Easy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

4.39 from 18 votes

Easy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

This buffalo chicken meatballs recipe gives you all the spicy, tangy flavor of buffalo wings in an easier, less messy bite-sized version. The meatballs are made with ground chicken, almond meal, garlic, and green onions, then pressure-cooked right in a buttery buffalo sauce so they stay juicy and tender. They’re naturally paleo with an easy Whole30 option using ghee, plus there’s an oven-baked method included if you don’t have an Instant Pot!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo chicken meatballs

Servings: servings

Author: Jean Choi

Ingredients

1.5 lb ground chicken
3/4 cup almond meal
1 tsp sea salt
2 garlic cloves minced
2 green onions thinly sliced
6 tbsp hot sauce like Frank's Red Hot
1/4 cup butter or ghee
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine chicken, almond meal, salt, minced garlic cloves, and green onions. Mix until combined, but be careful not to overwork the meat.
1.5 lb ground chicken, 3/4 cup almond meal, 1 tsp sea salt, 2 garlic cloves, 2 green onions
Grease your hands, then shape the meat into golf ball-sized balls. Set aside.
Make the buffalo sauce by heating up hot sauce and butter in the microwave or the stove top until the butter is completely melted. Use a spoon to stir.
6 tbsp hot sauce, 1/4 cup butter
Add the buffalo sauce to the Instant Pot liner and spread evenly. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce. Close the lid, and make sure that the pressure valve is set to SEALING. Cook on MANUAL for 15minutes. Release pressure pressure manually right away.
Serve warm garnished with chopped green onions.
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Notes

Grease your hands well before shaping the meatballs. It helps more than you might think with sticky ground chicken.
Don’t overmix the meat mixture or the texture can turn dense instead of tender.
If the meatballs seem soft before cooking, that’s normal. The almond meal absorbs moisture as they cook.
Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet over medium heat so the buffalo sauce stays glossy instead of drying out.
I usually throw these onto a big plate with veggie sticks and my homemade ranch for easy dinners, but they’re also great stuffed into wraps, added to salad bowls, or spooned over rice when we want something a little heartier.
Store leftover buffalo chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm them gently in a skillet over medium heat while turning occasionally. This keeps the sauce from separating and helps the meatballs stay tender.
These also work really well chopped into lettuce wraps or served over salads like this Whole30 buffalo chicken salad for an easy lunch.

Nutrition