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Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

47 ratings

Wing flavor packed into one bite. Keto buffalo chicken meatballs smothered in low carb buffalo sauce, at 0.9g net carbs. Ground chicken, pork rinds, celery, and ranch rolled together.
  • 0.9gnet carbs
  • 6.3gprotein
  • 25minutes
  • 20servings
keto buffalo chicken meatballs piled on a plate with ranch sauce
keto buffalo sauce drizzled over chicken meatballs
plate of buffalo chicken meatballs with celery and ranch dressing
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I started making these because I wanted the flavor of buffalo wings without dealing with bones and skin. Turns out, ground chicken with crushed pork rinds makes a meatball that holds together perfectly and soaks up buffalo sauce like nothing else. The pork rinds replace breadcrumbs and add this subtle crunch to the exterior that you don’t get with almond flour (I tested both).

The base is simple. Ground chicken, an egg, finely chopped celery and onion, a couple tablespoons of ranch dressing, and coconut flour to bind. I mix everything by hand, just enough to combine. Overworking the mixture makes the meatballs dense, so I stop as soon as the ingredients are evenly distributed. Then I roll them to about golf ball size, which gives you the best ratio of crispy outside to juicy inside.

I’ve cooked these three different ways. The air fryer is my favorite: 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes and they come out with a golden crust that has real bite to it. The oven works too (400 degrees, about 9 to 12 minutes on parchment), though you lose a bit of that exterior crispness. Stovetop in avocado oil gives the best browning but takes more hands-on time. If you like your air fryer for things like air fryer chicken legs, you’ll get great results with these too.

The sauce is just buffalo sauce warmed in a small saucepan. I pour it over right before serving so the meatballs stay crispy underneath. If you love this flavor profile, my buffalo chicken enchiladas use a similar sauce approach.

For game day, I make a double batch and set them out with toothpicks. They disappear fast. On a party spread I set them out next to keto mozzarella sticks and air fryer steak bites. I’ve also served them over cauliflower rice for a weeknight dinner, which stretches the recipe further. If you want to round out a meatball spread, my keto skillet meatballs and sesame ginger Asian meatballs make good variety.

These are one of the keto recipes I come back to most. About 1 gram of net carbs per meatball, so you can eat four or five without thinking twice about your macros. The celery and ranch in the mixture give them that classic buffalo wing taste without needing to dip in anything extra (though I still dip in extra ranch, because of course I do).

buffalo flavored chicken keto meatballs on a plate

Chicken meatballs smothered in buffalo sauce, served with celery sticks and ranch.

Keep Them From Sticking in the Air Fryer

Chicken meatballs are a little sticky. If your air fryer has a sear pan attachment, cook them on that instead of the basket. Otherwise they can stick to the basket.

dipping a chicken keto meatball in ranch dressing

I dip them in bottled ranch or my keto ranch dressing.

More Keto Meatballs to Try

The macros for all of my meatball recipes are figured per meatball, so it is easy to count how many fit your meal.

Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I've made these enough times to know where things can go wrong. Mix the ingredients gently and just until combined. If you knead the mixture like bread dough, the meatballs turn rubbery. I use my hands instead of a spoon so I can feel when it's ready.

Size matters here. I aim for golf ball size, which cooks evenly in the air fryer at 400 degrees. Smaller ones dry out. Bigger ones stay raw in the center. Check for an internal temperature of 165°F if you're unsure. I pull mine at about 6 minutes in the air fryer and cut one open to check the first time I make a new batch.

One thing I learned: warm the keto buffalo sauce separately and pour it on right before serving. If you toss them in sauce too early, that crispy pork rind exterior gets soggy within minutes.

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The recipe

Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Print Pin
Prep 5 min Cook 20 min Total 25 min Serves 20

Ingredients

Servings 20

Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Add ingredients

    Add all ingredients, except buffalo sauce to a large bowl and mix until combined.

    keto buffalo chicken meatball batter in a bwol

  2. Form meatballs

    Roll meatballs into a golf ball size shape.

    low-carb buffalo chickien meatball rolled into a golf ball shape

  3. Air fryer instructions

    Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes. Air fry at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until the interior of the meatball is cooked through. Check the center of the thickest meatball with a food thermometer for 165°F. Air fry a few minutes more if needed.

    philips air fryer

  4. Oven instructions

    Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray and bake in a 400 degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until cooked through. Check the center of the thickest meatball with a food thermometer for 165°F. Bake a few minutes more if needed.

    keto meatballs on a baking tray

  5. Stove top instructions

    Heat a couple tablespoons of avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer in the skillet. Space about 1 inch apart not to overcrowd the skillet, allowing for even browning. Work in batches. Cook meatballs on all sides until browned on the outside and cooked through in the interior. Check the center of the thickest meatball with a food thermometer for 165°F.

    keto buffalo chicken meatballs frying in a skillet on the stove top

  6. Add sauce to saucepan

    To make the sauce, add the buffalo sauce to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot. Pour over meatballs when ready to serve.

    buffalo sauce simmering in a skillet

  7. Freezer instructions

    Place meatballs in a single layer inside a ziploc bag. Then freeze. Thaw out in the refrigerator the night before cooking.

Nutrition

Per serving: 1 meatball

Calories
59
Fat
3.2g
Protein
6.3g
Total carbs
1.2g
Net carbs
0.9g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?

I've made these with ground turkey and they turn out great. The texture is almost identical, maybe slightly firmer. I use the same measurements for everything else. The buffalo sauce covers any subtle flavor difference, so my family didn't even notice the swap.

What can I use instead of pork rinds?

I've tested almond flour in the same amount as the pork rinds and it holds together fine. The meatballs are a little softer without the pork rind crunch, but the flavor is still there. Crushed cheese crisps work too if you want to keep that crispy texture. I wouldn't skip the binder entirely though, or they fall apart.

Can I make these in a crockpot?

I've done this when I want them saucy for a party. I brown the meatballs first in a skillet (just the outside, about 2 minutes per side), then transfer them to the crockpot with the buffalo sauce poured over. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. They won't have the crispy exterior, but the inside stays incredibly tender and the sauce soaks in.

How do I store, freeze, and reheat these meatballs?

I store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, with the sauce kept separate so the outside stays crisp. To freeze cooked meatballs, I lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan, freeze for an hour, then transfer to a zip-top bag. They keep for about 3 months. I thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 350, or in the microwave when I'm in a hurry. If you'd rather freeze them raw, the freezer step on the recipe card covers that. I make a double batch on Sundays and eat them over cauliflower rice, on salads, or on their own with ranch.

What buffalo sauce do you use, and how do I make these spicier?

Frank's RedHot is my baseline buffalo sauce. When I want more kick, I grab the extra hot version and add a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper directly into the meatball mixture before rolling. Red pepper flakes sprinkled on after saucing work too. My husband likes a drizzle of sriracha on top, which I think is overkill, but he's happy.

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Reviews

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4.8 from 47 ratings, 16 written

Made this recipe?

Your rating

Ernie

Can a meatball really taste like a wing? The celery in the mix is what did it, that little bit of cool crunch right in the meatball. Made mine in the air fryer and they got a nice crust. Really glad to have this one back, Annie, thank you.

Reply

Sheila H.

these look so good but I’m nervous about ground chicken, does it hold together ok with the pork rinds? I’ve had it fall apart on me before!! Thanks!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Thanks Sheila, I haven’t had a batch fall apart. The pork rinds and egg bind it, and the coconut flour pulls in the extra moisture so the mix isn’t loose when you roll it.

Reply

Tara

Confession: I rushed the onion dice first time. Found a crunchy raw chunk in the center of one meatball, threw off the whole texture. Mince it, not dice. Six minutes at 400 in the air fryer was right, they came out firm without drying through. The pork rinds soaked up more than I expected, mix held together without getting dense. That one note aside, everything else tracks. Going in the rotation.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Tara, mincing is the right call. I run the onion through a mini food processor so nothing survives those six minutes. Glad the pork rinds soaked up without going dense, that’s exactly what they should do.

Reply

Morgan

These are a keeper. Made a batch Sunday and they were gone by Monday.

Reply

Annie Lampella

One day. I’ve stopped making single batches. Freeze the extras pre-sauce in a single layer first or they stick together.

Reply

Amber

Wasn’t expecting ranch in the meatball mix to be what makes these work, but it is. Other versions just sauce the outside and it ends up tasting like chicken with hot sauce, not wings. This one gets the flavor all the way through. Celery in the mix earns its place too. Air fryer, 400 for 6 minutes.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Amber, the ranch inside is why this actually tastes like a wing and not just chicken you dunked in hot sauce. Celery too, I almost cut it from the recipe and I’m glad I didn’t. 6 minutes at 400 is right.

Reply

Amanda

Use your hands, not a fork. Pork rinds need a minute to actually soak into the meat, and a utensil just compresses everything before it binds. Loved the flavor, though I’d dial back the coconut flour a bit. Centers were denser than I wanted.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Agreed on the hands. For the dense centers, cut the coconut flour to 1 tablespoon instead of 2. The pork rinds carry the binding without needing the full amount.

Reply

Amanda

Didn’t realize the pork rinds were already doing the binding work. Cutting to one tablespoon next time.

Reply

Brittany N.

6.3g protein per meatball?? what buffalo sauce did you use

Reply

Annie Lampella

The protein’s from the chicken and pork rinds working together, not just one ingredient. I use Frank’s RedHot. Zero net carbs per tablespoon, won’t touch your count. That 1/2 cup spreads thin across all of them, more of a coat than a dunk. Want more coverage? Warm the sauce first and toss them right before you serve.

Reply

Diane

My daughter went in expecting a regular meatball and stopped to ask why it tasted like wings. She spent the next ten minutes reading the recipe to figure out what I did.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ten minutes of ingredient sleuthing. Worth it!

Reply

Dani

0.9 net carbs each. freeze well?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Freeze. Single layer for about an hour, then bag them. Add the sauce fresh when you reheat.

Reply

Hannah

Took these to a backyard cookout on Saturday and they were gone before anyone got to the main course. Someone pulled me aside to ask about the sauce because it was creamy, not just vinegar heat, and then I had to explain the pork rind binder situation to basically the whole patio. That reveal alone made me look like some kind of culinary genius.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The pork rind reveal does that to people. Nobody guesses it until you say it out loud, and then suddenly you’re the most interesting cook on the patio.

Reply

Christina

My son has this thing where he won’t touch anything that doesn’t have real wings-level heat, so I made these on a weeknight fully expecting to hear about it. He ate them quietly, which in our house means they’re good. The celery and ranch mixed right into the meatball was the thing for me (you can taste it in every bite, not just from the sauce). Air fryer at 400 for 7 minutes and they came out golden all the way around. These are staying in rotation.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Quiet eating is the highest compliment. And that’s exactly why the celery and ranch go into the mix – every bite, not just the ones that hit the sauce.

Reply

Aaliyah J.

Made these probably six times at this point, and last week I tried blue cheese dressing instead of ranch in the mix. Tangier, which I wasn’t expecting, but it worked really well with the buffalo sauce. The pork rinds still give them that firm bite so nothing felt off about the texture. Going to keep it this way going forward.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Haven’t tried blue cheese in the mix but it makes sense. Ranch kind of disappears into the flavor, blue cheese would actually push back against the buffalo.

Reply

Natalie

Swapped ranch for blue cheese since I had it open. Best decision. That sharp tangy bite under the buffalo sauce makes them taste exactly like actual wings. Cold from the fridge the next day, though? Way better than day one.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Blue cheese with buffalo sauce is basically wings in meatball form. I’ve stuck with ranch because it binds better, but that sharp bite sounds worth the swap. Cold from the fridge next day, that’s usually when I eat the last two at like 11am.

Reply

Nicole U.

My husband was grabbing them straight off the air fryer tray and I caught him dunking a second one into the leftover buffalo sauce before dinner was even plated. Probably the most honest review I can give.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Pre-dinner quality control. The buffalo sauce dunk is the real review.

Reply

Denise

Meatballs standing in for buffalo wings felt like wishful thinking, but the pork rinds give them a density that actually works. Every other keto wing substitute I’ve tried has been a consolation prize. These aren’t.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Consolation prize is the right word for most of them. Pork rinds add a density no other binder gets close to.

Reply

Brett A.

My daughter grabbed one out of the air fryer before the sauce was on and asked if we could just eat them plain. That told me everything about how the pork rinds and ranch are working in the base. Would push the buffalo sauce heavier next time, but these earn the four stars.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha, the plain meatball test. That’s the pork rinds, they add more than just binding. For heavier buffalo, I just double the sauce when tossing and keep some warm on the side. Stays saucy instead of absorbing in.

Reply

Sarah

Used almond flour instead of coconut (ran out) and they held together just as well. More neutral flavor if coconut isn’t your thing. Next time more hot sauce.

Reply

Annie Lampella

More hot sauce every time. I mix cayenne right into the ground chicken before rolling so the heat’s baked in, not just sitting on top of the sauce.

Reply

Casey

Swapped the coconut flour for almond flour (same amount) and they held together fine. Anyone try baking these instead of air frying?

Reply

Scott

Hello and thank you for a really cool recipe!

Quick question – have you tried baking these chicken meatballs as opposed to frying them in avocado oil? If so, what temperature and time do you recommend?

Thank you,
Scott

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

Bake them at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Reply

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