This was one of my very first recipes on Honest Grub, Honest Foodie’s OLD site, back when it was purple & there were no recipe cards & it was very… unique haha. I still love that old website so much. That website was the one I decided to create not knowing one thing about making a website. It was the one that started this whole journey, so that interesting purple scheme I had going on— I KIND of miss it ;). One of my most dedicated readers has requested this recipe to now be on the new site and it is about time I added it, right? Alright guys these Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are the real deal! If you are an OG, HGHF reader you know exactly what these are about. If you are new around here, I cannot wait for you to get a hold of these! Let’s get started.
What Delicious Ingredients are in these Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs?
2 lbs ground chicken thigh
Chicken thigh has a lot more flavoring than ground chicken breast, also tastes better in meatballs than turkey thigh. I highly recommend using chicken thigh for this recipe.
1 cup Hot Sauce
You can choose whatever hot sauce you all like the best! However, if you are doing them in the crock pot you will omit it from being in the meat mixture. If you are baking you will put the 1 cup hot sauce in the meat mixture
1 cup GF Italian Bread Crumbs
If you do not want to make this recipe GF feel free to use regular bread crumbs as well! Whatever works for you.
4 oz Blue Cheese crumbles
if blue cheese isn’t your thing, I really hope you try as is anyways.. so good & not strong! However, you can always omit the blue cheese
1 egg
1 cup celery ( about 3 large stalks)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dill weed
Crock Pot & Baking Directions for Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Baking Directions:
Preheat oven at 400 degrees
Makes 30 Meatballs (about 6-7 servings)
1. In food processor , process the celery until they are fine pieces, but not pulp. Then add the cup into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the ground chicken thigh, bread crumbs, egg, garlic cloves minced, onion powder, dill weed and blue cheese crumbles. Next mix until throughly combined with spatula. Once full combined, you will pour the hot sauce on top & then fold that in until combined as well.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or use Silpat (that is what we use– highly recommend! Cooks them perfectly). Form each meatball about 1 1/2 tbsp, the mixture will form around 30 meatballs. Then bake for 18-20 minutes. Check at 18! On our silpat that cooks them perfectly, however, just double check if you aren’t using a silpat, that there is no pink in the middle. If so, do it by 1 minute increments and then check. These meatballs are the perfect texture, so you want to make sure they don’t over cook 🙂
3. Toss in more hot sauce if you’d like & then drizzle the dressing on top! Serve on top of lettuce or eat on their own with some celery! Would be perfect for an appetizer as well, if you want to make into smaller meatballs & serve that way, your guests will love you!
Crock Pot Directions
I use my 4qt crockpot so I recommend doing only 15 meatballs at once in the smaller crock pots.
1. In food processor , process the celery until they are fine pieces, but not pulp. Then add the cup into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the ground chicken thigh, bread crumbs, egg, garlic cloves minced, onion powder, dill weed and blue cheese crumbles. Next mix until throughly combined with spatula.
2. Heat a large frying pan with olive oil. Let it get hot at medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then take 1 1/2 tbsp of the mixture, roll into a ball and place on skillet. Repeat for all 15. You will sear each side for 5 minutes before putting in the crock pot.
3. Place the 15 meatballs you seared on each side into the bottom of a greased crock pot. Then pour 1 1/2 cut of hot sauce over them. Cook on low for 3 hours.
- I will then roll out the remaining 15 meatballs in a large freezer safe container where they aren’t touching. Then you can transfer the frozen meatballs to a plastic bag after 2 hours of freezing to use for another meal.
- To reheat them take out of the freezer the day before you plan on having them & follow either cooking directions depending on what you are wanting to do: bake or crock pot.
Ways to Serve the Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
One thing that I love about these Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs is that there is not ONE way to eat them. Once you make this recipe, you will have meatballs to use for a variety of dinners or lunches throughout the week or weeks to come. Try some of the ideas before or honestly eat them just straight off the baking sheet or crock pot :)!
Buffalo Chicken Meatball Flatbread :
break apart your meatballs on top of the flatbread, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles or cheese of choice, caramelized onions and bake. Top with drizzle of ranch & chopped lettuce
Tortilla Trend Buffalo Chicken Style:
we all love a good tortilla Tik Tok trend. Therefore I made it and used the buffalo chicken meatballs, avocado, tomato, cheddar cheese & once I took it off the skillet added ranch and lettuce of course.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
add these delicious meatballs on top of a salad and you just took it up a notch!
Add Buffalo Chicken over Rice, Quinoa, Farro etc.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Use the ingredients I mentioned above in a wrap style and you just elevated your lunch!
Appetizer Style
Stick a frilly tooth pick at the top, sprinkle crumbled blue cheese, chopped green onions– add to a serving platter & BAM! Most popular appetizer there :)!
Other HGHF Recipes I Need to Make
Easy Copy Cat Dewey’s House Salad
Simple Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Nachos
Gluten Free Baked Southwest Stuffed Chicken
Simple Whole 30 BBQ Instant Pot Ribs
Common Questions When Making Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
What is the best way to store the buffalo chicken meatballs?
I store the meatballs in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days AFTER baking. If I am freezing them I will place them in a large freezer safe container not touching. If you want you can freeze them for 2 hours like that and then transfer to a large plastic freezer safe bag to keep frozen too.
Do I have to sear the meatballs before putting them in the crock pot?
YES you want to make sure that hold together well before being put in the crock pot
Is this recipe adaptable to dairy free?
I have not made this recipe without the blue cheese crumbles because they really balance out the flavors & cut through the spice– but it is up to you!
Can I make these buffalo chicken meatballs gluten free?
Yes! They actually are gluten free buffalo chicken meatballs by using gluten free Italian seasoned bread crumbs
What is your favorite way to make these meatballs: Crock Pot or Baking?
Personally I like to bake the buffalo chicken meatballs the best. I don’t like things SUPER hot & in the crock pot it soaks up more of the hot sauce, and that just isn’t my preference. However, that is my dads, so when I make it for my family I will do crock pot version!
Healthy Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chicken thigh
- 1 cup Hot Sauce you will omit the 1 cup hot sauce IN the meat balls for crock pot version & use 1 1/2 cups of hot sauce IN the crock pot
- 1 cup GF Italian Bread Crumbs
- 4 oz Blue Cheese crumbles
- 1 egg
- 1 cup celery about 3 large stalks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dill weed
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Baking Directions:
- Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Makes 30 Meatballs (about 6-7 servings)
- In food processor , process the celery until they are fine pieces, but not pulp. Then add the cup into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the ground chicken thigh, bread crumbs, egg, garlic cloves minced, onion powder, dill weed and blue cheese crumbles. Next mix until throughly combined with spatula. Once full combined, you will pour the hot sauce on top & then fold that in until combined as well.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or use Silpat (that is what we use– highly recommend! Cooks them perfectly). Form each meatball about 1 1/2 tbsp, the mixture will form around 30 meatballs. Then bake for 18-20 minutes. Check at 18! On our silpat that cooks them perfectly, however, just double check if you aren’t using a silpat, that there is no pink in the middle. If so, do it by 1 minute increments and then check. These meatballs are the perfect texture, so you want to make sure they don’t over cook 🙂
- Toss in more hot sauce if you’d like & then drizzle the dressing on top! Serve on top of lettuce or eat on their own with some celery! Would be perfect for an appetizer as well, if you want to make into smaller meatballs & serve that way, your guests will love you!
Crock Pot Directions
- I use my 4qt crockpot so I recommend doing only 15 meatballs at once in the smaller crock pots.
- In food processor , process the celery until they are fine pieces, but not pulp. Then add the cup into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the ground chicken thigh, bread crumbs, egg, garlic cloves minced, onion powder, dill weed and blue cheese crumbles. Next mix until throughly combined with spatula.
- Heat a large frying pan with olive oil. Let it get hot at medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then take 1 1/2 tbsp of the mixture, roll into a ball and place on skillet. Repeat for all 15. You will sear each side for 5 minutes before putting in the crock pot.
- Place the 15 meatballs you seared on each side into the bottom of a greased crock pot. Then pour 1 1/2 cut of hot sauce over them. Cook on low for 3 hours.
These are perfect to make ahead for lunches! So yummy and so easy!