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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
Lisa says
Hi, do you think bleu cheese would work in lieu of ranch? We’re a bit of traditionalists and not big ranch fans.
Thanks for the recipes, we love the ideas AND the pup!
– Lisa
Karly says
Absolutely! Blue cheese will be great here.
And thank you! 🙂
Mike says
These were too wet with 1 cup of sauce. Cooked to 165 F but they were way too soft, didn’t taste like meatballs at all.
Karly says
I’m sorry you had problems with these. You do need to increase the oats if you increase the amount of hot sauce. That should have helped them hold together, but yes, the texture will change as you add more liquids and oats.
Mikeq says
Sorry I meant 1 cup total (sauce + ranch). I made it as written. No worries though, I plan on trying again but using less liquid.
Karly says
Oh, I see! Well, I’m sorry you weren’t a fan. 🙂 Maybe swap in ranch powder for the dressing and see how those are for you.
Kate@ Framed Cooks says
I don’t know what is more delicious looking – these meatball babies or your puppy! And I totally agree with Kish on the Hawaiian rolls suggestion – we love those in my house. 🙂
Joanne says
Hi there, these look absolutely delicious and I would love to try making them, but what is Panko? Thanks
Joanne x
Karly says
Hi Joanne! It’s a light and crispy Japanese bread crumb. You can find it near the regular bread crumbs or just swap in regular bread crumbs in this recipe.
Kish says
I absolutely love these! I came across this recipe a few months ago and have made them more than a couple times since then. I just wanted to add that kings Hawaiian hamburger buns or the mini sub buns go great with these meatballs! The sweetness of the buns pair perfectly with the spicyness of the hot sauce 🙂
Hungry Gopher says
That looks so yummy!!! I feel like my brain is melting like the cheese on the meatball. I do have a thing about spicy food since I grew up eating Kimchi.
The way to train your family to eat spicy food is training them slowly. This works. My father-in-law is the living proof. From what I have witnessed, my mother-in-law has worked on that case for years. Now he is unstoppable. Good luck^^.
If you like spicy food, try Korean cuisine sometime, I have several recipe videos here, www.hungrygopher.com
Wowguy says
What a good idea. Lets put it down for Friday since the kids don;t have school the next day
laly says
simple, easy, cheesy!
Christine says
My husband and teenage son gave these two thumbs up and devoured them! Perfect ratio of hot sauce and ranch…you get just the right amount of kick, but for all those that like it super spicy, adding hot sauce after they are cooked does the trick! I love them as an appetizer without the bun!
Karly says
@Christine,
Glad you liked them! 🙂 These are one of my favorites!
Cristina @ Just My Crazy Kitchen says
These are perfect! My boyfriend is a sissy like your husband despite all the buffalo chicken I force him to eat. Definitely trying these!
Michelle says
Wow, these are amazing!! Only added a 1/3 cup of Frank’s Hot Sauce as wasn’t sure how hot it would be but should have added the full amount or more. Adding Ranch and Frank’s hot sauce to the burger before eating definitely makes it – Yum Yum Yum!
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed them!!
Dana says
Genius!! Going to have to be made this weekend.