This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn qualifying purchases. Click here for more about this policy.
These healthy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs turn up the heat without turning up the calories! Packed with protein and perfect for meal prep, these tasty bites make for a satisfying snack, appetizer, or meal, without the hassle!
Tired of bland meals each week? Spice it up with these healthy buffalo meatballs! A spin on my ground chicken meatloaf, these juicy meatballs get a fiery kick from buffalo sauce—one of those condiments that makes all the difference.
Made with high-protein ground chicken, sweet veggies, wholesome flours, and plenty of buffalo sauce, this recipe hits the perfect balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. It’s a flavorful, nutritious option that aligns with your weight loss goals without compromising on taste.
For more recipes featuring Frank’s buffalo sauce? Try this buffalo chicken casserole and low calorie buffalo chicken dip next!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Meatball Recipe
- Full of Protein: With about 6 meatballs per serving, these protein-packed meatballs are low in calories and meet dietary needs like low-carb, gain-free, and gluten-free.
- Sneaky and Nutritious: Loaded with hidden veggies like carrots and celery, these meatballs stay moist and add an extra boost of nutrition to every bite.
- Simple and Versatile: Made with easy, wholesome ingredients, these buffalo chicken meatballs are perfect as a snack, appetizer, or meal. They’re also great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: A lean protein source that’s lower in fat and calories than ground beef or pork. You can also use ground turkey, lean ground beef, ground pork, or vegetarian ground meat alternatives.
- Buffalo Sauce: Adds a tangy, spicy kick and helps bind the ingredients together. If you’re not a fan, feel free to substitute with BBQ sauce, Sriracha, chili-garlic sauce, curry paste, harissa, or even marinara for a different flavor profile. Use the extras to make slow cooker buffalo chicken for another weeknight meal!
- Coconut Flour: Acts as a binder and helps firm up the buffalo meatballs mixture. You can substitute with whole wheat flour, all-purpose gluten-free flour, or even almond flour for a similar texture.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Make them Mini: Make bite-sized buffalo chicken balls as an appetizer! To do this, use a tablespoon measure or mini ice cream scoop to make a mini buffalo chicken meatballs recipe. Be sure to adjust the baking time to ensure they cook through but don’t end up overcooked.
- Cheese-Stuffed: For a fun surprise, stuff a small cube of your favorite cheese or cheese alternative inside each meatball before baking, creating a gooey, cheesy center.
- Adjust the Heat: Want to crank up the spice? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a splash of extra hot sauce. For a milder version, squeeze in a couple tablespoons of honey to balance the heat with a sweet and spicy combo.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Healthy
In under 30 minutes and with just 7 ingredients, you can whip up this delicious chicken meatball appetizer for any occasion. Start by preheating the oven to 425°F, lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, and gathering your ingredients.
Step 1: Blend the Veggies. In a blender or food processor, roughly pulse together the carrots, celery and garlic until the mixture is nearly blended.
Step 2: Make the Mixture. Transfer the veggie mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the chicken, sauce, coconut flour, almond milk, and pepper. Mix the ingredients together evenly using your hands.
Step 3: Prep the Meatballs. Roll the meat mixture into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place them on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake and Serve. Bake at 425°F for 7 minutes on each side, remove from the oven, and serve immediately with more sauce on top.
Serve this buffalo chicken recipe as a fun appetizer with toothpicks and a variety of dips like a healthy chip dip or pinto bean dip recipe.
Expert Tips
- Measure Accurately: When measuring coconut flour, don’t pack it down. Coconut flour is highly absorbent, and packing it can result in using too much, which may make your buffalo ground chicken meatball mixture too dry.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can lead to a tough texture. Mix the ingredients just until they are incorporated, and do so gently by hand to avoid dryness.
- Storage: They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely before storing in a plastic storage bag or airtight container. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: For even reheating, use the oven at 300°F or a toaster oven. You can also reheat in the microwave or stovetop if needed, but the oven gives the best results for maintaining texture.
Serving Suggestions
Frank’s buffalo chicken meatballs are packed with bold flavor and can pair with just about anything! Whether you’re having them as a snack, appetizer, or main dish, here are a few ideas to complement their bold taste:
- Make a delicious wrap by adding them to gluten free tortilla wraps or low carb tortilla wrap, with some extra veggies for a more satisfying meal.
- Add them to your favorite salad for a complete meal. Try them with a gorgonzola salad, a good cucumber salad, or healthy Caesar salad recipe for an extra boost of protein.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! They are a great option for meal prep and to enjoy throughout the week. You can make a big batch, let them cool, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you need to store them longer, freeze them for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Using an air fryer will give your them an extra crispy outside while keeping the inside juicy. Cook them at 375°F for about 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness to ensure they are fully cooked and crispy.
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
If you tried this Healthy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Buffalo Chicken Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken
- ½ cup Celery, roughly chopped
- ½ cup Carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Garlic
- ½ cup Buffalo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
- 2 tablespoons Unsweetened Almond Milk, Any milk can be used. It does not have to be dairy free milk unless that is your preference.
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roughly blend the celery, carrots and garlic in a blender or food processor by pulsing several times until nearly pureed.
- Transfer all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together evenly.
- Prepare the meatballs by rolling 1 to 1 1/2-inches in diameter in size. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Baking in the oven for 7 minutes then flip and bake another 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately with more buffalo sauce on top.
Notes
- This recipe makes 24 meatballs. One serving equals 1/4th of 24 meatballs or about 6 meatballs.
- Measure Accurately: When measuring the coconut flour, be sure not to pack it down, as it could result in too much flour and a drier mixture.
- Don’t Over mix: Mix the ingredients gently by hand just until they are combined. Over mixing can lead to dry, tough meatballs.
- Use the Oven for Reheating: For the best results when reheating, use the oven at 300°F. This will keep the texture of the meatballs intact, avoiding sogginess that may occur in the microwave.
- Storing: Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loves buffalo wings. I don’t like the mess or the grease, but I do like the basic flavors, so I thought it would be worth trying. I made these last night with a few changes. I doubled the recipe, since hubby and I have two teenage boys still at home and we like leftovers. I used ground turkey instead of ground chicken, and I tried using almond flour instead of coconut flour, since that’s what I had in the pantry. Some of the meatballs did fall apart a bit, so next time I will probably try coconut flour or some oat flour. Those both seem to soak up more moisture and bind things better.
The flavor was excellent, though, and my family enjoyed them very much! My eighteen year old goes to boxing three night a week, and he often eats a really large snack (sometimes a second dinner!) when he gets home. He reheated a second serving of these last night after he got home from the gym. We’ll definitely make these again.
I’m so happy to hear you and the family loved the flavor! Just so you know – coconut flour is not interchangeable with other flours without recreating the recipe so that’s why they don’t bind as well without it.
Mine are falling apart- next time I will add egg
I’ve not had an issue with mine falling apart when I’ve made these. Sometimes I will add a bit of water to my hands when I’m trying to get things to stick together. You could also add a touch of olive oil.
How do you make them meatballs? They are too liqudy and don’t form into a ball.
I did not have that problem at all. Something is off.