Chicken Wings without the mess. This Buffalo Chicken Meatballs recipe is a perfect and popular game day party appetizer. You’re going to love everything about these meatballs. They’ve got it all, flavor, texture and that kick of Buffalo Wing Sauce heat that we all love. Oven baked, these are a breeze to make.
When it comes to game day food ideas, I rank this recipe right up there with the best. It’s a big toss up between this recipe and my recipe for BBQ Meatballs.
Who can resist America’s favorite chicken wing flavors tucked neatly inside a chicken meatball.
These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs bring with them the savory, tangy beloved flavor of Buffalo Chicken Wings, but in the form of everyone’s favorite fun food … meatballs.
Made with Frank’s iconic Hot Wing Sauce, serve these with toothpicks as a party or game day appetizer. Your crowd will definitely be wowed!
Rolling the meatballs into smaller 1-inch balls, will yield 2-dozen pieces, perfect for a party treat.
No mess, no stress and a whole lot of deliciousness.
Ground chicken is mixed with diced onion and celery. A tablespoon of mustard adds a wonderful layer of flavor.
- Ground Chicken Meat: Use ground chicken breast or a mix of ground white and dark meat.
- Vegetables: Diced celery and sweet onion
- Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce: It wouldn’t be buffalo chicken meatballs without it.
- Blue Cheese Dressing: I highly recommend using Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing. Or you can use your favorite store purchased brand. You can also use Buttermilk Ranch Dressing for dipping sauce.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: I prefer Panko bread crumbs to make meatballs. It’s reliable as a binding and easy to use right out of the package.
How Do You Make Buffalo Chicken Meatballs? Step by Step, It’s Easy.
These baked buffalo chicken meatballs are so easy to throw together. Let’s take a look:
- Step 1: Heat a medium fry pan over medium high heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced celery and onion. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Once the vegetables are cool, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Panko bread crumbs are perfect for meatballs, bringing a pleasant texture and a platform for the egg to bind it all together.
Tip: I’ve gotten in the habit of adding mustard to every meatball recipe I make. I love the little zing it brings. Try it with your next recipe.
- Step 3: Using very clean hands, mix the meat and vegetable mix together until well combined.
- Step 4: In the meantime, melt butter into sauce over medium heat in a small saucepan.
- Step 5: Shape the chicken meatballs into 1″ balls. Place them on a baking sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Baking these meatballs makes for an easy recipe.
- Step 6: Drizzle the Buffalo Wing Sauce and butter mix over the meatballs.
- Step 7: Using a sturdy spatula, gently toss and roll the meatballs with the sauce until well coated. Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Make a double batch … these won’t last long!
I actually don’t like any meatball recipe in a slow cooker. A sealed environment such as a crock pot creates too much moisture. The sauce becomes thin and therefore won’t stick well and coat the meatballs. Stick to the oven for this recipe.
You can prepare and roll the meatballs in advance and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in advance. And in the freezer for up to three months. Wait to bake until ready to serve.
Tips For Success
- Cut the onion and celery small. This is a good chance to hone your knife skills. Cutting the celery and onion into a fine dice will insure the meatballs stay in perfect little round balls. Too large of vegetable chunks will cause the meatballs to fall apart.
- Make the perfect meatball. Roll the meatballs using the palms of your hands. I always count to 20 rolls to make sure the meat mixture is firmly packed. If there any chunks of celery or onion sticking out, push it back in with your fingers and roll the meatball a few more times.
- You can find packages of pre-ground chicken at your market, but you can also purchase boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grind the meat in your food processor. It’s easy to do and works like a charm. Cut the breasts into large chunks, throw them in the food processor, start with a few pulses and then grind them for about twenty seconds.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, use a microwave oven and reheat in 15 second increments, until hot. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs will also freeze well.
Serve these meatballs with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing (homemade is always best) and some celery sticks. Your party crowd will be very happy and you’ll be very popular.
More Popular Meatball Recipes
- Sweet Sriracha Party Meatballs
- Mexican Meatballs with Queso Blanco
- Potluck BBQ Meatballs
- Spicy Lamb Meatballs
- Marcus Samuelsson’s Authentic Swedish Meatballs
And don’t miss my recipe for Smoky Chipotle Bison Meatballs. It’s very popular, easy and crazy delicious with flavor. A perfect appetizer recipe to feed a crowd.
More Game Day Recipe Ideas
Another favorite Buffalo Sauce flavored appetizer recipes is this one for Buffalo Shrimp.
And if you’re looking for even more appetizer ideas, check out my Appetizer Category. You’ll find lots of great finger food recipes for any occasion. Including the most popular on my site for Cream Cheese Chicken Dip and Campechana, Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
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Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 celery stalks finely minced
- ½ sweet onion finely minced
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
- 1 cup blue-cheese dressing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery and onion, and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cooled celery mixture with the egg, mustard and ground chicken to combine. Add the bread crumbs, salt and pepper; mix to combine.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a sheet pan that’s been sprayed with PAM. Bake for 25 minutes.
- In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and whisk to combine until smooth. Toss the meatballs in the sauce to coat.
- Serve the meatballs warm with a side of blue-cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Notes
- Cut the onion and celery small. This is a good chance to hone your knife skills. Cutting the celery and onion into a fine dice will insure the meatballs stay in perfect little round balls. Too large of vegetable chunks will cause the meatballs to fall apart.
- Make the perfect meatball. Roll the meatballs using the palms of your hands. I always count to 20 rolls to make sure the meat mixture is firmly packed. If there any chunks of celery or onion sticking out, push it back in with your fingers and roll the meatball a few more times.
- You can find packages of pre-ground chicken at your market, but you can also purchase boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grind the meat in your food processor. It’s easy to do and works like a charm. Cut the breasts into large chunks, throw them in the food processor, start with a few pulses and then grind them for about twenty seconds.
Nutrition
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe … they’re what’s for Game Day
This recipe was first published July of 2019, and updated December 2023 with step by step instructions.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
Mmmm, meatballs. Who doesn’t love ’em? This is such a clever idea — thanks.
These little babies look delicious.