Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
Tender air fryer chicken meatballs made with ground chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, and simple spices. Serve them with rice, pasta, salad, pita bread, or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1⅛ lbs ground chicken 500 g
- 1 small onion finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
- 1 small egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs 25 g
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Peel and finely grate the onion. Place it in a clean tea towel or paper towel and squeeze out most of the excess liquid.
- Add the ground chicken, grated onion, garlic, egg, olive oil, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, black pepper, paprika, and chili flakes to a large bowl.
- Mix gently until everything is combined. Do not overmix the chicken mixture.
- Lightly wet your hands with cold water and shape the mixture into 18 small meatballs.
- Set the air fryer to 390°F / 200°C for 3 minutes.
- Brush the air fryer basket with a little oil. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer, leaving space between them. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining oil.
- Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the meatballs halfway through cooking.
- Check that the center of the largest meatball reaches 165°F / 74°C before serving.
Notes
- Squeezing the onion is important. It adds moisture and flavor without making the chicken mixture too soft to shape.
- Chill the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes before shaping if it feels sticky.
- Cook the meatballs in batches if your air fryer basket is small. Overcrowding stops them browning evenly.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 355°F / 180°C for 4 to 5 minutes, until hot throughout.
- Freeze cooked and cooled meatballs in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.