End Zone Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (Printable)

Juicy baked chicken meatballs tossed in spicy buffalo sauce, ideal for game day snacking and entertaining.

# What you'll need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Buffalo Sauce

10 - 1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Franks RedHot)
11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1 teaspoon honey (optional, for mild sweetness)
13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Garnish

14 - Chopped fresh parsley or green onions
15 - Crumbled blue cheese or ranch dressing

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined—do not overmix as this can result in tough meatballs.
03 - With damp hands to prevent sticking, form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
04 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through and lightly golden brown, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - While meatballs bake, prepare buffalo sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add hot sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce, whisking until smooth and heated through.
06 - Transfer baked meatballs to a large bowl. Pour buffalo sauce over the meatballs and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, green onions, and/or blue cheese, with ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You get all that spicy buffalo flavor without the mess of wings
  • They reheat beautifully for leftovers or make ahead meals
  • The honey balances the heat just enough so everyone can enjoy them
02 -
  • Overmixing the meat mixture makes tough rubbery meatballs so mix gently
  • The sauce needs to be warm when you toss the meatballs or it will not coat evenly
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop for perfectly uniform meatballs every time
  • Let the meatballs rest 5 minutes after tossing in sauce so they absorb the flavor

Return