Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. An easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties and great for low carb dinners. Juicy, spicy, and always a favorite!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 24 meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¾ cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 green onions finely chopped (about ¼ cup), plus additional for serving
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce such as Frank’s
- Crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese optional for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Coat a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the ground chicken, bread crumbs, egg, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and chopped green onion. With a fork or your fingers, lightly mix until all of the ingredients are evenly combined, being careful not to compact the meat. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. (You will have about 22 to 24 meatballs total.)
- Bake for 4 minutes, until the meatballs are lightly browned, then flip and bake for 2 additional minutes.
- Gently transfer to the slow cooker. Pour the buffalo sauce over the meatballs and, with a large spoon, very gently stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, until the meatballs are tender and cooked through.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with green onion and feta or blue cheese.
Notes
- NEXT LEVEL: Mix the Buffalo sauce with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter prior to adding it to the meatballs.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Meatballs can be assembled up through step 4 one day in advance. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, transfer to the slow cooker and proceed with the recipe as directed.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm meatballs on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Lay meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO MAKE IN THE AIR FRYER: Shape the meatballs as directed. Add to the air fryer in a single layer (cook in batches if needed so they don't overlap). Air fry at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until cooked through. Add the cooked meatballs to a large bowl. Warm up the Buffalo sauce, then pour over the meatballs. Gently stir to coat. Enjoy warm. See my Air Fryer Meatballs for even more tips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 24)Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgPotassium: 109mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
