These baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are the ultimate game day snack, party appetizer or weeknight dinner. They’re so juicy and flavorful, and coated in a two-ingredient homemade buffalo sauce that gives them just the right kick. Plus, my secret baking trick guarantees these will be the most moist ground chicken meatballs you’ve ever tasted.
Serve them with your favorite blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping, and don’t forget the classic celery sticks to complete the full buffalo experience!
Table of Contents
I don’t know what I’m more excited for: football or all the football food! Game day snacks are my culinary kryptonite, especially anything buffalo-flavored. Spicy, tangy and begging to be dunked in creamy ranch or blue cheese dressing? Count me in! Which brings me to these juicy, saucy buffalo chicken meatballs.
These mini meatballs are baked in a hot oven before being tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce that’s made with just two ingredients. But here’s the real secret that makes this the best buffalo chicken meatballs recipe: a mini muffin pan! Each meatball bakes in its own tiny compartment, locking in all the juices and ensuring they stay moist. Trust me, once you bake meatballs in a muffin pan, you’ll never go back to using a baking sheet.
No muffin pan? No problem! Just use a greased baking dish, arrange the meatballs in rows and fire up the oven.
And these healthy chicken meatballs aren’t just for game day. They make a quick and easy weeknight dinner, too! Pair them with a side of creamy coconut rice and roasted veggies or a crisp wedge salad for a balanced meal your whole family will love. Or, serve them as a crowd-pleasing party appetizer that’s sure to disappear in no time.
- Ground chicken: You’ll need 1 ½ pounds of ground chicken for this recipe. If you can’t find ground chicken at your local grocery store, you can substitute ground turkey.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Provide a lighter, airier texture compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Milk: I always use whole milk, but any variety will work. You’ll add the milk to the breadcrumbs, which absorb the liquid. During cooking, the liquid evaporates, creating steam that keeps the meatballs from drying out. Plus, the milk-soaked breadcrumbs act as a binder.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, holding the meatballs together while they bake.
- Hot sauce + butter: These two ingredients make our DIY buffalo sauce. I recommend using Frank’s RedHot Sauce for that signature buffalo flavor. Melted butter adds richness and helps mellow out some of the heat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Make the buffalo sauce. Combine the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the butter is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and well combined. Set the sauce aside to cool to room temperature. Pro tip: Letting the sauce cool helps it better adhere to the baked meatballs later.
- Soak the breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and breadcrumbs and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, minced scallions, egg, breadcrumb mixture, ⅓ of the prepared sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
- Shape the meatballs. Using about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture for each meatball, form small, round balls. Place each meatball into a cup of a greased mini muffin pan, or arrange them in rows in a greased baking dish.
- Bake in a 450°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes until they are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. They should be golden brown on the outside, but still juicy on the inside.
- Toss in buffalo sauce. Once the ground chicken meatballs are done baking, immediately transfer them to a large bowl and toss them with the remaining buffalo sauce.
When I’m serving these as an appetizer or party food during a football game, I like to arrange them on a big plate with both blue cheese and ranch dressing for dipping. A side of celery sticks and carrots adds that classic buffalo touch.
Slow Cooker Tip: To keep the baked buffalo chicken meatballs warm during your party, transfer them to a slow cooker on the “warm” setting, and they’ll stay hot and juicy for hours.
Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to reheat, simply warm them in the microwave or oven and toss them with a little extra buffalo sauce to freshen them up.
- Freezer: If you want to freeze them, I recommend freezing the meatballs without the sauce. Once the meatballs have cooled, arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge, bake or microwave to reheat, and toss them in fresh buffalo sauce before serving.
Make the most of your leftovers by turning them into a meatball sub! Grab a hoagie roll, spread a little ranch on it, add the meatballs and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Pop it in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and enjoy!
- Crispy Baked Orange Chicken Wings
- Bacon-Cheddar Football Cheese Ball
- Slow Cooker Queso Dip
- Easy Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
- Easy Taco Salad Cups
- Easy Focaccia Pizza
- Warm and Cheesy Onion Dip
- Mama Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup hot sauce
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken (See Kelly’s Note)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 large egg
- Blue cheese or Ranch dressing, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Generously grease a mini muffin pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat and cook it, whisking constantly, until the butter has melted and the sauce is combined. Set the sauce aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and breadcrumbs and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, minced scallions, egg, breadcrumb mixture, ⅓ of the prepared sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture and then shape it into balls using about 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
- Place the shaped meatballs into each cup of the mini muffin pan (or arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish) and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes until they are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the meatballs from the oven, immediately transfer them to a bowl and toss them with the remaining sauce. Serve warm with blue cheese or Ranch dressing for dipping.
Kelly’s Notes
- If you can’t find ground chicken at your local grocery store, you can substitute ground turkey.
- Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to reheat, simply warm them in the microwave or oven and toss them with a little extra buffalo sauce to freshen them up.
- Freezing: If you want to freeze them, I recommend freezing the meatballs without the sauce. Once the meatballs have cooled, arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge, bake or microwave to reheat, and toss them in fresh buffalo sauce before serving.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Awesome!! I make them all the time and everybody loves them!!
I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Cindy!
Great recipe, loved the flavor of the buffalo sauce. This was my first attempt at ever making meatballs! I’m vegetarian so I made the meatballs for my husband (which he said were delicious) and I tossed the sauce with cauliflower for me. Dinner, winner!
Love hearing this, Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Im going to try it with Venison and sausage combo! Sounds delish!!
Enjoy!
Do you use ground chicken breast , ground dark meat or a combo ?
Any combo works, but ground dark meat will have the most moisture and flavor!
Fantastic yummy recipes !!!
Mouth watering
Thank you so much, Zee!
I can’t rave enough about these meatballs. They are very flavorful and juicy and taste like fried meatballs. I substituted hot sauce with schezwan sauce. Phenomenal!
Thanks so much, Chery! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!