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Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs: Best Tailgate Appetizer

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Juicy, oven-baked chicken meatballs tossed in a buttery buffalo sauce with a secret blue cheese crumble inside. Perfect for tailgating, these disappear in minutes and are ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb (450g) ground chicken (93% lean)
  • 1/2 cup (60g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (30g) crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) buffalo wing sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot Original)
  • 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing (for serving, optional)
  • Celery sticks and carrot sticks (for serving, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, egg, crumbled blue cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to mix until just combined—do not overmix.
  3. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch (4cm) meatballs (about 20-24). Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart.
  4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden. Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). Rotate the baking sheet halfway through.
  5. While the meatballs bake, make the buffalo sauce: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the buffalo wing sauce until smooth. Keep warm.
  6. When the meatballs are done, transfer them to a large bowl. Pour the warm buffalo sauce over the top and gently toss until every meatball is coated.
  7. Optional: For extra stickiness, spread the sauced meatballs back on the baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
  8. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with extra crumbled blue cheese and chopped green onions if desired. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Notes

Don’t overwork the meat mixture to avoid tough meatballs. Use a cookie scoop for uniform size. The broiler step adds a caramelized edge but watch closely to prevent burning. Meatballs can be baked a day ahead and reheated with sauce. For freezing, bake unsauced meatballs, cool completely, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: buffalo chicken meatballs, tailgate appetizer, game day snack, easy meatballs, buffalo sauce, blue cheese meatballs

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/easy-buffalo-chicken-meatballs-best-tailgate-appetizer/