Description

A budget-friendly, hands-off slow cooker recipe for tender, spicy, and creamy buffalo chicken meatballs that are perfect for feeding a crowd during game day.

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (ground)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 cups buffalo wing sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (optional)
1 packet ranch seasoning (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
Roll the mixture into 1-inch uniform balls, yielding approximately 30-40 meatballs.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the buffalo sauce and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Whisk in ranch seasoning if using.
Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Add the meatballs in a single layer or dump them in, then pour the remaining sauce over the top to coat.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. If using HIGH, cook for 2-3 hours, though LOW is recommended for tenderness.
Stir gently before serving. Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.

Notes

Chicken breast can dry out; consider using ground chicken thighs for juicier meatballs. Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free Panko or almond flour. For dairy-free, substitute butter with olive oil or dairy-free butter. Meatballs can be frozen raw and cooked directly from frozen, adding an extra hour to cooking time.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4-6 hours
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Approximately 5 meat
Calories: 280
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 650
Fat: 16
Saturated Fat: 6
Carbohydrates: 12
Fiber: 1
Protein: 22

Keywords: slow cooker, buffalo chicken, meatballs, game day, budget friendly, crowd pleaser, easy dinner