Juicy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are SO easy to make and can be served over rice as a main dish, in a sub sandwich, or with toothpicks as a crowd pleasing app.
Now more than ever, the ability to whip up a quick but delicious and filling meal is something not to take for granted.
Families all over the world are juggling even more and living an almost precarious balancing act. However, with some quick and easy meal ideas, dinner can be a snap rather than a dreaded chore.
That’s where my Instant Pot comes in SO handy. I admit I was very skeptical about it for a long time.
Plus, when I first began using it, the noises it made completely freaked me out – like it was going to explode or something (why does no one ever warn you about that?).
But, as I’ve used it more and more, I just love it. Food cooks faster yet never dries out…and the variety of food that you can make from meats to rice to dessert and SO. MUCH. MORE…incredible.
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs: A Versatile Dish
This recipe is one of my family’s favorites because it tastes so good, and I love making it thanks to the convenience of the Instant Pot.
Instead of taking 2-3 hours in a crockpot, these take less than an hour which is perfect for those nights when I’m running the mom shuttle between activities!
And the best part about this dish is how incredibly versatile it is. The pictures here are from serving it as an appetizer. However, you could also throw them over some cooked rice or pasta as a main dish or add them to a sub roll for a delicious sub sandwich.
Making Buffalo Chicken Meatballs in the Instant Pot
Here’s what you need to make these little bites of deliciousness.
Ingredients
- ground chicken – the protein and base of this recipe
- salt, pepper, parsley, Nature’s Seasoning, garlic, onion powder, Worchestershire sauce – seasonings and flavor enhancers.
- breadcrumbs – help bind the meat together. (Get gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free)
- egg – binds the meat together
- buffalo sauce – for that delicious buffalo flavor
- Ranch dressing (optional) – perfectly complements the buffalo flavor
Tools Needed
How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Follow these instructions and you’ll be enjoying meatballs before you know it!
Step 1
In a medium sized bowl, mix together all of your ingredients for your meatballs.
Step 2
Using a spoon, or a cookie scoop, scoop out small portions of meat and roll into a ball using the palm of your hand. Make sure each meatball is about the same size, so they cook evenly.
Step 3
Cover your trivet in aluminum foil to prevent your meatballs from falling through while cooking and place each meatball on your trivet.
Step 4
Once all of your meatballs are formed into balls and placed on the trivet, pour one and a half cups of water into your instant pot. Place the trivet inside.
Step 5
Close and lock the lid on your instant pot and close the ceiling valve. Set your instant pot to high pressure for 7 minutes.
Step 6
Once they are done cooking, do a quick release by pulling the valve open to release the pressure. Transfer the trivet onto a plate or flat surface and allow them to cool.
Step 7
In a medium-size bowl, place 1/4 cup (more or less to your liking) Buffalo sauce on top of your meatballs. Mix well until each meatball is coated with the sauce.
Step 8
Transfer your meatballs to your serving dish. You can serve with ranch sauce on the side, or you can squeeze ranch dressing on top of each meatball. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs FAQs
If you’ve got questions about this buffalo chicken meatballs recipe, this is the place you’ll probably find the answers. If you have a question you don’t see an answer to, be sure to ask in the comments below so I can answer it!
Why Use Chicken Instead of Beef?
First of all, it’s a healthier protein than beef. Plus, chicken and buffalo flavor go together a whole lot better than beef and buffalo!
I’ve gone to mostly using ground chicken and ground turkey in almost all my recipes, including my Crock Pot Lasagna.
If My Pressure Cooker Has a Poultry Setting Can I Use That?
What I have found in my research is that the Poultry setting is “high pressure” by default, so you can use manual or poultry for the same cook time.
What to Eat With Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
These look perfect for pasta, over rice, with potatoes, stuffed into subs, or even as an appetizer.
Or you can just add a side of broccoli or a salad if you want to go light 🙂
Brown Them in the Oven
While this recipe doesn’t call for browning the meatballs prior to cooking, it is something that some people prefer to do.
If that’s you, I recommend skipping the saute feature on your IP and just browning these meatballs in the oven. Here’s how:
- Turn oven on to broil
- Cover two cookie sheets with foil
- Add meatballs to the trays and broil for ten minutes
That’s it! Whether you serve these up as the main course at home or for an appetizer for the big game day, you can’t go wrong with making Buffalo Chicken Meatballs in the Instant Pot!
I hope you love them!
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp of Natures Seasoning
- 1 tbs garlic, minced
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce (more or less to your liking)
- Ranch dressing (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all of your ingredients for your meatballs.
- Using a spoon, or a cookie scoop, scoop out small portions of meat and roll into a ball using the palm of your hand. Keep all the meatballs about the same size so they cook evenly.
- Place each meatball on your aluminum foil-covered trivet. Because the meat is a much leaner protein, using aluminum foil will make sure that they don’t fall through the trivet while cooking.
- Once all of your meatballs are formed into balls and placed on the trivet, pour one and a half cups of water into your instant pot. Place the trivet inside.
- Close and lock the lid on your instant pot and close the ceiling valve. Set your instant pot to high pressure for 7 minutes.
- Once they are done cooking, do a quick release by pulling the valve open to release the pressure. Transfer the trivet onto a plate or flat surface and allow it to cool.
- In a medium-size bowl, place 1/4 cup (more or less to your liking) Buffalo sauce on top of your meatballs. Mix well until each meatball is coated in the sauce.
- Transfer your meatballs to your serving dish. You can serve with ranch sauce on the side, or you can squeeze ranch dressing on top of each meatball. Enjoy!
