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These buffalo chicken meatballs are epic! They’re super tender and moist, coated in a creamy buffalo sauce and drizzled with ranch. Naturally gluten free, grain free, paleo, and Whole30, they’re perfect for dinner or as an appetizer during tailgating season.
If you’re looking for a great tailgating recipe, look no further! These chicken meatballs are a healthier take on one of your favorites, and they are so easy to make!
What makes these meatballs so good
- They’re super tender, loaded with flavor, a bit spicy, and just totally delicious.
- They’re naturally Whole30, paleo, low carb, and keto friendly.
- The zucchini in meatballs keeps them super tender and makes them healthier with added veggies.
- These buffalo meatballs are perfect for tailgating!
- These buffalo chicken meatballs can be made ahead and kept in a slow cooker to serve at get-togethers.
Chicken meatballs with no breadcrumbs
These meatballs, unlike many others are gluten free as I didn’t need add breadcrumbs to them, which are normally used. The shredded zucchini not only sneaks in added veggies to these tailgating snacks, but also help to hold the meatballs together, eliminating the need for breadcrumbs to bind the mixture.
Are these meatballs healthy?
As well as being gluten free, these meatballs are also grain free, paleo, keto and Whole30. The added zucchini is a great source of fiber, antioxidents and vitamin Bs, these are the meatballs that keep on giving!
What about the sauce?
These chicken meatballs are coated and served in a delicious buffalo sauce for a really classic dish. The sauce is made form a hot sauce base (Frank’s is my favorite!) which is then mixed with coconut cream for a cooling effect and a little natural sweetness. They are so morish – you may want to make a double batch!
Serving suggestions
For me, these are best served with the classics:
- Ranch dressing
- Celery sticks
- Blue cheese
- Carrot sticks
Chef’s Tips
- If on Whole30; use ghee instead of butter and use coconut cream instead of half and half. Omit the blue cheese
- Use lean ground chicken to cut down on the fat content.
- Make them ahead of time and store in a slow cooker to keep them warm.
Check Out These Chicken Recipes Next
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Creamy Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Ranch
- Whole30 Indian Saag Chicken (Paleo Indian Saag Chicken)
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole with Ranch and Cauliflower Rice
- Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Ranch Meal Prep
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Marry Me Chicken
- Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce (Keto)
- Chicken Saag
- Creamy Boursin Chicken
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- avocado oil or refined coconut oil for frying
Buffalo Sauce
- 1 cup hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot
- ¼ cup ghee or butter see Note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup coconut cream or half and half see Note
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In large bowl mix all meatball ingredients with hands until well combined. Do not overmix.
- Use disher or spoons to portion out individual, uniform balls. Roll each ball between your palms until smooth. Place on a large plate or baking sheet. Repeat until all meatball mixture is used.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Add meatballs in one layer, making sure to not overcrowd. Cook until bottoms are browned then, using a spatula, push meatballs around until all sides are browned and meatballs are cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer meatballs from skillet then return to heat. Repeat the previous step to cook remaining meatballs.
- When all meatballs are cooked, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel then return to stovetop over medium heat. Pour in all sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cook until bubbly then reduce heat to low and add meatballs. Let cook until sauce is slightly thickened and meatballs have absorbed some sauce, about 3-5 minutes.
- Drizzle with ranch dressing and serve with celery sticks and blue cheese.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Love this recipe, making it tomorrow! According to the nutritional facts, how many oz/grams would a serving be?
Thanks 😊
Hi! We consider a serving size to be anywhere between six and eight ounces. 🙂
Do you think you could bake these in the oven instead of using the pan? Thank you!
Great idea! Yes! Just bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-25 minutes or until the meatballs meet an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 🙂
Just made these …they are so good!!!!
Thanks Denise!
So tasty! I used turkey since that’s what I could find, worked perfectly. Love the creaminess of the sauce with just the right spice 🙂
Turkey sounds awesome! I glad you loved it!
Where can if the coconut cream? or what brand do you suggest?
Canned coconut cream can be found at most grocery stores in the canned sections! We LOVE the Thai Kitchen brand!
How would you modify this to prepare in a crockpot?
We would cook the meat balls in the skillet as explained in the recipe, but we would then transfer the meatballs to a slow cooker, pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs, then heat on low for two hours.
Could you use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Hi, you can certainly use ground turkey. The consistency just may not be the same.
Do you need to squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini before cooking? These look amazing! I’m thinking I’m going to pair with spaghetti squash for lunches next week!
No need to squeeze. It will give the meatballs additional moisture.
Can the top part (thick part) of a can of coconut milk be used or should it be coconut cream only? Also, if so, is this the coconut cream found in the liquor aisle?
That top part of the can would totally work.
Can you omit the zucchini in the mix?
Absolutely! The zucchini is just added moisture/nutrition.