Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (Oven, Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs loaded with spice and flavor and are drowning in buffalo sauce. These meatballs are ready in under 30 minutes and can be doubled or tripled for your football party! Serve them with our Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings!

It’s January which means many of you are looking for a quick and easy game day appetizer! Look no further than these Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. They are loaded with flavor and bursting with buffalo sauce, both inside and out.

These bite-size bad boys can be made in either the oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot. We’ve included directions for all three cooking styles below.

From start to finish these Buffalo Chicken Meatballs take as little as 20 minutes. Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed. No adjustments would be needed.

Other Favorite Appetizer Recipes: Instant Pot Little Smokies, Little Smokies in Grape Jelly, Spicy Orange Grilled Chicken Wing, Sticky Oven Baked Chicken Wings and Loaded Pork Pulled Potato Skins.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Our go-to buffalo sauce is Frank’s Red Hot Wings Sauce. You may use any Louisiana- style Hot Sauce brand, however. They’re all good!

Like Things Extra Spicy? We add a bit of cayenne spice to the Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce, but that’s just how we roll. And roll we do with these buffalo chicken meatballs.

Meatball Size – you can increase the size to 1.25″ if desired vs 1″. You’ll yield about 18 meatballs versus 24 but you’re left with a heartier size.

Check out our other MEATBALL RECIPES.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs loaded with spice and flavor and are drowning in buffalo sauce. These meatballs are ready in under 30 minutes and can be doubled or tripled for your football party!

3.57 from 94 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buffalo Chicken Recipes, Game Day Appetizer, Meatball Recipes

Servings: 24 meatballs

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Darcey Olson

Cost: $10

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb Ground Chicken
• ▢ ¾ cup Panko
• ▢ 1 cup + 1/3 Cup Louisiana-style Hot Sauce (divided)
• ▢ 1 large Egg
• ▢ ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• ▢ ½ tsp Onion Powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• ▢ 2 Green Onions (finely chopped)
• ▢ Salt (to taste)
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil (Instant Pot version only)
• ▢ Blue Cheese or Ranch Salad Dressing (optional)

Instructions

 

OVEN:

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (spritzed with cooking spray) and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, Panko, 1/3 cup hot sauce, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, green onions and salt.
• Using your hands or a 1" scooper, roll (24) 1" balls and place on the cookie sheet.
• Bake 15-20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and immediately toss with remaining hot sauce.
• Optional: drizzle with salad dressing just before serving or in a small dipping bowl.

SLOW COOKER:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (spritzed with cooking spray) and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, Panko, 1/3 cup hot sauce, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, green onions and salt.
• Using your hands or a 1" scooper, roll (24) 1" balls and place on the cookie sheet.
• Bake for only 4-5 minutes until the meatballs are browned.
• Transfer the meatballs into a slow cooker. Add the rest of the buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
• Serve immediately.
• Optional: drizzle with salad dressing just before serving or in a small dipping bowl.

INSTANT POT:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, Panko, 1/3 cup hot sauce, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, green onions and salt.
• Using your hands or a 1" scooper, roll (24) 1" balls.
• Turn on the Instant Pot and click saute.
• Once hot, add the oil and rotate the pot so the oil coats the bottom of the pan. It must be hot or the meatballs will stick.
• Working in batches, add the meatballs (do not crowd the meatballs) and brown for about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Once a batch is browned, remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Continue until all meatballs are browned.
• Turn off the Instant Pot and make sure no food parts are sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Add all the meatballs to the Instant Pot.
• Pour the rest of the hot sauce over the meatballs.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is turned to sealed.
• Turn the Instant Pot back on and select the poultry button or 5 minutes high pressure.
• Once the timer beeps, quick release the pressure.
• Stir the meatballs to evenly coat and serve immediately.
• Optional: drizzle with salad dressing just before serving or in a small dipping bowl.

Notes

*Panko is a Japanese style breadcrumb, found in the asian section of your grocery store or next to the standard breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

FOODIE AND WINE DRINK PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS:

Wine- Off-dry Riesling

Beer- American Pale Ale (Sierra Nevada) and IPAs

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