Buffalo Chicken Meatballs....Easy, Healthy, Delicious and Gluten-Free!

Oh my goodness!!!  These meatballs were SOOOOOO moist, so buffalo-ey (I know that's not a word, but it's appropriate here!) and sooooooooo good!  The best part?  I didn't feel one ounce of guilt eating these because everything that went in them was lo cal and good for you!

I recently saw a friend post a recipe for some extremely decadent stuffed buffalo meatballs and as good as they sounded, I knew my FitAddict coaches (Hi Andrea and Julie!) would most definitely not approve of that food choice!  Being an adult, I'm responsible for holding myself accountable, so I knew if I wanted to make them, I would need to make some major changes.  So, I did!

First, I skipped out on the cheese all together.  Cheese is DELICIOUS, but these moist buffalo meatballs didn't need it at all!  Why have I never cooked with ground chicken before????? I had no idea what I was missing!!!!

Second, I decided these yummy meatballs would need a sauce of some sort, but I had envisioned something creamy.  Creamy usually comes with major calories attached.  Not this creamy sauce!  I used non-fat plain greek yogurt instead.  It was PERFECT!

Ok, I could go on and on and on about these, but I know why you're here.....for the recipe, not for my babbling! LOL  Enjoy these!  They are incredibly satisfying!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1.5 lb. ground chicken
1/2 cup Red Hot sauce
2 Tbsp. minced onion
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs
2 tsp. chicken better than bouillon granules
1 cup water
1 1/2-2 Tbsp. coconut oil (or oil of your choice)

Sauce:
2 cups non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/4 cup Red Hot sauce

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, Red Hot sauce, minced onion, garlic powder, pepper, egg and panko.

TIP: I suggest wearing disposable cooking gloves for this recipe.  You don't want hot sauce all over your hands and then accidentally touch your eye or something! ;)

Heat the coconut oil over med-high heat in a skillet. 

Next, roll into 1.5-2" balls and place them into the skillet.

You only want to sear them, not cook the insides, so by the time you get the last one in the pan, it's time to start turning them.

Once they are seared, place them into your crock.

Sprinkle the meatballs with the better than bouillon and add the water.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 hours.

(Mine cooked for 6 hours and sat for almost 4 hours on warm without drying out at all!!!  These hold up really well!!!)

Remove the meatballs so you can work on your sauce.

Stir together the corn starch, greek yogurt and 1/4 cup red hot sauce.  Whisk it into the juice at the bottom of your crock.

 Add the meatballs back in and cook for about another 45 mins. on HIGH.

Serve over rice or quinoa.

ENJOY!