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Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs- A high protein, low carb option for game day.  Easy to make, full of flavor so you won’t miss all the extra calories!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs in a row on a serving board along side carrot and celery sticks

These Buffalo Chicken meatballs are a part of our eating better plan!  Who doesn’t need to eat a little better?

I love the start of the new year. It’s a chance to take inventory of where you’ve been and where you’re going. It’s a new beginning where you can try new things and make better choices. This past year it became very apparent through some family experiences that as you get older it’s a lot harder to recover from injuries so the healthier you are to start with the easier it is to recover when life throws stuff at you.

Just like the rest of the world, we are trying to eat better and lose a few pounds.

Why this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs is a great option in your healthy eating plan?

A serving Platter with 5 Buffalo Chicken meatballs drizzled with buffalo sauce with toothpicks in them. All set in from of a glass of beer

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are made with skinless chicken breasts, carrots and celery, so it provides a good source of protein and some veggies. And boy do they have flavor!?!?!?  They use a store-bought sauce; Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, which is sugar-free, fat-free and pretty much calorie-free. If you’re not a fan of anything spicy these meatballs are great naked, but again I’m looking for a Zing so this sauce does it for me!

Simple Ingredients with carrots, chicken breast meat (ground) celery in the bowl before mixing

This recipe for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs  has spice, zing and a texture that is both succulent and provides a slight bite all made with just a few ingredients (pictured above mixed up in a bowl before forming into balls.)

They are based on the Hot Wings you get at restaurants, but because they are made from ground chicken breasts they really are a healthy option in your diet plan.

You can use storebought buffalo wing sauce our you can use this homemade version from Take Two Tapas.

Another bonus? They freeze really well, so when you make the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, do so in big batches and freeze them. In the long run that makes it a timesaving recipe too; who doesn’t appreciate some extra time in their life??

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs on a plate before tossing in sauce.

If you are freezing them, allow them too cool then toss them into a zip lock bag without saucing them.  When you defrost them, you can add the sauce on when heating them up!

These go great with an iced cold drink, but they also go well with a homemade Bloody Mary! (If you’re watching your alcohol, the bloody mary is also great without the Vodka.

Close-up of a row of chicken meatballs along side a boat of blue cheese dressing to dip into !

 Looking for other Meatball recipes to serve for game day or for smaller meal options?  Here are my top 3 most viewed meatball recipes!

Chinese Pork Meatballs

Chinese Pork meatballs: in individual Blue Chinese serving spoons with a closeup with sauce drizzled over the top.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (KETO)

bacon in a serving dish wrapped with crunchy bacon

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Meatballs

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese meatballs on a white plate with sauce and blue cheese over the top!

Cheesy Gouda Meatballs

Cheesy Gouda Meatballs! on a white plate with a bbq dipping sauce on the side

Craving more recipes for entertaining sign up for my mailing list here at the bottom of the page where you see join the West Via Midwest Community or PIN THIS TO YOUR Game Day Food or Appetizer boards for when you are looking for recipe ideas! You can also Follow me on Pinterest to get more ideas to have for making easy delicious meals and appetizers for any entertaining!

Yield: 6 6 oz servings

Buffalo Meatballs

Looking for a lot of protein in your diet.... low carb, easy and healthy and full of flavor? These Buffalo Chicken meatballs are the perfect addition to your healthy eating needs! A healthy chicken wing alternative, packed full of flavor without all the extra calories.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Chicken Meat Balls

  • 1.5-2 #'s skinless chicken breasts *** see notes, ground
  • 6 celery stalks, cut to a minuscule dice
  • 6 carrot sticks, cut to a minuscule dice
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 egg, mixed completely
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, or milk full fat
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 small potatoes, russet or yukon gold
  • 2 tbs dried parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbs olive oil or clarified butter
  • 1/4 -1/2 cup Franks Original Red Hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Peel potatoes, cut into small chunks.
  2. Boil until tender.
  3. Drain potatoes and either run thru a ricer or mash completely with a fork, eliminating all lumps.
  4. Set aside.
  5. Heat to medium high a large skillet. When pan is hot, add 2 tbs of olive oil or clarified butter. Once it is hot, add onions, carrots and celery and saute for 5-10 minutes. The onions will become translucent. You don't want to completely cook the carrots and celery as ultimately you want to keep a slight crunch/bite when added to the meatball. Once veggies are cooked set them aside to cool.
  6. In a large bowl combine chicken, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley. Mix with your hands until fully combined.
  7. Then add egg and heavy cream, mixing until combined.
  8. Lastly add salt and panko bread crumbs mixing until combined.
  9. On a cookie sheet that will fit into your refrigerator scoop small walnut sized balls of the chicken mixture.
  10. Once the balls are all made, place into fridge to set for at least an hour.
  11. Once chicken balls are set, in same skillet you cooked the vegetables add the remaining 2 tbs of olive oil or butter to the pan. Turn burner to medium high.
  12. Once oil is hot add meatballs to pan allowing 1-2" between balls. Cook on all sides until meatball is cooked through out.
  13. Repeat in batches until all are cooked.
  14. The meatballs can be cooled and frozen at this point.
  15. If serving right away in a separate pan, warm the Franks sauce until hot.
  16. Then pour over meatballs just before serving.

Notes

Regarding ground chicken, you can buy store-bought ground chicken breast or grind your own. You can also ask your grocer to grind up fresh chicken breasts for you, that way you know that it is for certain skinless and breast only.

You can make the meatballs larger, I do them smaller because I want to make sure chicken is fully cooked throughout.

These are great served with ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side.

I also usually serve them with carrot and celery sticks just like they do at restaurants when you order hot wings.

These are great as an appetizer at a party because you can make them ahead and warm them just before serving.

They also work great as a main course for the dieter looking for some added flavor zing.

The calorie information was calculated using my fitness pal using the exact ingredients I purchased to make the dish. Substituting ingredients will affect the calorie info so if you are following a strict diet please plan accordingly.  The calories do not take into account any blue cheese or ranch dressing dipping sauces.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

6 6 oz servings

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Saturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 912mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 27g

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Jules

Saturday 4th of January 2020

This recipe will be perfect for our Superbowl party. I love that you've lightened up an appetizer that I will not feel guilty devouring!

Jeanne

Wednesday 17th of January 2018

Personally I would just grate the raw potato into the mixture. Have done this with other party meatballs requiring potatoes and eliminates a step!! Works out fine!! Definitely making these though. They look delicious!!!

Michele

Wednesday 17th of January 2018

Jeanne_. that is actually a great idea! When I first did the recipe I had leftover mashed potatoes so thats why I used them. But The grated potato would totally work. Thanks for the idea--- Im going to test that out! ~michele

Kathy

Wednesday 3rd of January 2018

What a great idea! I am trying to eat a bit healthier and more lean protein so this recipe is perfect for me . I love everything buffalo sauce so this checks all the boxes for me!

Kylee

Wednesday 11th of January 2017

These look AMAZING!!

Michele

Friday 13th of January 2017

They taste pretty darned good too! :).

meg

Friday 6th of January 2017

Such a flavorful recipe. Great pictures too.

Michele

Sunday 8th of January 2017

Thanks Meg! ~m

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