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Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs are an easy appetizer, side dish or main entree. Made with ground chicken, shredded zucchini, breadcrumbs and a handful of seasonings.

Healthy and flavorful, everyone can’t seem to get enough of these juicy meatballs!

This recipe is delicious! Air fryers are an easy way to make tasty chicken recipes and easy appetizers.

Just like these Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas, Air Fryer Chicken Burgers and this Air Fryer Turkey Meatloaf, these ground chicken meatballs in the air fryer turn out tender and juicy.

Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

• A healthier appetizer or main dish recipe.
• Perfect party appetizer to make for a crowd.
• An easy and new favorite way to hide vegetables for kids or picky eaters.
• Ready in about 15 minutes – fast food on the table!
• Make a big batch for meal prep and have lunch for a few days ready to go.

Don’t skip serving chicken meatballs because you’re afraid of making crumbly meatballs that fall apart. With this Air Fryer meatballs recipe, you’ll have dense, juicy chicken meatballs that don’t fall apart on your plate after just one bite.

How Long to Air Fry Chicken Meatballs?

All you need is 11 minutes to air fryer ground chicken meatballs.

Be sure you do check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure the center of your meatballs reach 165 degrees F.

If not, add 2 minutes to your air fryer cook time and then check again.

 

 

More Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes

Looking for easy air fryer recipes to serve up as an appetizer? Here are a few more great ideas:

Air Fryer Avocado Egg Rolls

Air Fryer Pasta Chips (Easy Recipe!)

Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls

Air Fryer Cheese Sticks (Homemade Easy!)

Air Fryer Firecracker Meatballs

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters

More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters

Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings (Crispy + Spicy)

Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

Everything you need to make these easy chicken meatballs is listed below.

GROUND CHICKEN: I like lean ground chicken, but you can also use ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey with this recipe.

EGG: To bind the meat, breadcrumbs and spices together.

ZUCCHINI: Optional ingredient. It adds a delicious earthy flavor to the meat, but if you’re not a fan, simply leave out this ingredient.

PANKO BREADCRUMBS: You can also use regular breadcrumbs or use a food processor to make your own.

SPICES: Grab your spice rack and pull out your onion powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.

Directions

Here’s how to make perfect ground chicken meatballs. This 1 pound of ground chicken will yield 25-30 meatballs.

STEP 1: Line your air fryer basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper to help make cleanup easier (optional).

STEP 2: Prep Zucchini. If you don’t want to add zucchini to your air fryer chicken meatballs, simply skip this ingredient. Wash and cut in half. Grate the zucchini until you’re down to stems. Place grated zucchini in a strainer and press out some of the moisture.

STEP 3: In a large bowl, beat your egg with a fork.

STEP 4: Fold shredded zucchini into the egg and mix in your spices.

 

STEP 5: Use your hands to combine ground chicken with the egg mixture.

 

STEP 6: Add breadcrumbs to the meat mixture and continue mixing until all fully incorporated.

STEP 7: Use a 1″ cookie scoop / ice cream scoop or your hands to form 1-inch balls.

 

STEP 8: Preheat the Air Fryer to 375 F for 1-2 minutes (depending on your air fryer model).

STEP 9: Place meatballs in the lined basket in a single layer, making sure to give them space so the hot air can circulate around them. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook these in batches.

STEP 10: Air fry meatballs for 5 minutes and flip. Cook an additional 5-6 minutes or until they’re a golden brown.

Tip: Use a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature of your meatballs reaches 165 degrees F.

How to Serve Homemade Chicken Meatballs

• Appetizer: Skewer with these forked toothpicks and serve with your favorite dipping sauces such as:
  • BBQ sauce
  • Buffalo sauce
  • Honey mustard
  • Marinara sauce
  • Ranch dressing
• Spaghetti: Serve over a bed of spaghetti noodles and top with pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese.
• Meatball Sandwich: Line a hoagie roll with meatballs and top with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Then toast in the air fryer or under the broiler.

Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs Variations

If you’re looking to add other flavors to your air fryer chicken meatballs recipe, here are a few simple ingredients you can include:

• Add grated mozzarella cheese to your chicken mixture.
• If you like fresh onions, skip the onion powder and add finely minced onions.
• Garnish your meatballs with fresh parsley for an added pop of color.

How To Store Cooked Meatballs

You can store your air fried meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You may also choose to freeze these meatballs to enjoy later.

Can You Freeze Meatballs?

Sure can friends! Make an extra batch or two of this great recipe and freeze them for later. You can freeze these chicken meatballs for 3 months.

The best way to reheat your frozen meatballs is to preheat your Air Fryer to 400 F and add a cook time of 8-10 minutes. Make sure to flip the meatballs halfway through so both sides reheat evenly. You can spray them with cooking spray or olive oil to crisp up the outsides.

Keep in mind that the cooking time for reheating or cooking any air fryer recipes depends on your air fryer model and make. Please refer to your owner’s manual for the most accurate suggestions.

 

How To Reheat Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

To reheat these meatballs in the Air Fryer, preheat your oven to 375 F for 1 minute and cook for 5 minutes in your Air Fryer. Check the meatballs once or twice before they finish cooking so you don’t overcook them.

 

Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs are the perfect appetizer to compliment your favorite weeknight dinner or to serve up for a party. Believe me, these delicious meatballs will absolutely delight your friends and family.

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