Description
These easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are a flavorful, spicy appetizer perfect for game day or any gathering. Made with ground chicken and seasoned with garlic, cayenne, and buffalo sauce, these meatballs are moist, tender, and deliciously coated in classic buffalo flavors.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ cup Italian herb seasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (plus more for garnish)
Sauce & Garnish
- ½ cup buffalo sauce (plus more for drizzling)
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for drizzling
- Blue cheese crumbles (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Prepare bread crumbs: In a medium bowl, combine the Italian herb seasoned bread crumbs with the milk. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the bread crumbs to soak and help keep the meatballs moist.
- Mix meatball ingredients: Add the ground chicken, minced garlic, cayenne pepper, coarse black pepper, sea salt, and the egg to the bread crumb mixture. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined to form a consistent meatball mix.
- Form the meatballs: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the meat mixture into evenly sized balls. Roll each portion gently between your palms to shape smooth meatballs. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spaced evenly.
- Bake the meatballs: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Check that the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Coat meatballs with buffalo sauce: Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer them to a bowl. Drizzle with ½ cup buffalo sauce and toss gently to coat each meatball evenly with the sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Arrange the buffalo chicken meatballs on a serving platter. Drizzle additional buffalo sauce and ranch or blue cheese dressing over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and blue cheese crumbles if desired. Serve immediately with toothpicks for easy eating.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 20 regular-sized meatballs, but you can easily double it for larger gatherings.
- Ground chicken is very lean and can dry out quickly; soaking the bread crumbs in milk before mixing helps keep the meatballs moist.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking. Remove the meatballs as soon as they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
