If you love the flavor of buffalo chicken wings, you’re going to love this recipe for Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. It all comes together in about 30 minutes, which makes it the perfect weeknight meal for busy families!
Buffalo sauce is one of those things that you either love or you hate. If you’re here reading this recipe, chances are you love it as much as I do.
The original recipe for buffalo sauce was thrown together on a whim, and it’s safe to say it has become part of our culture. I dare you to watch a football game without some buffalo wings!
Typically, buffalo sauce is made with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, which I recommend for this recipe. You can also use Louisiana Hot Sauce if you prefer it over Frank’s.
This recipe is a great way to serve chicken appetizers if you’re looking for something a little different than the traditional chicken wing recipes. If you have family members with big appetites, these meatballs provide more edible protein to fill them up than bone-in wings. And they’re less messy to eat, too!
And for more meatball inspiration, make sure to check out our turkey version!
Helpful tips
- Keep things cold. For juicy, flavorful meatballs, have the ingredients well chilled to prevent the fat from breaking down prematurely.
- Do a taste test. Check if the mixture is properly seasoned before rolling into balls. Fry a small amount and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Be gentle. Do not overwork the mixture and combine the ingredients just until they come together.
- Keep things cold. For juicy, flavorful meatballs, have the ingredients well chilled to prevent the fat from breaking down prematurely.
- Do a taste test. Check if the mixture is properly seasoned before rolling into balls. Fry a small amount and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Be gentle. Do not overwork the mixture and combine the ingredients just until they come together.
Shaping the meatballs
- Do not pack the meatballs too compactly lest they turn tough and rubbery.
- Use a small scoop to portion them uniformly for even cooking.
- Lightly oil hands to keep the meat mixture from sticking when shaping the balls.
- You can freeze the meatballs for a few minutes to firm up and keep from falling apart.
- Sear the meatballs for a delicious browning and flavor boost.
Make ahead
This recipe is perfect for meal prepping! Make it on a free afternoon and portion it out into some divided containers along with some celery and carrot sticks, ranch dressing, and rice. Warm-up in the microwave when ready to serve!
You can also store the meatballs uncooked. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until firm. When frozen, transfer to a resealable bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Proceed with the recipe and pressure cook for about 5 minutes.
Serving suggestions
- Dip in dressing– these meatballs are delicious on their own, just dipped in a little bit of creamy ranch or blue cheese dressing, if you prefer!
- Over noodles or rice– serve a generous portion of the pressure cooker meatballs on a bed of buttered noodles, zoodles, or rice.
- In a sandwich– turn these meatballs into a meatball sandwich by serving them on a toasted hoagie roll with a side of ranch dressing to dip it in. Add some roasted potatoes to complete the meal!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Frank's or Louisiana)
- 1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Buffalo sauce
- 1 cup hot sauce (Frank's or Louisiana)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the Garnish
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, hot sauce, Ranch seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix until just combined and using a small scoop, form into 1 to 1 ½-inch meatballs.
- PRESS the SAUTE mode button on the Instant Pot. When HOT appears on the display, add butter.
- Arrange the meatballs in a single layer and cook meatballs for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Do not overcrowd and cook in batches as needed. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Add the Buffalo sauce ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup hot sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
- Add the meatballs.
- Close and lock the lid and set the valve on the SEALING position. Pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes.
- When finished, do a NATURAL RELEASE for 5 minutes, and then quickly release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the meatballs and transfer to a serving platter. Keep warm.
- Turn the Saute function back on for 2 to 4 minutes to reduce the sauce to your preference. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs, drizzle with Ranch dressing, and garnish with the freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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