Description
These Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are tender, flavorful, and coated in a spicy buffalo sauce. Made with ground chicken and simple seasonings, they are perfect for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a main dish served with veggies and dipping sauce. Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld perfectly, delivering juicy meatballs every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup tapioca flour (or breadcrumbs)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- ¾ cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot or Primal Kitchen)
- ¼ cup butter, vegan butter, or ghee, melted
For Serving
- Ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, or carrot sticks
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, tapioca flour, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, green onions, salt, and pepper. Stir well using a wooden spoon or your hands until fully combined. The mixture will be sticky.
- Form meatballs: Use a spoon or your hands (dust with tapioca flour to prevent sticking) to roll mixture into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch meatballs, making about 24 meatballs.
- Bake meatballs: Place meatballs on prepared baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes until all sides are browned.
- Make buffalo sauce: While meatballs bake, whisk melted ghee (or butter) with hot sauce in a small bowl until combined.
- Slow cook: Transfer browned meatballs to a slow cooker, pour the buffalo sauce over them, and gently toss to coat. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
- Serve: Serve meatballs immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery or carrot sticks.
Notes
- To make in an air fryer, shape meatballs and air fry at 380°F for 10-12 minutes.
- Whisk the sauce separately while the meatballs cook in the air fryer.
- Toss cooked air fryer meatballs in sauce immediately and serve warm.
- Use tapioca flour to help keep hands from sticking when shaping meatballs.
- For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter or ghee in the sauce.
- This recipe yields about 6 servings, perfect for a small group or party appetizer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
