I’ve been most excited to share this recipe for weeks now. It was something so simple and easy that I threw together, but it turned out so delicious. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything super special out of this recipe. Meatballs are meatballs, you know? And meatballs in buffalo sauce? I wasn’t even sure the concept would go over well, but wow, we loved it! I made these originally to please my oldest brother, Creighton. He loves meatballs more than most, but I thought he might find these different and fun. Plus, I love the idea of this as a fall recipe. You can make these as an appetizer for fall game nights or serve them more family-style, like I do, and enjoy them with rice.
Since I’m back to using the crockpot (what seems like every other day), I made these meatballs into a fast, totally no-fuss recipe. You simply roll ground chicken into meatballs, add them to the crockpot with sauce, and slow cook. It’s the easiest process! I also shared the stove-top variation for anyone who needs a quick 30-minute dinner! Perfectly yummy either way!
These are the details
Step 1: make the meatballs Mix together the meatballs. I used ground chicken for these meatballs, but you can use ground chicken, pork, or a mix. They’re all very similar. I love mixing turkey and pork for best flavor. For texture and to help bind the meat together, I add panko breadcrumbs. For flavor, I add onion powder, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder, then season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Step 2: slow-cook the meatballs Now add the meatballs to the crockpot and pour over a pretty good amount of your favorite hot sauce and some water. Add the butter for the sauce, then cover the crockpot and let the meatballs cook. I usually cook for 1-2 hours on high or 3 to 4 hours on low. Step 3: make the sauce creamy When the meatballs are cooked, mix in a block of cream cheese, a couple of handfuls of cheddar cheese, and lots of fresh broccoli. Aside from the broccoli, this is very similar to how you would make buffalo chicken dip. Let the meatballs and broccoli cook on high for 5 or 10 minutes. Just until the sauce is very creamy and the cheese has melted. Step 4: extra buffalo sauce, top, and serve Before serving, you can mix up a homemade buffalo sauce with equal amounts of melted butter and hot sauce, and a good pinch of seasoned salt. This is my go-to sauce. This is “extra,” and while you don’t need it, it will make every bite of this dish much yummier. Of course, if you like less heat, adjust to your taste! Or have fun and serve the meatballs in the sauce as an appetizer with lots of ranch dressing for dipping. That would be so yummy too! If you decide to serve these meatballs as a meal over rice, beer bread on the side is a must. You can mop up all the sauce with a slice of beer bread. It sounds a little different, but it’s so good, and beer bread is my favorite this time of year – I always make it with pumpkin beer! Oh, one more thing I want to mention today! You can preorder the new cookbook for 25% off today and tomorrow at Barnes and Noble with the code PREORDER25
Looking for other easy family dinners? Here are a few ideas: One Pot Buffalo Chicken “Helper” Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole One Pan Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Easy Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese Pumpkin Cheese Stuffed Pasta Bolognese Bake One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Creamy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
