Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

My Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs are tender, full of flavor, and easy to make for dinner, meal prep, or a simple lunch. They cook quickly in the air fryer and can be served with so many different meals. Serve them with rice and salad, tuck them into pita bread, or warm them in tomato sauce for an easy pasta dinner. They also reheat well in an air fryer and are good cold in a wrap with salad. I always make the full batch and keep a few for lunch the next day.

Ground chicken meatballs can sometimes be dry or lacking in flavor, but these come out soft and juicy with lightly browned edges. The mixture keeps them soft in the middle and well-seasoned. You can have them on the table in around 30 minutes, with very little preparation and no need to cook them in batches on the stove.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• The meatballs cook quickly in the air fryer and need very little oil.

• Grated onion, egg, breadcrumbs, and olive oil help keep the ground chicken tender.

• They are easy to serve with many different sides, so you do not need to make a separate meal around them.

• The recipe makes around 20 small meatballs, enough for four servings or a dinner with leftovers.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground chicken – Use regular ground chicken for this recipe. Ground chicken breast can work, but it is very lean and can dry out more easily.

• Onion – Use a small onion and grate it finely. The onion adds moisture and flavor, but it is important to squeeze out most of the liquid after grating it. Ground chicken is softer than ground beef or lamb. Too much liquid from the onion can make the mixture sticky and difficult to shape.

• Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the meatballs a much better flavor than garlic powder. Finely grate it or mince it very well so there are no large pieces in the mixture.

• Breadcrumbs – Use plain dried breadcrumbs. They absorb moisture from the chicken mixture and help the meatballs hold their shape. Do not add extra breadcrumbs straight away. Mix the ingredients first, then chill the mixture if it feels too soft. Adding too much breadcrumbs can make the meatballs firm.

• Parsley – Fresh parsley adds flavor and a little color. Chop it finely so it mixes evenly through the chicken. Flat-leaf parsley is my first choice, but curly parsley is also fine.

• Seasoning – Salt, black pepper, paprika, and a little chili give these chicken meatballs a warm, savory flavor. Adjust the amount of chili to your taste.

• Oil – A tablespoon of olive oil goes into the meatball mixture to help keep the ground chicken tender. You also need a little oil for brushing the air fryer basket and the meatballs. This helps prevent sticking and gives them better color.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

Peel and finely grate the onion. Put it in your hands, a clean tea towel, or a piece of paper towel, then gently squeeze out most of the liquid. You do not need to dry it completely. Leave a little moisture behind, as this helps the chicken meatballs stay tender. Add the ground chicken, grated onion, garlic, egg, olive oil, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, black pepper, paprika, and chili to a large bowl.

Mix gently with a fork, spoon, or clean hands until everything is combined. Stop once the ingredients are mixed through. Do not keep working the chicken mixture. Ground chicken can become sticky and firm if it is overmixed.

The mixture should be soft but still easy to roll. If it feels very sticky, cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives the breadcrumbs time to absorb moisture and makes shaping much easier.

Wet your hands lightly with cold water or rub a small amount of oil between your palms. Divide the mixture into around 20 pieces and roll them into small meatballs. Try to make them close in size so they cook evenly. Mine are around the size of a walnut.

Set your air fryer to 200°C / 390°F and brush the basket lightly with oil. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Brush the tops with the remaining oil.

Cook the chicken meatballs for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them after around 6 minutes. They are ready when lightly browned and cooked through. Check the center of the largest meatball with a thermometer. It should reach 74°C / 165°F before serving.

Your air fryer may need a little more or less time, especially if you make larger meatballs. Cook in batches if the basket is crowded.

Tips for Tender Chicken Meatballs

• Squeeze the onion before adding to the mixture. The onion gives the meatballs moisture, but too much onion liquid can make the mixture difficult to shape.

• Avoid overmixing. Mix just until the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, herbs, and seasonings are combined. Overmixed ground chicken can make dense meatballs.

• Keep the size of the meatballs small as they cook more evenly and are less likely to dry out. They are also easier to use in pasta, wraps, grain bowls, and lunchboxes.

• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. The air fryer needs space around the meatballs so the hot air can move around them. If you pile them together, they can cook unevenly and will not brown as well.

• Chicken meatballs can look browned outside before the center has cooked through. A thermometer is the simplest way to avoid undercooking them or leaving them in too long.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

These chicken meatballs are easy to fit into different meals.

Serve them with bulgur, couscous, or Crispy Air Fryer Baby Potatoes and a simple tomato and cucumber salad. They also go well with Air Fryer Diced Sweet Potatoes and a spoonful of yogurt, or your favorite dipping sauce.

For a quick pita meal, warm some pita bread and add the meatballs with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, pickled onions, and a little sauce.

For a lighter plate, add rice, chopped cucumber and tomatoes, and Easy Asparagus in Air Fryer or Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower. 

They are also good with pasta. Warm the cooked meatballs in a simple tomato sauce and serve them with spaghetti, penne, or your favorite shape of pasta. Add Parmesan at the table if you like.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

You can prepare and shape the chicken meatballs up to one day ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them. It is best to cook them soon after shaping, as ground chicken should not sit out at room temperature.

To store the leftovers, let the cooked meatballs cool, then place them in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

To freeze the cooked and cooled chicken meatballs in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. For easier portions, freeze them first on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer them to a bag once frozen, then take out only what you need.

Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat, place the meatballs in the air fryer at 180°C / 355°F for 4 to 5 minutes, or until hot all the way through. Do not leave them in too long, as ground chicken can dry out during reheating.

You can also add the cooked meatballs to warm tomato sauce and heat them gently on the stove. This is a good option when serving them with pasta.

Variations

• Use ground turkey: Ground turkey works well in this recipe. Use regular ground turkey instead of extra-lean turkey breast for softer meatballs. For another easy recipe using ground turkey, try my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers.

• Add fresh herbs: You can add a little fresh dill, cilantro, or mint with the parsley. Keep the total amount of herbs the same so the mixture does not become too wet.

• Make them spicier: Add a little more chili flakes or use hot paprika. Start with a small amount, as the flavor becomes stronger after cooking.

• Add lemon: Finely grate a little lemon zest into the mixture for a fresher flavor. This works especially well when serving the meatballs with rice, salad, or pita bread.

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