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These amazing air fryer chicken meatballs are so easy to make and are packed with tons of flavor. They’re extra juicy thanks to a quick, fun kitchen technique. These chicken meatballs in the air fryer are perfect for fast, no-fuss dinners and cook in only 10 minutes! No air fryer? You’ll also find oven-baking methods in the post.
These air fryer chicken meatballs are so freaking juicy, thanks to starting the recipe with a panade. “Sarah, what’s a panade, you big nerd?”, you might ask.
Simply put, it’s mixing a starch with a liquid – in this case, breadcrumbs and whole milk. This creates a juicy base, a huge plus when working with ground chicken, which can be notoriously dry.
No dry meatballs for you!
Serve these chicken meatballs in the air fryer with our freezer spaghetti sauce, or use them as the base for our marry me chicken meatballs and become the hero of your household.
Cook Like a Pro Tips
- Mince the onion and garlic as finely as possible (or use a food processor). The cooking time for these meatballs is so short that the onion will not be fully cooked if you use larger chunks. And if your kids are picky, like mine, everyone is happier if they don’t see them in the mixture.
- Avoid overmixing as it can lead to dry/tough meatballs.
- Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to produce meatballs that are the same size. This allows for even cooking.
- Check internal temp with a quick-read thermometer to guarantee they’re done. Ground chicken is fully cooked at 165˚F.
Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs (10-Minute Dinner)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs {plain, Italian, or panko}
- 2.5 tbsp whole milk
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic {finely minced}
- 1/4 cup onion {finely minced or grated}
- 1/2 tsp salt {optional}
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley {or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped}
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup Parmesan {finely grated}
Instructions
- Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl. Stir to fully combine and let sit for 3-5 minutes.1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 2.5 tbsp whole milk
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.1 lb ground chicken, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup onion, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp dried parsley, 1 egg, 1/3 cup Parmesan
- Form mixture into 18, 1-inch meatballs.
- Line an air fryer basket with foil, air fryer parchment, or brush with olive oil.
- Bake in the air fryer at 380˚F for 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165˚F.(Final cooking time will depend on the size of your meatballs)
Notes
- Optional: flip meatballs halfway through cooking.
- If your meatballs are browning too quickly, you can place a piece of foil over the top and weigh it down with a trivet or small wire rack.
Oven-baking Instructions: Bake on a baking sheet for 25-30 minutes at 400˚F or until the internal temp reaches 165˚F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
