Buffalo Chicken Meatballs have all the flavors of your favorite buffalo wings in a perfectly pan-fried ground chicken meatball! It is a tasty appetizer with just the right amount of kick to wake up your taste buds! If you love buffalo chicken, you have to try my Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: I used 2 pounds of ground chicken in this recipe. You could also try this recipe with ground beef or ground turkey.
Panko: Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb that is lighter and will stay crispier longer. Look for panko in the Asian food aisle of the grocery store. If you only have regular breadcrumbs, you could use those, but the texture of the meatballs will be different.
Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix: For the most flavor, make your dry ranch seasoning. You will need 3 tablespoons or about 1 1/2 packets of storebought seasoning. You can also make homemade ranch dressing as a topping or for dipping the meatballs.
Buffalo Sauce: If using store-bought buffalo sauce, check the labels carefully. Buffalo sauce is different from hot sauce. Or, just make your own! The sauce will go into the meatball mixture as well as coat the meatballs after they are cooked.
Optional Toppings: To serve the meatballs, offer a few optional toppings like blue cheese crumbles, more buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and green onions. I like blue cheese dressing as a dipping option as well.
Can I Make Meatballs Ahead Of Time?
Yes! Once assembled, before cooking, place the meatballs in a dish, cover them, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Meatballs can also be frozen before cooking them. Follow all the instructions up to the pan-frying of the meatballs. Then, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, pop them into the freezer for an hour or two. After they are frozen, store them in the freezer bags, remembering to date them.
Can I Bake Buffalo Chicken Meatballs In The Oven?
Sure! If you don’t want to pan-fry the meatballs, bake them in the oven. First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, roll the meatballs and place them on the lined baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
How To Store Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave or gently on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze Buffalo Chicken Meatballs?
Yes! Isn’t it great when you can have a meal ready to go ahead of time? Meatballs are great to freeze and reheat when you are ready to eat them! Cook them as instructed and let them cool down completely. Put them into freezer bags and freeze them for up to 3 months. Remember to date the bags so you know how long they have been in the freezer! You may also want to write how to reheat the meatballs in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 400°F.
More Meatball Recipes
Recipe updated with new images and pan frying method June 21, 2023.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 cup (108 g) plain panko
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup (56.5 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- ½ cup (136.5 g) buffalo sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, for pan-frying
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for pan-frying
Toppings
- blue cheese crumbles
- ranch dressing
- green onions
Instructions
Meatballs
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a large bowl, add ground chicken, panko, beaten eggs, shredded cheese, ranch seasoning, ¼ cup buffalo sauce, and garlic powder. Mix together until just combined, being careful not to overwork the ingredients.
- Greasing hands before starting, form one heaping tablespoon of the mixture into meatballs. Place onto the lined baking sheet.
- To a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil and butter. Once hot, working in batches to not overcrowd the pan, place the meatballs in the skillet. Cook until the outsides are browned and they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Add all meatballs back to pan (if you had to work in batches) and stir in the remaining buffalo sauce, coating well.
- Serve topped with optional blue cheese crumbles, ranch dressing, and green onions.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Great ideas just In time for the Super Bowl parties. Thank you