Buffalo Chicken Meatballs With Ranch Dipping Sauce
These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are so easy to make. These are great for parties or for a busy weeknight dinner.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed sheet pan (18x13 inch / 46x33cm)
Food processor
parchment paper
Medium bowl (for ranch dip)
Instant-read thermometer
Tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken - 450g
¾ cup carrots - finely minced, about 2 medium carrots / 90g
1 medium egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs - 30g — use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed
2 cloves garlic - minced, about 2 teaspoons / 6g
¾ cup buffalo sauce - 180ml, divided — 1/2 cup for the meatball mixture and 1/4 cup for tossing after baking- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning powder - for meatballs
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
½ cup mozzarella cheese - shredded, 55g
1 pinch salt - to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
Ranch Dipping Sauce
½ cup sour cream - 120g- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning powder - for dipping sauce
1 tablespoon heavy cream - 15ml
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced) and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Peel and roughly chop the carrots, then pulse in a food processor until finely minced into tiny pieces. You should have about 3/4 cup (90g).3/4 cup carrots
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, minced carrots, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning powder, dried minced onion, shredded mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Mix with a large spoon just until combined — do not overmix. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, portion the mixture and roll into balls (you should get about 24 meatballs).1 pound ground chicken, 3/4 cup carrots, 1 medium egg, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 2 cloves garlic, 3/4 cup buffalo sauce, 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Place meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
- While the meatballs bake, make the ranch dipping sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning powder, and heavy cream until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup buffalo sauce over the meatballs and gently toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately with the ranch dipping sauce. For make-ahead serving, transfer the coated meatballs to a slow cooker set to warm.3/4 cup buffalo sauce
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate cooked meatballs and ranch sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat meatballs in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 10 minutes.
Freezer-friendly: Freeze baked meatballs (without buffalo sauce coating) in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and toss in warmed buffalo sauce before serving.
Make-ahead: Shape raw meatballs up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake. The ranch dip can also be made a day ahead.
Pro Tips: Do not overmix the meat mixture — stir just until the ingredients are combined. Overworking ground chicken makes the meatballs dense and rubbery.
Substitutions: Swap ground chicken for ground turkey for a slightly richer flavour, or use panko instead of standard breadcrumbs for a lighter texture.
Sodium Note: This recipe contains approximately 1650mg sodium per serving (72% of daily recommended value), primarily from the buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning. To reduce sodium, use a low-sodium buffalo sauce or reduce the total amount of sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 18gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 1654mgPotassium: 516mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2932IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 1mg
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