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So, the other day I came across these cray-cray Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Meatball Sandwiches from How Sweet Eats and I thought to myself, “Self! You will make those for dinner!”
Then I remembered that my entire family would up and move across the country to get away from me if I put a bunch of jalapenos in their dinner. They’d probably even take the dog, which would be tragic, because the dog is my favorite of the bunch.
I mean, can you blame me? Total fluff ball right there.
Anyway, after I cried about the lack of jalapeno lovers that live in my house, I had a lightbulb moment. Like, literally, I lit up the whole main floor of my house with the idea that I had.
Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sandwiches, baby. Sure, yes, my daughter would be eating another PB&J if I served spicy chicken meatballs for dinner. That’s, like, her trifecta of awful right there. Spicy. Chicken. Meatballs. She’s glaring at me right now just for thinking about those three things in her presence.
The husband is a major sissy when it comes to hot sauce, so I went easy on it. We wouldn’t want the poor wittle baby to cry, would we?
Anyway, I morphed Jessica’s sandwiches into a food that I sort of want to marry. Imagine how cute our meatball babies would be in their little bonnets and booties crawling around the house all innocent and sweet.
Ugh. This is ridiculous.
Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sandwiches. I mean…can you even…am I dreaming?
These sandwiches are so good you’ll want to punch someone in the face. Preferably not me, but go ahead and try them to find out. The meatballs are so soft and tender, the carrots add a nice bit of texture, and the mixture of the ranch and hot sauce is just simply divine. The meat is flavored so perfectly!
Please, please, please make these for the Superbowl. Then make them again for dinner on Tuesday and eat the leftovers for lunch on Wednesday. Then make them again on Friday. You know, it’s really never a bad time to eat buffalo chicken meatball sandwiches.
A few notes: These were made to accommodate a sissy-la-la 32 year old man and a 12 year old boy. They’re pretty mild, more tangy and bright flavored than overly spicy, so feel free to bump up the amount of hot sauce you use in the meat mixture to 1 cup or more. I’d add in an extra 1/4 cup of oats for each 1/2 cup of hot sauce that you add, just so things don’t get too out of control moist and fall apart-y. Alternately, keep these as is and just load them up with more hot sauce as needed when you make your sandwiches.
Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese grated
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/2 cup rolled or quick oats
- 1/2 cup bottled Ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 5 bakery style sandwich rolls
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese grated
- Ranch dressing and Hot Sauce for serving if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix until combined using your hands. Alternately, mix everything together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Scoop out chunks of the mixture, about 2 tablespoons each, and shape into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Slice the sandwich rolls in half and top with three to four meatballs, depending on what will fit. Drizzle on extra hot sauce if desired. Top with a small handful of cheddar cheese. Place on a baking sheet, with the top half of the roll laying cut side up next to the bottom portion with the meatballs. Repeat with remaining buns.
- Place sandwiches back in the hot oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bread is beginning to brown at the edges.
- Top the meatballs with the sliced bun tops.
- Serve with extra ranch dressing and hot sauce as desired.
Nutrition Information:
Other buffalo chicken recipes you will totally love:
Buffalo Chicken Dip from Buns In My Oven
Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese from Table For Two
Buffalo Chicken Nachos from Baked By Rachel
Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls from Taste and Tell
Buffalo Chicken Taquitos from Buns In My Oven
kim-the-girl says
These look awesome, but I’m curious if I could use a different variety of hot sauce. We aren’t really a hot sauce family, so one more barely used bottle would be a waste. What I have is Tabasco and Sirachi (something like that…) What do you think?
Karly says
I would definitely not use Sriracha, because it has a lot of other flavors going on and you’ll really stray from the buffalo wing flavor. As for tabasco, you could probably get by with that one. I personally think tabasco is a lot spicier than Frank’s, but that could just be me. My favorite trick for meatloaf/meatballs: season it, scoop out a spoonful, and cook it on the stove to test the flavor, and adjust from there. If I were using Tabasco, I’d probably use 1/4 cup, cook a little chunk on the stove and adjust as needed. 🙂
Karly says
Okay, so I got curious and did a little googling. It sounds as if Tabasco is much more concentrated that Frank’s so definitely be careful and adjust as needed if that’s what you use. 🙂
Julie @ Table for Two says
omg, your dog is SO cute!! what kind is it he/she?? these look SO SO good!!!
Karly says
Thank you! I could just squish your little fluffy face, I love her so much! She’s a shih-tzu bichon mix. 🙂
debbie says
Wow…this looks delicious. I’m used to eating just a plain meatball sub. I think this would be great…Just pinned it!
Karly says
Thank you!
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
I love all of the mental images that came to mind reading this (meatball babies, Elaine from Seinfeld punching someone, and you happily alone with the dog eating spicy foods . . .) and I will follow almost all of your directions–but I won’t make these for a third time on Friday. Because Friday nights are Pizza Nights here according to the Farm Fresh Feasts family. (Unless there’s a football game or sled hockey tournament, in which case Pizza Night turns into Pizza Monday brunch . . .)
These look like an excellent, and utterly as cute as your doggie, way to ‘get your Buffalo on’. Thanks!
Karly says
Haha! Well, if you skip them on Friday, you better make up for it on Saturday. 🙂
Amber (Sprinkled With Flour) says
Look here lady, you have to stop killing me with these recipes! I think I’m officially going on cooking strike…and you’re coming to my house to take over. 🙂 Nevermind your family…they can eat PB&J while I feast on deliciousness like this. lol 🙂
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Your dog is super cute! Can I take the fluff ball home?!
Oh and these sandwiches? Screw the super bowl – I need these like every day of the week!
Karly says
“Screw the super bowl.” I’ve said that more times than I can count this week. 😉
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
:O :O :O I think I am dreaming!!! My mouth is watering just looking at these! I’m a complete sissy as well so I’m guessing the fact you didn’t use much hot sauce will be fine for me, I’ll have to ramp them up for my other half though, he likes his food practically on fire 😀 And if they’re going to make me want to punch someone, then I best eat them all alone so I don’t get into trouble 🙂 Too good for sharing anyway!
Karly says
Oh, you’ll be fine with these. They have that perfect mild buffalo wings flavor. 🙂 Just keep the bottle of Frank’s around for serving. 😉
Kim @ Soliloquy Of Food & Such says
Ha! Meatball babies!
Julia says
Oh wow these looks amazing! I love meatball sandwiches but with buffalo sauce, sounds even better! Cute dog by the way!
Karly says
Thank you!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
Holy cow girl! Forget the chicken meatballs I just made…I WANT yours, but I want mine spicier because I’m not a weenie 🙂 and your dog is probably the cutest fluffball EVER!!!
Lisa @ Snappy Gourmet says
I can not get enough “buffalo” lately! These look great! And your dog is ADORABLE!!!!
Karly says
Thank you!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
These are totally face-punch worthy. YUM!
Cookbook Queen says
I’ll take ten of these AND the dog. So CUTE!!!
Melissa M. says
Yummy! The food looks delicious, but the bamboo dinner mats have caught my eye. Where did you find them?
Karly says
Thank you!
I believe I got them at Pier 1, but it’s been a year or two, so I could be wrong. 🙂
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
I’m pretty sure my dog and your dog would be best friends. And we might lose them in the snow. And also, I want these meatballs.
Karly says
I bet they would! I loved watching your little doggy grow through that weekly series you were doing way back when! That was not too long before we got our doggy!