Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
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Slow cooked to tender perfection and then drizzled with a bit of blue cheese dressing, these Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are spicy little bites of deliciousness that are out of this world! It’s an effortless recipe on the healthy side that makes a wonderful party appetizer or tasty weekend snack!
Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe
In my house, we love buffalo sauce! And of course, that means I’ve got a pretty outstanding Baked Buffalo Wings Recipe! But buffalo sauce is so much more than just wings. You can douse just about anything you like with it or like me you can create new recipes using the tasty sauce. Some of my favorites are my Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas and my Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup.
But when it comes to this recipe, you guys know how much I love to make meatballs! So creating this crockpot buffalo chicken meatballs recipe was a no-brainer. The buffalo sauce does all the work. Don’t get me wrong, I make some mean chicken meatballs. Yet, when you slow-cook meatballs in buffalo sauce it transforms them into something amazing. The spicy goodness infuses into the ground meat making them extra tender and juicy. Yum!
Yet, let’s not forget the drizzle of blue cheese dressing to finish. However, for this recipe, it’s not a necessary ingredient. The meatballs are still delicious without the dressing, but the contrast of the tang of the blue cheese with the spicy buffalo sauce only makes the meatballs that much better. Yet, if you’re not a fan of blue cheese, ranch dressing is always a great substitute.
Why You’ll Love These Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Easy Recipe! This is a simple recipe that only requires 10 basic ingredients, about 10 minutes of prep, and a crockpot! Once the meatballs are formed your work is done.
- Bite-Size Buffalo Chicken! With this one, you don’t need to get your hands messy. It’s ground chicken infused with all the yumminess of a spicy buffalo chicken wing in one bite.
- Crowd Pleaser! Serve them on a toothpick at a party, on a hoagie roll for lunch, or just pop them in your mouth! Your family and friends are going to love this slow cooker buffalo chicken meatballs recipe.
- Ground Chicken – I use ground chicken, but you can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
- Breadcrumbs – My meatballs were made with panko breadcrumbs. Yet, regular plain breadcrumbs will also do the job. You can also use gluten-free breadcrumbs as well.
- Egg – Used to bind the meatballs together.
- Garlic Powder – Add just the right touch of garlicky goodness.
- Onion Powder – Works with the green onions so you get a bit of onion flavor in every bite.
- Green Onions – Give the meatballs a bit of fresh mild onion taste.
- Salt – A dash of salt is a must to bring out the flavor of the chicken.
- Black Pepper – Regular ground black pepper is perfect.
- Buffalo Sauce – The star ingredient of these slow cooker buffalo chicken meatballs! I used Frank’s but any brand of buffalo sauce will work perfectly.
- Blue Cheese Dressing – Used to finish the meatballs before serving.
This tasty recipe is simple and has very little prep! In just 4 easy steps you can have perfectly cooked juicy chicken meatballs ready to serve.
To start, preheat your oven temperature to 400°F (204°C). Then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. You want the oven to be hot and the pan to be ready once the meatballs are made.
Next, let’s get these meatballs started! Put the ground chicken, panko, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, and green onions along with a bit of salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Then combine everything together using a wooden spoon or your hands until it’s fully incorporated. The mixture really needs to be mixed well for the best results.
Then once the ground meat mixture is ready, you can start forming it into small meatballs that are about 1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter. Using a small cookie scoop can be helpful when portioning out the meatballs. When you’re finished you should have about 20 meatballs.
After you’ve formed all the meatballs, they need to be baked for just a few minutes to form a crust. So place them on the prepared baking sheet and then put them in the preheated oven for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they are browned on all sides. This will prevent the meatballs from falling apart in the crockpot.
Once the meatballs are browned, transfer them to your crockpot. Next, pour the buffalo sauce on top and then toss them gently until all the meatballs are coated in the hot sauce. Now, cover the crockpot with the lid and cook the meatballs on low heat for 2 hours.
After slow cooking for a couple of hours, remove the meatballs from the pot. Then drizzle the crockpot buffalo chicken meatballs with a bit of blue cheese dressing and serve immediately.
Will The Meatballs Fall Apart In The Slow Cooker?
Sometimes they can. But, if you bake them for a few minutes like we do in this recipe or brown them in a skillet on the stove before putting them in the crockpot they typically don’t fall apart. This is also why it is so important that you use the proper ratio of ground meat to breadcrumbs and egg, which is what binds the meatballs together.
Can I Make This Recipe Without A Crockpot?
Yes, of course! Once the meatballs are made just brown them in a Dutch oven or pot. Then pour the buffalo sauce over the meatballs, cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook them for about an hour.
Expert Tips
- Use the proper ratios. To ensure that the meatballs properly bind together measure all the ingredients. Adding just a little too much of the breadcrumbs can cause them not to hold together.
- Brown the meatballs. You must brown the meatballs to ensure that they don’t fall apart. Unless they are frozen they need to be seared for them to seal.
- Double the recipe. Make a double batch. Some for your party or potluck this weekend and extra to freeze that can be ready to go at any time.
Storage
These crockpot buffalo chicken meatballs will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat, simply put the leftovers in the microwave for a few minutes on medium heat or in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 10 minutes. If they are frozen, let them thaw out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Make Ahead
One of the perks of this recipe is that it is easy to make in advance. You can make them a day or two before serving and then reheat them. But you can also form the meatballs and freeze them uncooked. Then when you’re ready to use them, just put them in the crockpot frozen with the buffalo sauce and cook. Either way, they are absolutely delicious.
Other Delicious Meatball Recipes
- Romanian Meatballs (Chiftele)
- Porcupine Meatballs
- Crockpot Asian Meatballs
- Pomegranate Cocktail Meatballs
- Salisbury Steak Meatballs
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Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce (I used Frank’s)
- ¼ cup blue cheese dressing
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko, egg, garlic and onion powder and green onions; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1¼-to-1 ½-inch meatballs, forming about 20 meatballs.
- Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes, or until all sides are browned.
- Transfer the meatballs into your crockpot. Add buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
- Serve immediately, drizzled with blue cheese dressing, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- This recipe will yield about 20 meatballs.
- Use the proper ratios. To ensure that the meatballs properly bind together measure all the ingredients. Adding just a little too much of the breadcrumbs can cause them not to hold together.
- Brown the meatballs. You must brown the meatballs to ensure that they don’t fall apart. Unless they are frozen they need to be seared for them to seal.
- Double the recipe. Make a double batch. Some for your party or potluck this weekend and extra to freeze that can be ready to go at any time.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
