicy meatballs.
• Blue Cheese (crumbled for serving): Adds tangy sharpness on top of each portion.

What Tools Do You Need to Cook Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• Food Processor: Quickly minces the onion, celery, and garlic into fine pieces for the mixture.
• Medium Bowl: Holds the breadcrumbs, milk, hot sauce, eggs, and seasonings before combining with the meat.
• Large Bowl: Mixes the ground chicken and turkey with the breadcrumb mixture and later tosses the finished meatballs with sauce.
• Sauté Pan: Cooks the minced vegetables on medium heat for a few minutes to soften them.
• Sheet Tray: Provides a flat surface for baking the meatballs in the oven.
• Aluminum Foil: Lines the sheet tray to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
• Kitchen Pan Spray: Coats the foil and meatball tops to prevent them from sticking during baking.
• #40 One-Ounce Scoop: Portions out uniform-sized meatballs so they cook evenly.
• Small Sauce Pan: Melts butter and combines it with hot sauce for the coating.
• Tongs: Lifts each delicate meatball into the sauce without breaking them apart during the final toss.

Preparation Guide For Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Extra Care For Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• Prep The Aromatics First: Pulse onion, celery, and garlic in a food processor until finely minced, then sauté for four minutes and let cool completely before mixing into the meat.
• Soak The Breadcrumbs: Stir Panko with milk and hot sauce before combining with eggs and seasonings – this keeps the meatballs tender and moist.
• Use A Scoop For Even Sizing: A one-ounce scoop creates uniform meatballs that cook at the same rate, and dipping it in water prevents sticking during portioning.
• Handle With Tongs After Baking: Transfer cooked meatballs to the sauce bowl using tongs in batches rather than a spatula, since they’re delicate and easily fall apart.
• Toss In Sauce Right Away: Coat the meatballs with the butter and hot sauce mixture immediately after they come out of the oven so they absorb the flavor while still warm.

Ingredient Swaps for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• All-Beef Version: Swap the ground chicken and turkey for two pounds of ground beef, keeping everything else the same since beef holds together just as well and gives a richer, heartier meatball that soaks up the buffalo sauce nicely.
• Milder Heat Option: Reduce the Frank’s hot sauce in the breadcrumb mixture to one tablespoon and use half a cup in the butter sauce instead of a full cup, then taste and add more if needed to match your spice preference.
• Dairy-Free Adaptation: Replace the milk with chicken broth in equal amount, skip the blue cheese crumbles and dressing, and serve with ranch made from dairy-free mayo and herbs instead for the same tangy element.
• Gluten-Free Adjustment: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs at the same one-cup measurement and swap regular milk for any non-dairy option if preferred, with the rest of the recipe working exactly as written.

Creative Ways to Serve Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• Serve With Celery And Blue Cheese: Crisp celery sticks and creamy blue cheese dressing balance the heat perfectly and let guests control how much cooling element they need between bites.
• Make Ahead And Reheat: Form and freeze the meatballs up to a week in advance, then bake from frozen for about 20 minutes when ready to serve, which saves time on game day or party night.
• Batch The Sauce Tossing: Handle the delicate meatballs gently by tossing them with sauce in a few separate batches using tongs rather than stirring everything together at once, keeping them intact and evenly coated.
• Double The Buffalo Sauce Recipe: Since these meatballs soak up sauce quickly, making extra sauce on the side means guests can dip or add more heat as they eat, and leftovers work great for dipping vegetables or wings later.

Reliable Storage Advice For Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

• Keep cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and they reheat beautifully in a 350-degree oven for about ten minutes.
• Store the buffalo sauce separately in a glass jar or container, which prevents the meatballs from getting soggy and lets the flavors stay fresh for up to a week.
• Freeze uncooked meatballs on a sheet tray before transferring them to a freezer bag; bake directly from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes to the cooking time.
• Prepare the vegetable prep work and blue cheese dressing ahead of time, storing them in separate containers so assembly goes quickly when serving.

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Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe

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4.8 from 38 reviews

• Total Time: 36-38 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Buffalo chicken meatballs are the kind of dish that keeps people coming back for more at any gathering. Ground chicken mixed with breadcrumbs and spices gets baked until golden, then tossed in tangy buffalo sauce so you can enjoy that classic wing flavor in an easier, more manageable bite.

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Ingredients

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Base ingredients:

• 1 pound 85/15 ground chicken
• 1 pound 80/20 ground turkey
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup sweet onion, cut into chunks
• 2 celery stalks cut into chunks (1 cup)
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot sauce, divided

Serving ingredients:

• 2 celery sticks
• blue cheese dressing
• blue cheese, crumbled

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Instructions

1. Pulse 1 cup sweet onion chunks, 1 cup celery chunks, 2 large garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in your food processor until finely minced.
2. Transfer your mixture to a saute pan and cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, then remove it to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot sauce, stirring until blended.
4. Beat 2 whole eggs and add them to your breadcrumb mixture along with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, and your cooled onion and celery mixture.
5. Combine 1 pound ground chicken and 1 pound ground turkey in a large bowl, then fold in your breadcrumb mixture until just combined.
6. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Use a 1-ounce scoop to portion out 56 meatballs from your mixture, dipping the scoop in water occasionally so it releases easily.
8. Line a sheet tray with foil and spray it with cooking spray for your meatballs.
9. Roll each meatball between your palms and place it on your prepared tray, then spray all the tops lightly with cooking spray.
10. Bake your meatballs for 16 to 18 minutes at 400 degrees F until they’re cooked through.
11. While your meatballs bake, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in 1 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce and set aside.
12. Cut your celery sticks for serving and prepare your blue cheese dressing and crumbled blue cheese in separate portions.
13. Once your meatballs finish baking, use tongs to carefully transfer them in batches to a large bowl and toss them gently with your butter and hot sauce mixture, being sure to avoid the crispy bits left on the pan.
14. Transfer your sauced meatballs to a serving dish, sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over top, and arrange celery sticks and blue cheese dressing alongside.

Notes

• Don’t skip cooling the onion and celery mixture before mixing it into the meat, since the heat can make your meatballs dense and tough instead of light and fluffy.
• Use tongs rather than a spatula when tossing the meatballs in sauce, as this keeps them from falling apart and breaking into pieces.
• For a milder version that works for kids, reduce the hot sauce to half a cup in the coating and skip the Frank’s in the breadcrumb mixture.
• If your meatballs seem too wet while mixing, add a bit more breadcrumbs a tablespoon at a time until the texture feels right and holds together without being dense.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 16-18 minutes
• Category: Baked Chicken
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 340 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 720 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 11 g
• Fiber: 1.5 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 110 mg