Paleo Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

This Paleo and Whole30 recipe is from All-American Paleo Table by Caroline Potter and is shared here with her permission. This is a creative twist on the classic buffalo chicken wings, made into meatballs instead! These are perfect for game-day festivities because you can wrap them in foil and keep them warm until you are ready to eat. They’re packed with flavor and a bit of heat, and delicious served over a bed of arugula with blue cheese crumbles or Creamy Ranch Dressing (page 168 of the cookbook).

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Servings: meatballs

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Caroline Potter

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup green onions chopped
2 tbsp olive oil for searing
2/3 cup buffalo hot sauce*
2 handfuls fresh arugula leaves
4 oz blue cheese crumbles omit for dairy free
coconut oil or avocado oil for greasing hands

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and warm a large nonstick skillet to medium heat.
In the bottom of a mixing bowl, sift together the almond flour, salt and garlic.
Add in the ground chicken and green onions.
Use your hands to mix together the meat, incorporating all the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix because the chicken will become gummy.
Lightly grease your hands with coconut oil, shape the chicken into small meatballs and set them aside on a plate. If the chicken becomes too difficult to work with, wash and re-grease your hands.
Drizzle the olive oil in the warm skillet, swimming around to coat all sides of the skillet. Sear the meatballs for 8 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes so that all sides are seared.
Transfer the meatballs to a baking dish, placing them close together so that all sides are touching. This is easiest if the baking dish is similar in size to the meatballs; I find that a 9 by 13 inch dish usually works well.
Pour the hot sauce over the meatballs and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve over a bed of arugula with blue cheese crumbles or Ranch Dressing.

Notes

*Caroline uses Frank’s hot sauce.

If you cannot find ground chicken, most butchers will freshly grind chicken thighs for you. Just ask!

Nutrition