Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

These air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs are easy, delicious, and always a game day favorite! Perfectly cooked chicken meatballs swimming in buttery buffalo sauce is the perfect addition to any game day spread!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Air Fryer Cauliflower, Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs, Air Fryer Meatballs, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Buffalo sauce recipes, Chicken meatballs, Honey buffalo sauce, Meatballs in the air fryer

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings people

Calories 315kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 pound ground chicken
1 egg
½ cup Ritz crackers ground into crumbs
½ onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
1 tsp Frank's hot sauce
2 tbsp olive oil for greasing the air fryer

FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE

½ cup Frank's hot sauce
3 tbsp butter salted
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp garlic powder

Instructions

FOR THE MEATBALLS

In a blender or food processor, grind the Ritz crackers into crumbs.
In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, ground Ritz crackers, minced onion, minced garlic, chopped basil, Frank’s hot sauce, and salt and pepper.
Grease the air fryer with olive oil.
Form 1 ½ inch meatballs, and place them into the greased air fryer evenly spaced (you may need to work in batches). There is no need to preheat. Turn the air fryer to “air fry” or 390 degrees Fahrenheit, close it, and air fry for 8 minutes, shake the basket, and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the center temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

FOR THE BUFFALO SAUCE

Combine the hot sauce, butter, honey, garlic powder, and salt in a saucepan, and whisk over medium heat until it’s bubbly. Let it cool and pour it over cooked meatballs before serving.
Toss the meatballs in the buffalo sauce until coated evenly. Serve with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing, carrots, celery, and a little fresh basil if desired.

Notes

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about three days in an airtight container.

Using a 1.5 tablespoon size cookie scoop makes forming nice, small, even meatballs so much easier!

Nutrition