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Buffalo chicken meatball on a plate with carrots, celery, and dip.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

By Jennifer Segal
All the flavor of Buffalo wings, but in the form of meatballs—equally delicious as a crowd-pleasing appetizer or as a hearty dinner over rice.
Servings: 28 bite-size appetizer meatballs or 20 dinner-size meatballs
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot sauce (or similar brand)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground chicken, preferably Purdue "Fresh & Lean" (avoid the one that is 98% lean)
  • ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs

For the Sauce

  • 1⅓ cups heavy cream
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot sauce (see note)
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For Serving (optional)

  • 2 scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix the egg, dill, hot sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Add the chicken, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Using moistened hands, roll into 1 or 1½-inch (2.5 to 4-cm) meatballs (depending on whether you're serving them as an appetizer or for dinner) and space evenly apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the heavy cream and butter and stir until the butter is melted. Add 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce, the chili powder, dill, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened to a cream sauce consistency, a few minutes. Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and then simmer few minutes more to marry the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the remaining tablespoon of hot sauce if desired. Sprinkle with scallions, if using, and serve.

Notes

For a milder sauce, feel free to reduce the amount of hot sauce. However, refrain from increasing it, as it might cause the sauce to curdle or become overly thick (hot sauce is acidic, and acid will thicken dairy—that's how yogurt and cheese are made). If you'd like more heat, pass the hot sauce at the table.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (4 dinner-size servings)Calories: 840kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 34gFat: 74gSaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 316mgSodium: 758mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.