Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
395 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Description
This recipe mixes ground chicken with egg, panko breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to form tender, flavorful meatballs. The wet mixture yields about 20 one-inch meatballs, which are browned in olive oil over medium-high heat. Frequent turning ensures even color without overcooking. After browning, excess oil is drained but browned bits remain for flavor.
The sauce is prepared in the skillet by combining butter, hot sauce, ranch seasoning, chicken broth, and sour cream over medium heat, yielding a thick, spicy, and creamy coating. Meatballs are then added back into the sauce to soak up the flavors. The resulting meatballs offer a balance of crispy exterior, juicy interior, and tangy buffalo sauce coverage.
They make a versatile dish that can be served as a hearty appetizer or part of a main meal. Garnishing with scallions adds a mild, fresh contrast.
The recipe notes highlight that the sauce is salty and suggest adjusting ranch seasoning for lower sodium. The consistency of the sauce can be thinned with broth if too thick. Cooking times depend on meatball size, so an instant-read thermometer is helpful to ensure they are cooked through.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce Frank's Red Hot Original
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
- scallion optional, to taste, chopped, for serving
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup hot sauce Frank's Red Hot Original
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning I used Hidden Valley
- 3/4 cup chicken broth low-sodium
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- To a prep bowl, add all the meatball ingredients (except for the olive oil and scallions). With your hands, mix it together well, but don't overwork the mixture. The mixture will be quite wet. Form 1" meatballs (it'll make around 20 or so). Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and let it heat up for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in 2 batches until they're browned all over (about 5 min/batch). I use tongs to turn them quickly and easily. They will brown quite fast, so turn them often. If needed, add another splash of olive oil to the skillet for the second batch. Transfer meatballs to a plate once they're browned.
- If there's a lot of excess oil in the skillet, drain it, but leave the browned pieces (don't wipe out the pan). Take the skillet off the heat for a minute or so to let it cool a bit.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the skillet, along with the hot sauce, ranch seasoning, and chicken broth. Whisk until smooth. Let it bubble for a minute or two, then add the meatballs back to the skillet.
- Cook the meatballs for 5 minutes or so, until they're cooked through (165F) and the sauce has reduced a bit.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the sour cream (I toss it with 2 spoons to do this easily). Serve with chopped scallions sprinkled over top.
Notes
- The sauce contains a notable salt level; consider making homemade ranch seasoning with reduced sodium for dietary needs.
- If the sauce thickens too much, add chicken broth gradually to reach desired consistency.
- Meatball size affects cooking time; use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach safe internal temperature.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 395kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 168mg | 56% |
| Sodium | 1380mg | 58% |
| Potassium | 715mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 414IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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