Touchdown Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (Printable)

Savory chicken meatballs tossed in a spicy buffalo glaze, perfect for flavorful snacking.

# What You Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground chicken
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
05 - 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

→ Buffalo Sauce

10 - 1/3 cup hot sauce (e.g., Franks RedHot)
11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1 tsp honey

→ Serving (optional)

13 - 1/4 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, celery, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
03 - Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).
05 - While the meatballs bake, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, and honey in a large bowl.
06 - Add the cooked meatballs to the bowl with the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
07 - Serve warm with blue cheese or ranch dressing and a sprinkle of parsley.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The honey cuts the heat just enough so you can keep eating them all night long without regret
  • Everything bakes on one sheet pan leaving you free to actually hang out with your guests
  • They disappear faster than you can say touchdown so make extra
02 -
  • Overmixing the meatball mixture makes them tough so mix until just combined and trust the process
  • The sauce clings better when the meatballs are still hot from the oven so timing matters
  • If you want to make these ahead, bake the meatballs and sauce them just before serving for best texture
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop instead of your hands for perfectly uniform meatballs that cook evenly
  • Let the sauce cool for just a minute before tossing so it coats rather than slides right off

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