These buffalo chicken meatballs are pan seared and smothered in a spicy and tangy ranch sour cream sauce for a fun and flavorful dish with a kick!
Love meatballs? Try these Grape Jelly Meatballs or my Chicken and Spinach Meatballs.
Why you'll love them
If you're anything like me, you enjoy eating meatballs for dinner as the star of the meal. Dressing them up with hot wing flavors just might be the best riff on buffalo chicken out there! The creamy sauce with Frank's Red Hot is just so saucy. The sauciest of sauces. It has a spicy punch followed by that irresistible cooling effect from the sour cream and ranch.
It's true that you'll usually find these buffalo chicken meatballs on a snack table at a party as an appetizer, but I'm so excited to bring you this recipe that eats like a meal. It's just such a cozy and creative way to eat 'em, hot and tasty, for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Can I serve these as a party appetizer?
- Of course! I designed it as a meal, but you can serve them in a big bowl with the creamy sauce drizzled over top.
- Simply add a toothpick to each one so that everyone can help themselves.
- You could serve them with a small bowl of homemade ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing or dip on the side.
What you'll need
For the meatballs
- Ground chicken - or use ground turkey if you prefer!
- Egg - for binding everything together
- Panko - they're breadcrumbs that are lighter and less dense than regular ones
- Worcestershire sauce & Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce - they are the best savory and spicy pairing. Iconic!
- Garlic powder and onion powder - another layer of savory flavor
- Olive oil - for pan frying
For the sauce
- Butter - to start it off right
- Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce - I used Frank's Red Hot Original sauce. I recommend using that if you possibly can since not all hot sauces are created equal, and some can be much hotter than others.
- Ranch seasoning - I always go for Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning. If you prefer to make your own, check out this recipe for homemade ranch seasoning.
- Chicken broth - we're using low sodium here
- Sour cream - use full fat for optimal flavor and texture
- Scallions - optional topping, but a pop of freshness
How to make buffalo chicken meatballs
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Add the meatball ingredients to a bowl, and mix together using your hands. Form into 1" balls. This recipe will make about 20.
Place meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for easy clean-up. Sear the meatballs in a skillet in two batches (about 5 minutes/batch), turning the meatballs often until they're nicely browned all over. Transfer meatballs to a plate.
In the same skillet, make the sauce using butter, Frank's Red hot, ranch seasoning, and chicken broth, then add the meatballs back in and cook until the sauce has reduced and the meatballs are cooked through. Stir in the sour cream!
Tips for success
- The meatball mixture is a bit sticky, so rolling them the same way as your standard beef/pork meatballs may not work as well. I gently form them into balls without actually rolling them. It can help to put a bit of olive oil on the palms of your hands so it sticks less!
- You could add some crumbled blue cheese either into the sauce or as a topping if it's integral for your buffalo chicken experience.
- Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F. Use an instant read thermometer to easily check.
What to serve with it
- I love a starch like rice (try jasmine or brown rice) or mashed potatoes to soak up all that addictive sauce! Even pasta works, like these garlic buttered noodles.
- Try my easy skillet asparagus for a veggie side so that it's a complete meal.
- I've been known to just eat them as-is with a slice of crusty bread for the sauce.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers should be good for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- Reheat slowly on a low heat in a small saucepan so that the sauce is less likely to separate.
- This recipe isn't the best to freeze. Sauces with dairy just don't hold up well in the freezer.
Even more buffalo chicken recipes
Questions about this buffalo chicken meatballs recipe? Ask me in the comments below!
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
- Chopped scallions (for serving) optional, to taste
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning I used Hidden Valley
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- To a prep bowl, add all the meatball ingredients (except for the olive oil and scallions). With your hands, mix it together well, but don't overwork the mixture. The mixture will be quite wet. Form 1" meatballs (it'll make around 20 or so). Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and let it heat up for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in 2 batches until they're browned all over (about 5 min/batch). I use tongs to turn them quickly and easily. They will brown quite fast, so turn them often. If needed, add another splash of olive oil to the skillet for the second batch. Transfer meatballs to a plate once they're browned.
- If there's a lot of excess oil in the skillet, drain it, but leave the browned pieces (don't wipe out the pan). Take the skillet off the heat for a minute or so to let it cool a bit.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the skillet, along with the hot sauce, ranch seasoning, and chicken broth. Whisk until smooth. Let it bubble for a minute or two, then add the meatballs back to the skillet.
- Cook the meatballs for 5 minutes or so, until they're cooked through (165F) and the sauce has reduced a bit.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the sour cream (I toss it with 2 spoons to do this easily). Serve with chopped scallions sprinkled over top.
Notes
- The sauce is fairly salty, so you may want to make your own homemade ranch seasoning if you need it to be low sodium (see a recipe linked within the blog post).
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of chicken broth.
- Meatballs will cook at a different rate depending on how big/small you make them, so I recommend using an instant read meat thermometer to be safe.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Lori says
I made this with Greek yogurt vs sour cream and served over rice. So tasty and spicy! Next time will get blue cheese crumbles to sprinkle over top. Thank you!
Natasha says
Great! Glad it worked out for your, Lori. Thanks for your review!
Shark says
This one took me a while to make because I was unsure of how Buffalo chicken meatballs would taste but WOWWWW. I make so many of your recipes and this is definitely top three. It is sooooo flavorful and if served over rice the rice soaks up the creaminess of the sauce. I get so excited when I have leftovers! Thank you for your continuous amazing, delicious, and quick meals!
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear!! 😀 Glad you tried them (and other recipes too).
Jonathan S says
Can you substitute an onion and garlic instead of using onion and garlic powder?
Natasha says
Sure, but you might want to grate the onion (or chop it and sauté it first) unless you're ok with a more crunchy/raw onion texture. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Susan says
Very good! Even better the next day!! Thank you 😊
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
That's so nice to hear, Susan! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Darlene says
Hi,
The 395 calories is for 5 meatballs if you get 20 out of your roll?
Natasha says
You bet! 🙂 And 1/4 of the sauce.
Sarah says
These were a big hit, I doubled the recipe and made the balls a little smaller to have enough for a crowd! I made the entire recipe in the instapot, but I added a little chopped celery to the meatball mixture as well as adding a cornstarch slurry to thicken up sauce a little more after adding the sour cream. Will be making again!!!
Natasha says
Love that!!
Caroline says
Another really great recipe! I loved the meatballs and the creamy buffalo sauce! 🙂
Natasha says
Thanks so much, Caroline!!
Terri says
Little late to the party here, but I made this tonight to rave reviews. I grind my own chicken thighs and freeze it in 2 pound packages, so I doubled everything. Three teenaged boys and my husband loved it. The boys have baby mouths, but none of them thought it was too hot. Served with rice and black beans.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! That's so nice to hear, Terri. Appreciate your review. 🙂
Terry Chapin says
Could I make this with ground chuck as opposed to ground chicken?
Natasha says
Sure! I think they would be delicious.
Amanda says
Natasha, your recipes are awesome. How do i use ranch dressing instead of powder in this recipe??
Natasha says
Hi! Thank you! 🙂 I'd probably add a couple tablespoons at the same time as the sour cream, or even just drizzle it on right at the end. I haven't tested it using bottled ranch dressing, so I am just guessing here. You may want to decrease the sour cream amount a little to compensate for adding another creamy dressing to it.
Heather says
Second time making this now. Husband said to keep it in rotation and he's hard to please. I served it on some chibatta bread with garlic spread as meatball sandwiches with cheese. Delicious!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! I love that idea. Appreciate your review, Heather! 🙂
Rita M. says
Today will be my third time making this recipe. It is literally THE BOMB! I serve over tricolor rotini with roasted carrots on the side. I also use ground Turkey breast since that’s what my family is used to. I’d give this recipe 10 stars if I could. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!!!
Natasha says
Wow! I'm thrilled your family loves this one! 🙂 Thanks for your kind review, Rita.
Laurie D says
How spicy is this on a scale of 1-5? I can do some spice with my kids but not too much 😉
Natasha says
It's really hard to say on a scale, since it's so subjective. I'd say it's likely a bit too spicy for kids if they're not used to eating spicy foods. It's basically on par with hot wings.
Rita M. says
This recipe is genius!! It was soooo delicious and a big hit with the family this evening!! I added a the sour cream and a bit more broth PLUS some Greek yogurt to make more sauce and served over rotini pasta. Seriously ALL of the recipes I’ve tried here are on dinner rotation at my house😁 Oh yea and I added chopped fresh chives and HEMP SEEDS to the meatballs (LOTS of both) - sooo delicious!!!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much!! I'm so pleased that you enjoyed it. I really appreciate your review. 🙂
Natalie says
I’m dairy free would this work with an alternative to the sour cream? Something like oat cream.
Natasha says
Hi Natalie! I'll be totally honest... I have never tried oat cream before, and I don't typically work with dairy subs. Is there a vegan sour cream you could possibly try? That may work.
Alex S says
My girlfriend and I made this for an easy meal on a thursday evening. It was quick and simple, but most all.. tasted wicked!
We ended up making our own ranch seasoning ourselves, couldn’t get the one listed.
Highly recommend this one!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! I'm so glad that you two enjoyed these! Thanks for letting me know, Alex. 😀