Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sandwiches are tasty amazing and perfect for any tailgate party. Spicy wing sauce is mixed with cool ranch dressing and poured over these Buffalo chicken meatballs which are slow cooked and perfect for your tailgate party!
For me, blue cheese and wing sauce go hand in hand, so when I made these slow cooker Buffalo chicken meatball sandwiches, I needed to make a sauce with all the flavor of blue cheese dressing. So, you see that blue cheese aioli in the corner? Oh yeah, baby! It’s delicious blue cheese flavor in mayonnaise form for the sandwiches.
What is Buffalo chicken?
Buffalo chicken is a popular dish known for its spicy and tangy flavors, typically made with a combination of hot sauce and butter. But where exactly did this delicious combination originate from? Well, legend has it that Buffalo chicken was first created at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York in 1964.
The story goes that Teressa Bellissimo, the co-owner of the bar, whipped up a batch of chicken wings for her son and his friends late one night. To add some flavor, she tossed the wings in a mixture of hot sauce and butter, creating the now-famous Buffalo sauce. The rest, as they say, is history.
The popularity of Buffalo chicken quickly spread beyond the walls of the Anchor Bar, becoming a favorite all across the country. Its irresistible combination of spicy heat and tangy flavor has made it a go-to choice for anyone looking to kick their taste buds into high gear.
Why the slow cooker is great for this meatball recipe?
The slow cooker is perfect for making Buffalo chicken meatball because it allows the flavors to develop and meld together over a longer period of time. The low, slow cooking method ensures that the meatballs are tender and juicy, while also infusing them with the bold Buffalo sauce flavor. The slow cooker is perfect for making all kinds of appetizer meatballs. A classic pairing is barbecue meatballs with grape jelly. Or try these slow cooker Hawaiian meatballs with pineapple that are also dinner worthy.
Finally, using a slow cooker means you can set it and forget it. This makes it a convenient option for game day gatherings allowing you to spend more time with your guests instead of being in the kitchen.
Ingredients Needed for this Buffalo chicken meatball sandwiches
- For the meatballs – ground chicken breast (or thigh if you prefer), crumbled blue cheese, celery, onion, wing sauce
- For the simmering sauce – wing sauce, ranch dressing
- For the blue cheese aioli – mayonnaise, garlic, crumbled blue cheese, ranch dressing, garlic salt, celery seed, cayenne pepper (optional)
- Hoagie rolls, slider buns, or whatever vessel of choice you prefer to serve with these meatballs.
Instructions to make these Buffalo chicken meatballs
First make the meatballs by combining the ground chicken with the celery, the onion, some of the wing sauce and ranch dressing. Roll the meatballs into 1 1/2″ balls and place in the liner of your slow cooker. Combine 1 cup of the wing sauce with 1 cup of the ranch dressing and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Simmer in the slow cooker for 5 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low.
To make the blue cheese aioli for your sandwiches, combine the mayonnaise with the garlic in a small food processor and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the crumbled blue cheese, 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing, the garlic salt, celery seed, and cayenne pepper (if using) and process until smooth.
Assembling the Sandwiches
Once the Buffalo chicken meatballs are cooked to perfection, it’s time to assemble the sandwiches. Start by slicing the rolls in half lengthwise. I used hoagie rolls. Spread each side with some of the blue cheese aioli before adding a layer of the meatballs on top. Drizzle some of the Buffalo sauce on top of the meatballs. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the crumbled blue cheese on top of the meatballs.
Yes, this should be sliders, but I have difficulty getting the hubs to do the slider thing. He looks at me like, “Huh? Mini sammies? What am I supposed to do with these? Dinner is not meant for appetizer food” So, we had them as subs, but you can easily top a mini bun with one meatball to serve them as sliders OR several meatballs to serve as subs, as I have here.
The spicy sauce mixed with cool ranch and topped with delicious blue cheese. These are so tasty!! They also have all the flavor of chicken wings without the bones. You will still need napkins or maybe a towel or a bib? They’re saucy and certainly mess. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
The meatballs by themselves are tasty! Not to mention super easy!! Meatballs are usually easy, but these are even easier. You simply combine some chicken with some onions, blue cheese, celery, and then wing sauce together. Voila! Meatballs are born. They tasted like Buffalo wings even without the sauce. You could even precook them in the oven and then simmer them in the sauce to reheat them. This recipe is so versatile. You’re going to love it!
A little history about me. I lived in Rochester, NY for about five years. There was a restaurant called Zebb’s. I think they mixed their wing sauce with ranch dressing. It tasted delicious. So, because of this, I have mixed the wing sauce with ranch dressing in this slow cooker recipe.
Also, by combining the wing sauce with dressing, it cuts the heat of the wing sauce and adds some delicious flavor that you wouldn’t expect. Not a fan of ranch? Okay. Use blue cheese dressing or your favorite dressing to use in this recipe. Wing sauce and French or would make a fun sweet and spicy sauce. Just don’t skimp on the blue cheese. It truly does make the dish.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders with Blue Cheese Aioli
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders tasty amazing and perfect for any tailgate party. Spicy wing sauce is mixed with cool ranch dressing and poured over these Buffalo chicken meatballs which are slow cooked and perfect for your tailgate party!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken breast
- 1 1/2 cups fat free blue cheese crumbles, divided
- 1/4 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
- 1 cup fat free ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ranch dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 16 dinner rolls
Instructions
- Combine the ground chicken with 1/4 cup blue cheese, 1/4 cup diced celery, 1/4 cup diced onion and 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce. Form into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place in the liner of a slow cooker coated with cooking spray.
- Combine 1 cup buffalo wing sauce with 1 cup ranch dressing and pour over the meatballs. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Put the mayonnaise in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic cloves. Pulse a few times to chop the garlic. Add 1/2 cup of blue cheese, 1 tablespoon ranch dressing, garlic salt, celery seed, and cayenne pepper. Process until smooth.
- Lightly toast your bread (bun, hoagie roll, etc.). Spread lightly with the aioli and top with the meatballs. Drizzle with the wing sauce and garnish with remaining blue cheese.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 478Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 119mgSodium 976mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 30g
This looks perfect for our Sunday Game Day! Yum, thanks for sharing the recipe!
I absolutely love this! Yummy. Pinned. It is so fun to party with you. Thank you. I hope to see you at our party on Monday at 7 pm. http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Happy Saturday! Lou Lou Girls
Yum! That sauce looks so creamy and amazing!
Buffalo meat balls? Yes please – sign me up for that time ~ Bea @ The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Oh goodness, that sub looks freaking awesome! I love meatball subs, but this recipe tops any meatball sub I have had in the past! Your recipe sounds fabulous! Yum, Hugs, Terra
I love buffalo anything…pinned it because I really want to try these! Thanks Christie! Entering your giveaway too…tailgate wise, I love any kind of appetizers, but I can tell you right now this would be on my list of faves too!
I'd be all over these buffalo meatballs and sauce, forget the buns. Yum!
My mouth is watering. Great share for the tailgate event
oh my- these sound fantastic! my husband would love them! as sliders or subs 🙂 can't wait to try them.
Thanks, Sarah! Let me know how he likes them! 🙂
Who says no to sliders?! 😉
These look fantastic either way. And you're right, buffalo wings are synonymous with football.
Thanks! The hubs does, Lauren. He thinks they're appetizers and not meals. LOL
I love, love, love anything buffalo sauce flavored! These meatball subs look amazing, great tailgating recipe!
Thanks, Debbi! I'm a huge fan of Buffalo stuff, too. I wouldn't wait to devour these!
Totally drooling over here. Oh, my! Thanks for sharing. And thanks for participating in #10DaysofTailgate.
Thank you for inviting me, Camilla! This has been an amazing experience! I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Now, that's a spicy meatball! Love that sauce!
Thanks, Debra. They are not for the light hearted, that's for sure! Of course, I love the heat.
Yumm those pictures are drool-worthy; those look so amazing!
Thanks Rebekah!