I’m thrilled to share this Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Sub recipe, created in partnership with Land O’Lakes® and The Feedfeed. These baked, buffalo-sauce–infused chicken meatballs are tender and studded with sautéed celery, onions, and carrots, plus crumbled bleu cheese. They’re piled into toasted sub rolls and finished with perfectly melted Land O Lakes® Deli American for an unbeatable game-day sandwich. Bonus: the meatballs freeze and reheat beautifully, so you can always have a fantastic homemade sub ready.
Although we live outside the city, Buffalo feels like home to us. From the food and culture to the sports, Buffalo’s flavors and traditions have a special place in our kitchen—especially when it comes to wings. Locally, “wings” means the classic preparation: hot, bright sauce served with cold celery and carrot sticks and a side of bleu cheese dressing. That simple, bold approach inspired this meatball sandwich.
How do I avoid dry chicken meatballs?
Ground chicken can dry out if handled poorly, but these meatballs stay moist thanks to a few key steps. First, finely diced celery, carrots, and onion are sautéed in butter until soft and slightly translucent—this adds both moisture and flavor. Adding Buffalo sauce and eggs to the mixture also keeps the meatballs tender while enhancing the classic Buffalo flavor.
How do I make evenly sized meatballs?
For uniform meatballs, I recommend using a disher (cookie scoop). It’s quick and consistent for any batch size. If you don’t have one, press the mixture into a rectangle, cut it into equal squares (for example 6 by 4 for 24 meatballs), and roll each piece into a ball. The result: evenly shaped meatballs that bake predictably.
What Buffalo sauce should I use?
Use whichever Buffalo sauce you enjoy. A homemade Garlic Buffalo sauce brings extra depth, but good bottled brands from the grocery store will work fine. Choose a sauce with the heat level you prefer to capture that authentic Buffalo kick.
What cheese is best for meatball subs?
Look for a creamy, melty cheese to finish the sandwich—Land O Lakes® Deli American is ideal for this role. It melts smoothly over the hot meatballs and adds a silky richness that complements the tangy Buffalo sauce. It’s also great for burgers or grilled cheese if you buy extra.
Tools to make these subs
- Medium disher or cookie scoop (optional)
- Parchment paper for the baking sheet
- Half-sheet pan
- Pastry brush for saucing and buttering rolls
Cook’s Notes
- Avoid overworking the meat mixture—mix until evenly combined, then finish shaping with your hands.
- The mixture may feel a bit wet; that’s normal and helps keep the meatballs tender. As long as they hold their shape, you’re fine.
- Sauté the aromatics only until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened slightly; they don’t need to be fully soft.
- Use bleu cheese crumbles you enjoy—brand matters less than having that tangy presence in the meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs are called for here but any preferred breadcrumb (white, wheat, or gluten-free) will work.
- Choose a Buffalo sauce you love; for a genuine Buffalo experience, make sure it has a good, spicy bite.
- Pick fresh sub rolls that are soft inside with a slight crust outside. Butter and toast them under the broiler before assembling for best results. Soft pretzel rolls or burger buns also work well.
- These meatballs freeze and reheat wonderfully, so make extra and save some for quick meals later.
Serve these subs with hearty sides like pasta salad or a crisp potato salad, or round out the spread with simple snacks and cookies for game day.
Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Sub
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1/3 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/3 cup carrots, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Buffalo sauce, divided (plus extra for drizzling)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes)
For the Sandwiches
- 8 fresh 4–6 inch sub rolls
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 8 leaves butter or romaine lettuce
- 16 slices Land O Lakes® Deli American
Instructions
To Make the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots, sprinkle with salt, and stir to coat. Lower the heat and sweat the vegetables 4–5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery have softened slightly. If needed, add a teaspoon of water at a time to prevent drying.
- Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
- Stir in 1/2 cup Buffalo sauce, panko, and eggs. Add the ground chicken, bleu cheese, and parsley and mix gently until combined.
- Use a disher or cookie scoop to portion the mixture into about 30 meatballs, rolling each gently and spacing them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops with another 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce.
- Bake 14–16 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F in the center.
- Transfer meatballs to a large heatproof bowl, pour the remaining 3/4 cup Buffalo sauce over them, and toss gently to coat.
To Assemble the Subs
- Preheat the broiler with a rack 6–8 inches below the burner.
- Open the rolls, place cut-side up on a sheet pan, brush with melted butter, and broil 2–3 minutes until lightly golden—watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Place 4–5 meatballs on the bottom half of each roll, drape 2 slices of American cheese over each sandwich, and return to the broiler briefly until the cheese melts.
- Add a lettuce leaf to each sandwich and, if desired, drizzle with extra Buffalo sauce. Serve immediately with plenty of napkins.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate; calculate values based on the exact ingredients you use.
