Description
These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs offer a flavorful and spicy twist on traditional meatballs, combining ground chicken with hot sauce and aromatic spices. They are perfectly cooked in either an air fryer or oven for a healthy, easy appetizer or main dish, served with a creamy bleu cheese yogurt dip that balances the heat beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup celery (minced)
- ¼ cup carrot (shredded)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup Frank’s Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
Bleu Cheese Yogurt Dip
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces blue cheese (crumbled)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chives (finely chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, egg, minced celery, shredded carrot, garlic powder, onion powder, Frank’s Hot Sauce, and kosher salt. Stir until well blended. Add ground chicken and gently mix until combined, being careful not to overwork the meat to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form meatballs: Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture onto a cookie sheet. Then, with wet hands, roll the portions into about 24 small meatballs, ensuring they are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Air fry the meatballs: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the meatballs in batches if needed, for 5-7 minutes until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Bake the meatballs (alternative method): Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the meatballs on a greased baking sheet about ½ inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Prepare bleu cheese yogurt dip: In a bowl, mix together plain Greek yogurt, crumbled blue cheese, lemon juice, chopped chives, grated garlic, and kosher salt. Stir well to combine all the flavors.
- Serve: Serve the hot buffalo chicken meatballs as an appetizer or alongside mashed potatoes or rice. Offer the bleu cheese yogurt dip on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for ground chicken if preferred.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce to control the spice level.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, baking works equally well.
- Use wet hands to shape meatballs to prevent sticking.
- Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safety.
- This recipe pairs well with celery sticks and extra hot sauce for a classic buffalo experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes (air fryer) or 10 minutes (oven)
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs, Healthy Appetizer, Spicy Meatballs, Bleu Cheese Dip
