So for day 2 of our cleaning up Pinterest week, I cleaned up this Buffalo Chicken Meatball recipe. This recipe was # 5 on the buzz feed article 20 Recipes the Won Pinterest in 2013. Back in the fall we posted a cleaned up chicken wings recipes, which happens to be our most popular recipe on pinterest. But, it also happens to be delicious! The sauce is soo good. I mean, I could seriously eat those wings everyday. I created these buffalo chicken meatballs, with our sauce recipe. So much cleaner than a sauce from a jar. I also used only fresh herbs, eliminating the chemicals and preservatives from the dried herbs you get from the grocery store. It’s also gluten free.
I started with a pound of ground chicken breast then mixed it with the chopped herbs, 1 egg, minced garlic and a smidge of almond meal to help hold it all together. I put a little bit of high quality blue cheese inside the meatballs when I formed them as well. But that is optional. I popped those suckers in an oven proof skillet and cooked them for about 20 minutes. When they were done, I carefully removed the skillet (leaving the oven mitt on the handle of the skillet because I always forget and then burn myself!) and put it on the stove top. I made the sauce while the meatballs were in the oven and then poured it on top of the meatballs. I flipped them a few times so they were coated in sauce and cooked over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. The meatballs should be cooked through and nicely covered in sauce.
I served them with some celery and our blue cheese sauce (Find the recipe here) made with coconut milk yogurt instead of traditional greek yogurt. Which was a great alternative! These meatballs were so tasty. I had to stop myself from eating more than a serving size while I was taking the pictures! You’ll see on the nutrition comparison below that ours a a little higher in sugar and carbs but, we are using natural unprocessed sugars with honey and molasses instead of processed cane sugar, which makes a big difference to the glycemic index. Bottom line, don’t go overboard (like I almost did) and eat the whole plate. But, enjoy these as a fun and healthier game time snack. Also, our version is gluten free and Paleo!
Here is a side by side comparison of the nutritional facts for each recipe*:
| My Clean Kitchen |
Pinterest |
| Calories: 335 | Calories: 421 |
| Total Fat: 6 g | Total Fat: 25 g |
| Cholesterol: 122 mg | Cholesterol: 116 g |
| Sodium: 368 mg | Sodium: 2446 g |
| Total Carbohydrates: 44 g | Total Carbohydrates: 10 g |
| Dietary Fiber: 1 g | Dietary Fiber: 0 g |
| Sugar: 35 g | Sugar: 1 g |
| Protein: 30 g | Protein: 36 g |
Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
1 tbls fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbls high quality blue cheese (optional)
2 tbls almond meal
1 egg
1/2 cup Hot Sauce (I use Frank's Hot Sauce)
1/2 cup Local Honey
2-3 tablespoons of Organic Boot Strap Molasses (I used 2 because I like my wings a little spicier but add the 3rd if you want it to be just a little sweeter - it'll still be spicy just not as much)
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 Onion, minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together chicken, herbs, egg, and almond meal using your hands. Don't over mix or the meatballs will be tough.
- Form 10-12 evenly sized meatballs around a small piece of blue cheese. Blue cheese is optional.
- Place meatballs in an oven proof skillet and bake for about 20 minutes.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator until meatballs come out of the oven.
- Carefully remove the skillet and place on the stove. Carefully lift each meatball to ensure they are not stuck to the bottom. (Tip: I leave an oven mitt over the hot skillet handle so I don't accidentally grab it)
- Pour sauce over the meatballs.Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and well covered in sauce. You'll turn the meatballs a couple of times throughout the stove top cooking process.
- Remove from skillet and serve hot.
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information estimated using myfitnesspal.com. The totals are based on the recipe serving size and may not be accurate. Data is subject to the availability of specific foods in their database. Not all ingredients are always available and suitable substitution may be made. Nutrition data is provided for reference only.
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