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You are here: Home / Physical Kitchness / Whole30 Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Whole30 Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

22 May

One pot, 30-minute, Whole30 compliant meal of dreams. These Whole30 baked buffalo chicken meatballs are an easy, family-friendly meal on rotation.

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This one-pot, 30 minute meal is the perfect Whole30 dinner! This simple, paleo recipe is for every buffalo chicken lover. Blue cheese optional!

“I’m gonna do a Whole30 this month!” I say enthusiastically as my husband gives me the biggest eye-roll ever.

“Ughhh no!!!!” is the response. Every.Single.Time.

Been there? The entire idea of ‘healthy eating’ sends my man over the edge. He gets as frantic as my toddler does when his little brother is trying to touch all the toy trucks. It wasn’t until this last round that the hubs actually admitted he liked when I was doing Whole30, for the mere fact that meals are much more planned and actually tastier than my no-thinking dinners…aka throwing something on the grill or the same meal every four days.

I wish I could have got it in writing, “I like when my wife makes Whole30 meals”. Because guaranteed the next time I dive into another Whole30, he’ll groan and moan like always, then later pat me on the back. It’s a common theme.

Healthy buffalo chicken meatballs made in under 30 minutes! Paleo, gluten free, Whole30

It takes a lot of grace to accept when he compliments me on a meal well done, to not (lovingly) choke him and say, “I TOLD YOU SO!” I kid you not people, some of his most requested, favorite meals are my Whole30 creations like these Sloppy Joe Bowls, Greek Chicken Skillet, A1 Inspired Slow Cooker Beef Roast, Tomato Basil and Eggplant Beef Goulash, and 5 Ingredient Whole30 Hawaiian Chicken Burgers. JUST to name a few…

But I had a hunch THIS recipe, Whole30 baked buffalo chicken meatballs, was going to send me to heavenly-wife-I’ll-never-leave-her status. ‘Cause the man loves buffalo chicken. Almost more than me. I, on the other hand, honestly don’t ever eat buffalo chicken anything.

I KNOW, I’ve been living under a rock. I thought buffalo chicken meant ‘burn my tongue off’ and that kind of thing I just can’t do. Blame it on my Midwest roots – I just don’t eat ‘hot stuff’. So these were explicitly meant for him. Damn, I AM a good wife!

Buffalo chicken meatballs made with squeaky clean ingredients, and baked in 20 minutes! The perfect healthy, gluten free meal your entire family will love

To my surprise, I loved these too. And I didn’t feel like a fire-breathing dragon after eating them. What?! WHAT?! Am I a buffalo chicken fan now?! I think I am – my life forever changed. And….wait for it….my toddler liked them too. DOUBLE WHAT?!

I haven’t even shared the bestest best best part – I whipped these Whole30 baked buffalo chicken meatballs up in less than 30 minutes from prep to plated. Can you hear the angels opera-singing and the clouds parting? It’s THAT miraculous.

Whole30 Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Next, combine all the ingredients into a large bowl and use a medium cookie scoop like this one (you could certainly use a normal spoon, but a cookie scoop is easier and requires no molding), to spoon the ground chicken into balls and place on a greased baking sheet or cast iron skillet (click here for the set I have and love). The mixture will be wet, so they may not be perfectly-molded balls, but as long as they hold together! If the mixture is too wet to mold, add a little more almond flour.

Bake for 20 minutes, then garnish with more green onions and blue cheese if desired. Or if your non-Whole30 husband insists 😉

Family dinner favorite! And Whole30 compliant! This one pot meal is gluten free, dairy free, and make in 30 minutes! Buffalo chicken never tasted so good (or so healthy)

Buffalo chicken never tasted so good, never cooked so healthy.  Getting all the husband’s of the world totally jazzed about Whole30, once and for all!

Time Saver Tip

If using homemade paleo mayo, make this beforehand and refrigerate before serving. Get the recipe for mine here.

Print

Whole30 Baked Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

This one-pot, 30 minute meal is the perfect Whole30 dinner! This simple, paleo recipe is for every buffalo chicken lover. Blue cheese optional!

★★★★★

4.9 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Physical Kitchness
  • Yield: 20-22 balls 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons paleo mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Mix the ground chicken, green onions, hot sauce, egg, mayonnaise, salt, and almond flour into a large bowl
  3. Using a cookie scoop or small spoon, dish out the ground chicken mixture and mold into balls (this will be easiest with a cookie scoop)
  4. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet or cast iron skillet
  5. Bake for 20 minutes then drizzle with more hot sauce, and add additional green onions and blue cheese if desired

Disclaimer: Please note that there are affiliate links on this page and I will earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support.

Chrissa
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82 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinner, Physical Kitchness, Recipes, Whole30 Tagged With: buffalo, chicken, paleo, whole30[heart_this]

About Chrissa

I'm Chrissa - a lover of cooking, hater of spiders, fitness enthusiast, red lipstick wearer, mom and wife. Here you will find healthy recipes the family will love, step-by-step workout tutorials, meal planning guides and wellness tips.

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Comments

  1. Tara Charlton says

    May 22, 2017 at 5:27 am

    Omg my husband is going to LOVE these, buffalo anything is the key to his heart!! I too am from the Midwest ?? and I’m slowly loving the heat of some food!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 9:02 am

      Hahaha you (and your hubby) are my people!!

      Reply
      • Alexa says

        January 16, 2018 at 4:45 pm

        Hi! Do you know the exact nutritional value for these? They’re delicious I️ just need to know how many I️ can have haha

        Reply
        • Chrissa says

          January 18, 2018 at 11:27 am

          Unfortunately I don’t! One of my many to-do lists for my recipes!

          Reply
      • James says

        February 5, 2018 at 5:46 pm

        Is the Franks hot sauce whole 30 compliant??

        Reply
        • Chrissa says

          February 11, 2018 at 2:25 pm

          It is 🙂 The original version.

          Reply
  2. Ashley | Fit Mitten Kitchen says

    May 22, 2017 at 6:28 am

    One day our husbands can groan together about our healthier eating 😀 I swear they are the same person <3

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 8:49 am

      I’m not sure I want them to meet. It might not bode well for us 😉

      Reply
  3. Emily says

    May 22, 2017 at 6:39 am

    I’m not really a hot sauce loving gal either, but there have been some Buffalo flavored foods that I’ve eaten that I’ve really loved. It’s pretty cool that your husband loves when you do the Whole 30. 🙂

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 8:48 am

      Same! I think I’m totally converted now! As is my hubby with Whole30 (LOL)!

      Reply
  4. Erin says

    May 22, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Looks delicious! And I need some new meal ideas to get me through my last week of whole 30 (can’t do zoodles with marinara or fajitas anymore!) What do you suggest serving with these?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 8:47 am

      Hahaha true dat!!! We loved them with compliant coleslaw but I’ve also done roasted cauliflower with them!

      Reply
  5. cara says

    May 22, 2017 at 2:51 pm

    These look so good! I love recipes with ground chicken, they’re so flavorful!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 8:46 am

      Thanks so much Cara! I’m starting to play with ground chicken more, and I love it!

      Reply
  6. Paulina says

    May 22, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    Hello! Have you ever used ground turkey? Wondering if it’s similar? Have all ingredients except ground chicken ? I do have ground turkey though! And this mama does not want to go to the store if it’s similar! Thanks in advance! Big fan!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 23, 2017 at 8:43 am

      I haven’t but I’m sure they would be just as good!! So glad you found me!

      Reply
  7. Eli Voth says

    May 24, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    These are amazing and so easy! I doubled the recipe and used 1 lb ground chicken and 1 lb ground turkey – so good!

    Reply
    • Eli Voth says

      May 24, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      P.S. I’m a fellow North Dakotan 😉 and know your future sis-in-law Annie. Love your blog!

      Reply
      • Chrissa says

        May 26, 2017 at 2:03 pm

        <3!!!!!!!! So glad you found me! Annie is the BEST!

        Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 26, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      So so so happy you liked these! Great idea for improvising with these a bit too!

      Reply
    • Mary says

      April 8, 2018 at 5:10 pm

      Doing that RIGHT NOW!

      Reply
      • Chrissa says

        April 16, 2018 at 8:53 pm

        Dooooo it!

        Reply
  8. Brittany says

    May 29, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    This recipe looks SO good! I’m totally putting on my June meal plan! What do you eat with these? I’m super new to Whole30 and am at a loss for sides… I used to always eat rice or potatoes with almost every meal! Yikes! I’m guessing lots of veggies? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      May 29, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      I love these with coleslaw! We’ve done them with roasted cauliflower too 🙂

      Reply
  9. Michelle says

    June 5, 2017 at 5:02 pm

    Could I use coconut flour instead of almond flour? I’m never quite sure if the 2 are interchangeable! Really excited to try these. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      June 6, 2017 at 8:17 pm

      Hmmm they are definitely not interchangeable, but you might be able to make it work! I would add more coconut flour than what the recipe calls for in almond flour. Just start out tablespoon by tablespoon until you get the consistency to be able to mold them. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        June 7, 2017 at 5:24 pm

        Thanks for answering my question. Maybe I’ll just have to wait to try these until I can get to the grocery to buy some more almond flour!! They just looks so darn yummy ?

        Reply
        • Jamie says

          October 12, 2017 at 10:59 am

          Hey! I just wanted to say I tried this with coconut flour and it turned out just fine. I would definitely use a little more than the recipe calls for.

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • Chrissa says

            October 15, 2017 at 8:35 pm

            Oh great! Thanks so much for sharing!

          • Mrs4444 says

            February 28, 2018 at 2:43 pm

            Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jamie. I was wondering!

  10. Rachel says

    June 25, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    Wow! These were delicious! My entire family devoured them. Thank you. I’m going to make a ton and freeze them so we can always have them at the ready.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 8, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Let me know how the freeze! I haven’t tried it.

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    July 1, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    Yummmmm! Just made these and they are amazing! I love buffalo flavored things and there aren’t many whole30 buffalo recipes out there. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 8, 2017 at 9:44 am

      So glad you enjoyed these Sarah!

      Reply
  12. Megan says

    July 11, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    I just made these and love them! Is it normal to have white foam/fat around each meatball? I just tried to brush that part off.

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 17, 2017 at 9:23 pm

      Sometimes that might happen with ground meat being baked in the oven. Good call on brushing it off 😉

      Reply
  13. Katie says

    July 16, 2017 at 7:05 pm

    What is something you could use besides the Mayo? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 17, 2017 at 9:19 pm

      Hmmmm you could maybe try to just omit entirely or add a little coconut cream instead!

      Reply
  14. Skylark says

    July 17, 2017 at 1:53 pm

    Would brown rice flour work? These look great!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 17, 2017 at 9:16 pm

      I would think so! You may not have to use as much with brown rice flour.

      Reply
  15. vee says

    August 4, 2017 at 10:55 am

    hi there
    what can I replace hot sauce with? I would like to make these for my son and I think hot sauce may be too hot.
    Would topica flour work as he allergic to nuts?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      August 8, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      I haven’t tried these with any substitutions. I’m sorry! Maybe just half the buffalo sauce. My toddler ate these and was fine, so they aren’t overly hot

      Reply
  16. Lindsey says

    August 22, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Hi just wanted to point out that franks red hot is not paleo compliant as it has canola oil and artificial butter in it. So this is not a whole 30 recipe but very close. It sounds delicious

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      August 22, 2017 at 1:24 pm

      Frank’s Red Hot original is. The only ingredients are cayenne red peppers, distilled vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. The buffalo sauce from Frank’s is not compliant.

      Reply
    • Christine Rezer says

      December 16, 2017 at 4:14 am

      Thats the buffalo wing sauce.. They plain one does not have that.

      Reply
  17. Neha says

    September 24, 2017 at 9:22 am

    Hi, what is the serving size for this recipe? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      September 25, 2017 at 9:41 am

      Depending if you serve them with side, this would feed anywhere from 2-4 people. Typically four.

      Reply
  18. Amanda says

    September 27, 2017 at 8:11 am

    I’ve tried making these twice now- the flavor is great and we really enjoy them, but every time I pull them out of the oven, there is a weird white film that comes out of the meatballs and covers the bottom of the pan. I pull it off before serving, but how are you making them without this happening?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      October 15, 2017 at 8:49 pm

      Super normal. It happens to me too. I just remove it or wipe it off.

      Reply
  19. Torie says

    October 9, 2017 at 4:45 pm

    Do you have the nutritional facts for these?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      October 15, 2017 at 8:38 pm

      Unfortunately I don’t! Sorry!

      Reply
  20. Meagan says

    November 20, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    My 11 month old son devoured about 5 of these! They were incredible!! We added in minced garlic and red peppers and they turned out excellent!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      December 4, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      My kiddos love these too Meagan! Glad they were a hit at your house too.

      Reply
  21. Jenn says

    December 17, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    How are these Whole30 compliant if you’re using blue cheese?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      December 17, 2017 at 9:33 pm

      It’s optional of course.

      Reply
  22. Lauren says

    December 24, 2017 at 6:43 am

    Isn’t the blue cheese dairy, and therefore not ok on this diet? Is there a dairy free recipe I’m missing somewhere? Or is that just non compliant and I’d have to eat meatballs with no sauce? Does not compute in this Italian mind 😉

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      December 31, 2017 at 2:12 pm

      Cheese is not allowed in the program, you are correct. Like the recipe states, you should omit if you are doing a Whole30.

      Reply
  23. Danielle says

    December 31, 2017 at 1:01 pm

    Do you think these freeze well?Alway looking for make-ahead options for a WHole30.

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      December 31, 2017 at 2:08 pm

      I haven’t tried it, but I could see these freezing well!

      Reply
  24. Janine says

    February 11, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    How are you not embarrassed as a female to write sexist trash like this? The meatballs are definitely good but this crap is right out of 1955. Did you also give your a hubby the bestest best best hummer right after you did the dishes?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      February 11, 2018 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Janine – I have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, I’m HAPPILY married but sad you feel the need to attack. I hope you have a better day.

      Reply
  25. Claire says

    February 26, 2018 at 10:06 am

    This is in my regular rotation. Soooo good! Sometimes I sub diced yellow onion for the green onions if I don’t have them on hand (and ground turkey for ground chicken). Thanks for an awesome recipe, Chrissa!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      February 27, 2018 at 9:58 pm

      Thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  26. Tina says

    February 27, 2018 at 7:45 pm

    Great recipe, thanks for sharing! I made this tonight, it was so easy to make and delicious. Can’t wait to have my 11 month old try them tomorrow ? I think he will love them!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      February 27, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      I’m glad you liked it Tina!

      Reply
  27. Tory says

    March 1, 2018 at 7:19 am

    I made these last night. So good! Even my daughter loved them. Thanks for this recipe, will be in our rotation.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      March 5, 2018 at 3:20 pm

      I’m so thrilled to hear that!

      Reply
  28. Katie says

    March 13, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    We love these!! We use Tessemae’s mild buffalo sauce instead of Franks because I can’t do anything too spicy. They are amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      March 19, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Ooo I’ll have to try that. Thanks Katie!

      Reply
  29. Tiffany says

    April 17, 2018 at 7:42 am

    Hey Chrissa! Do you think I could make these and freeze them? Would they be better frozen and then cooked OR cooked and then frozen to be warmed later? That would save so much time if I could prep them and have on hand for quick dinners!

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      April 24, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      Hmmm I havne’t tried freezing these. I would guess it’s better to freeze them raw. I worry they will be dry if you cook them, freeze, defrost and consume later. Keep me posted if you try it!

      Reply
  30. Stephanie says

    April 23, 2018 at 5:46 am

    Hi – I made these last night and I LOVE the flavor and recipe. However, I had trouble with the meatballs keeping shape, once I started baking they sort of melted/lost their shape. Do you have any recommendations for firming them up a bit? I first tried to cook them on my cast iron but its a grill pan type of cast iron. That did not work, so I switched to baking the rest in the over on a sheet.

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      April 24, 2018 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Stephanie – They will fall a bit, since the meat is very wet. Try using an ice cream scoop and throw them into the oven immediately after placing on the baking sheet 🙂

      Reply
  31. Danielle Alexander says

    April 23, 2018 at 7:25 am

    I made these but didn’t have almond flour…so I tried subbing Gluten free flour and they are yellow blobs 🙁 They kind of taste like eggs and sausage. haha! Fail. But I mean they do taste good….

    Does the flower make that much of a difference?

    Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      April 24, 2018 at 3:39 pm

      Yes, I do think flour makes a difference. I’d stick to the original recipe and see if that helps!

      Reply
  32. Nicole Louise Duval says

    July 10, 2018 at 1:19 pm

    These were a total and complete mess! I had to add a TON more almond flour to even be able to make “balls.” Also, blue cheese isn’t Whole30 compliant…???

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      July 12, 2018 at 9:03 am

      Blue cheese is optional and state in the ingredients. Sorry you had trouble getting these to stick!

      Reply
  33. Kevin says

    August 14, 2018 at 6:46 am

    I made these last night and unfortunately they didn’t turn out too good. They tasted great but they lost shape and turned into more like chicken pancakes rather than chicken meatballs. Do you know why that would have happened? I followed the recipe exactly. They also were in a pool of oil/fat when i took them out of the oven. Maybe not enough almond flour?

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      August 29, 2018 at 5:58 am

      They do fall a bit since ground chicken is so wet and lean. The fat the settled around them is normal – similar to any sort of meatballs you might make (beef does this too). You could try adding a little more almond flour next time to keep their shape better!

      Reply
  34. Suzanne says

    August 16, 2018 at 11:20 am

    My family LOVES these meatballs!! I make these on a weekly basis. I can say for sure that you must use ground chicken. I made the mistake of buying ground turkey instead and they were not as good. I actually disliked them.
    Let’s not forget they are Whole 30 compliant and that’s a great recipe in my book!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Chrissa says

      August 29, 2018 at 5:55 am

      Thanks for the info Suzanne!

      Reply
  35. Tiffany Parsons says

    June 2, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    Just found this recipe a while back. Absolutely delicious! I probably make them in bulk at least twice a month! They’re a favorite in our house!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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