This is my healthy play on the taste of buffalo wings, and oh how good they are. I recollect on the last time I ate buffalo wings- the boneless kind, because even if it is delictable for my tastebuds- It is still chicken, and chicken on the bone is even worse than regular chicken. I have no real reason for my demise of chicken (for the most part.. because, after all- if it is on Chocolate Broccoli, I have in fact eaten it.)
I am in fact a sucker for a good meatball. Even the classic grape jelly, chili sauce, and a crock pot. They are all good to me. What’s better than a meal you can eat with a toothpick? Ok- not entirely with a toothpick- but you know.
This recipe is beyond simple- and quick to make. I took the easy way out with already prepared buffalo sauce.. and prechopped celery I found in the prepared produce section of my grocery. Not sure I could have made it any easier on myself. 
While my meatballs baked (for only about 15-20 mind you) I cooked up my side- creamy blue cheese polenta- yum! I skipped the blue cheese dressing and opted for the healthier whole grain option. The quick cooking polenta stirred up quickly and super smooth in no time.
Start to finish- this meal was on the table in under 30 minutes. Super simple, super quick, and super delicious.
And yes.. I’m talking about chicken. We have a love-hate relationship.
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Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Blue Cheese Polenta
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Amber Massey with a creatively healthy play on the taste of buffalo wings.
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) buffalo sauce (such as Franks RedHot)
- 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken breast
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped celery
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) Panko breadcrumbs
- Additional buffalo sauce for basting
Polenta
- 3 cups (720 ml) skim milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or low sodium fat-free chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) quick-cooking polenta
- 3/4 cup (85 g) (3 oz) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped green onion
Instructions
Chicken Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Combine the buffalo sauce, ground chicken, egg white, celery, and bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
- Roll the mixture into round, 2-inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
- Roast meatballs for 10 minutes, brush additional buffalo sauce on each meatball. Continue roasting for another 5-8 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through or until meat thermometer reads 165°F.
Polenta
- Combine milk, 1/2 cup water, salt and black pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in polenta; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Serve with meatballs. Sprinkle with green onions.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs and 3/4 cup polenta
- Calories: 384 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 39 g
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Creamy Polenta
- Southwest Chicken Power Bowl
- Ricotta and Goat Cheese Polenta Bake with Mushrooms
- Chicken Meatballs and Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the meatballs baked at 450°F rather than a lower temperature?
The high 450°F oven creates a browned exterior quickly while keeping the centers moist — similar to the high-heat principle behind wing preparation. The meatballs bake for 10 minutes, then get brushed with additional buffalo sauce and return for another 5–8 minutes until firm and reading 165°F internal temperature.
Why use skim milk instead of water to cook the polenta?
The recipe combines 3 cups skim milk with 1/2 cup water (or low-sodium broth) as the polenta cooking liquid. The article frames this recipe as a “healthy play” on buffalo wings — using skim milk instead of whole milk or cream keeps calories lower while still producing a creamy base for the 3/4 cup of crumbled Gorgonzola that gets stirred in at the end.
Does it matter which buffalo sauce I use?
The recipe recommends Frank’s RedHot buffalo sauce by name. The article notes the author “took the easy way out with already prepared buffalo sauce” — the key is using a true buffalo wing sauce rather than plain hot sauce, as wing sauce typically includes butter for a rounder, less sharp heat.
