Buffalo chicken meatballs are the perfect appetizer, snack, or main! They're awesome added to a salad. Simple chicken meatballs are baked, then tossed with homemade buffalo sauce. A healthier, less messy alternative to wings!
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a glass measuring cup or small bowl. Brush a layer of the melted butter onto a rimmed baking sheet (optional: line with foil first).
In a large bowl, mix together the egg (1), breadcrumbs (½ cup), milk (¼ cup), garlic powder (½ teaspoon), chili powder (½ teaspoon), kosher salt (½ teaspoon), black pepper (¼ teaspoon), and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
Add the ground chicken to the large bowl and mix together with the breadcrumb mixture. I like using my hands for this for the best texture, but feel free to use a spoon if you prefer.
Form 1 ½-inch meatballs (I like using a cookie scoop for this) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
Meanwhile, make the buffalo sauce. Add the hot sauce (⅓ cup) and ketchup (1 tablespoon) to the bowl with the remaining melted butter.
Take the meatballs out of the oven and toss with about half the buffalo sauce. Put them back in the oven and broil on high for 3-5 minutes.
Toss the meatballs with the remaining sauce. Serve with blue cheese dressing or ranch for dipping, or add to a salad.
Notes
Cooking time note: This recipe yields about 20 1 ½-inch meatballs, give or take. If you make them bigger or smaller, you may need to adjust cooking time to longer or shorter. This is where a meat thermometer comes in handy (I recommend Thermoworks Thermapen One for a super fast, accurate read!)
The ketchup adds a little sweetness and thickness to the buffalo sauce, which I love. Feel free to leave it out if you like for a more traditional buffalo sauce (which is just melted butter and hot sauce!).
Leftovers are good for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Just pop them in your microwave or air fryer to reheat.
You can make these chicken meatballs in advance and freeze them raw or cooked. Cook from frozen and raw at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or from frozen and cooked for 25-30 minutes.
Make these gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs. Make them dairy free by using ghee instead of butter and plant-based milk.