Buffalo Chicken and Gorgonzola Meatballs Bursting with Tangy Heat

Tangy, mildly spicy, and stuffed with creamy Gorgonzola, these Buffalo chicken meatballs are just the kind of appetizer to liven up your game day — or any day — spread. Forget the time-consuming (and let’s face it — stressful) task of making Buffalo chicken wings. These tender, flavor-packed bites come together with less than 20 minutes of prep time and are sure to satisfy a crowd. Once you go buffalo meatball, you may never go back to wings.

Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse says, “These meatballs are incredibly delicious. Stuffing them with Gorgonzola gives them a one-two punch of cheesy flavor that perfectly balances the heat of the glaze. The blue cheese dipping sauce is the ultimate cooling element.” Don’t be surprised if you can’t stop at just one — or three — so feel free to go ahead and double the recipe. They’re just as delicious as a casual weeknight entree, served with a fresh side salad or tucked into rolls for tasty sliders. 

To make Buffalo chicken and Gorgonzola meatballs, you’ll start with a base of ground chicken, keeping this recipe affordable and easy to whip up at a moment’s notice. Panko breadcrumbs help bind the mixture. An egg helps give the meatballs their structure, salt and pepper season the mixture, and minced onion and celery offer an aromatic touch. Fresh parsley adds a pop of color and a fresh, herbal addition. After mixing, the meatballs are portioned and stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese for a creamy, cheesy filling that takes them to the next level.

To finish the meatballs, a tangy, spicy glaze made with melted butter, hot sauce, and brown sugar delivers that classic Buffalo chicken flavor. Sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, fresh chives, and additional Gorgonzola combine to create a cooling dipping sauce. If you spot a wedge of Gorgonzola on sale, cut cubes to stuff the meatballs, using the leftover crumbles for the dipping sauce. 

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, gently mix to combine the ground chicken, panko, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, egg, onion, celery, and parsley.

Use a tablespoon-sized scoop to portion meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet.

Flatten a meatball slightly and place a large crumble (or a few small crumbles) of Gorgonzola in the center.

Pinch the meatball mixture around the Gorgonzola to seal, and roll into a smooth ball.

Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Reserve the remaining Gorgonzola.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the meatballs are lightly golden and cooked through. If desired, broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking for additional color and flavor.

While the meatballs bake, prepare the dipping sauce: In a ramekin, stir to combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, remaining Gorgonzola, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, hot sauce, and brown sugar.

Add the hot meatballs to the butter mixture and toss gently to coat.

Serve the meatballs warm, garnished with additional chives if desired, alongside the dipping sauce.

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If you’re making these meatballs for a crowd or want to prep them ahead for a satisfying weeknight meal, the good news is they can be stored and reheated. To make them ahead, mix and assemble as directed, placing the rolled meatballs onto a lined baking sheet or plate. At that point, you can wrap them tightly and store them in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking. You can also bake the meatballs as directed. Cool before transferring to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating if frozen. Reheat, covered, in the oven until hot throughout, then coat with the hot sauce glaze and serve warm with the blue cheese dipping sauce. 

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen and reheat, covered, in the oven until hot throughout before serving. The blue cheese dipping sauce can be prepared up to five days in advance and stored in an airtight container or lidded jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Pop one of these meatballs into your mouth, and you might swear you were eating a boneless Buffalo chicken wing. While the flavor is spot-on, you can also change up this recipe to suit your taste or what you have on hand. 

You can swap the ground chicken for ground turkey or plant-based meat, although it will change the flavor profile slightly. Panko can be replaced with traditional breadcrumbs or crushed crackers in a pinch, and the chives can be substituted with scallions. For a nuanced twist, try honey or maple syrup in the place of the brown sugar in the glaze. Gorgonzola is a star ingredient of the dish, but blue cheese crumbles, Roquefort, or Stilton (which have a stronger flavor) work well too. You can even change up the flavor profile entirely by stuffing the meatballs with pepper Jack or cheddar. To amp up the heat, add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture, or use a spicier hot sauce in the glaze. 

There’s no reason these appetizer-sized bites can’t be made larger for a hearty weeknight dinner either. Roll into standard-size meatballs (adjusting the baking time as needed until cooked through). Serve with a side salad or place into slider buns and top with slaw for a fun, casual meal. For a shortcut, you can also use store-bought blue cheese dressing when serving.

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