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Buffalo Chicken Meatball Subs

Buffalo chicken meatball subs with baked meatballs tossed in Buffalo sauce, then finished with melted mozzarella on toasted hoagie rolls. Spicy, saucy, and topped with ranch, optional blue cheese, and green onions for a creamy kick.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.5 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 0.333 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
For the Buffalo Sauce
  • 0.5 cup Buffalo wing sauce
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Subs
  • 4 hoagie rolls
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup ranch dressing
  • 2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese (optional)
  • 2 tbsp sliced green onions

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Bake the chicken meatballs
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (get ready to bake).
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, large egg, plain breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, chopped fresh parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, mixing gently until just combined.
  3. Form the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs and arrange them on the prepared sheet pan (leave space between them).
  4. Bake for 18–20 minutes at 400°F until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F and are lightly golden (they should look set and browned).
Make Buffalo sauce and coat meatballs
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat (watch for it to fully liquefy).
  2. Stir in the Buffalo wing sauce until smooth (the mixture should look glossy and uniform).
  3. Transfer the cooked meatballs to the sauce and gently toss until evenly coated (each meatball should be slick with sauce).
Assemble and broil the subs
  1. Split the hoagie rolls and place four meatballs into each roll (stack them so they sit in the bread).
  2. Spoon any remaining Buffalo sauce over the meatballs (aim for even coverage).
  3. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over each sub (cover the meatballs for a melted top).
  4. Place the subs back on the sheet pan and bake for 3–5 minutes at 400°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly (look for bubbling and lightly blistered spots).
  5. Drizzle ranch dressing over the hot subs and garnish with crumbled blue cheese, if using, and sliced green onions (serve immediately).

Notes

For best texture, mix the meatball mixture just until combined—overmixing can make them dense. Store assembled subs in the fridge up to 2 days, but for best results, keep meatballs and sauce separate from the rolls and reheat the meatballs; toast and re-melt mozzarella before serving. Freezing: meatballs (no sauce) freeze up to 3 months—thaw, reheat, then toss with Buffalo sauce. For a lighter option, use light ranch dressing or a reduced-fat mozzarella.