These bite-size air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs are packed with big flavor! Enjoy them as a fun and spicy dinner main dish, exciting appetizer, or irresistible party snack. Whenever you make this quick and easy recipe, tender homemade meatballs tossed in fiery buffalo sauce are perfect to pair with creamy dipping sauces like ranch or blue cheese dressing.
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Classic buffalo chicken wings are a crowd-pleasing snack or appetizer for game days and at casual gatherings. This easy air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs recipe turns America's beloved handheld party staple into tasty one (or two) bite morsels... They're still terrific to dip in creamy sauces, but with way less mess!
These homemade chicken meatballs come together quickly with a handful of pantry staples like egg, breadcrumbs, and classic kitchen spices. They air fry for only 10 minutes, until lightly crisp and golden on the outside and perfectly moist and tender on the inside. Then we toss them in a convenient store bought bottled buffalo sauce for a big punch of flavor - with barely any effort!
Serve them with crunchy veggies or your favorite comfort food sides for dinner or snack time. Meatballs are great to offer with toothpicks for parties, or scoop 'em up with a spoon and plate as a bold and saucy main dish!
They're even yummy loaded onto sandwiches with slaw or added to casseroles. Because buffalo chicken meatballs are boneless, there are so many delicious ways to incorporate them into any number of other recipes.
However you serve them, you of course don't want forget the ranch or blue cheese dressing... Or both, if you're feeling extra!
Recipe ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken: A lean protein with a low percentage of fat. Can sub with ground turkey, which has fewer calories but can become a bit dry if even slightly overcooked.
- 1 Egg: Essential as a binder for forming the meatballs.
- ¼ cup Breadcrumbs: Or panko. Either works well for combining with the egg as a binder.
- Spices: We use a simple blend of savory spices that includes salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Buffalo Sauce: Use your favorite brand and level of heat. A few classic options include Frank's RedHot, Sweet Baby Ray's, and Buffalo Wild Wing's classic sauce that you can purchase in stores. You can of course use homemade wing sauce, if you like!
Step by step instructions
Start with adding your ground chicken into the bowl big enough for mixing ingredients. I used ground chicken breast, if you choose to make meatballs out of ground chicken thighs keep in mind that the fat content will be higher.
Add breadcrumbs, spices and the egg to ground chicken. Use you hand or a spoon to mix everything together. Adjust the amount of breadcrumbs if needed. Do not overmix though.
Form meatballs. I like to line air fryer with parchment paper air fryer liners for easy (or basically no) cleanup. You can also spray some olive oil in the basket for the same reason. Place meatballs in the air fryer leaving some space in between.
This recipe makes 9 big meatballs or 12 regular size meatballs. The cooking time will slightly change depending on the size of meatballs. They should be ready when cooked for 8-10 minutes.
Place hot meatballs in the bowl and add buffalo sauce( or any other hot sauce of choice) on top and mix them up. Enjoy while still hot!
Frequently asked questions
The buffalo chicken meatballs will be firm and golden, with a light brown caramelization on the outside. Check for doneness using an internal meat thermometer. Chicken needs to reach 165 degrees to be considered safe for eating.
Most bottled store bought sauces include a combination of cayenne or other fiery peppers, plus tangy vinegar and butter.
Different brands will have various levels of spice... The heat is mellowed a bit by the butter, so it's not as hot as tossing meatballs in just pure hot sauce. But yes, buffalo sauce is made with cayenne pepper and therefore considered very spicy. (Cayenne is way spicier than jalapeños!)
The original buffalo sauce was created in the city of Buffalo, New York. So no, the name has nothing to do with buffalo the animal.
Yes, this recipe works very well with frozen chicken meatballs! Add a few minutes to the cook time. Give the basket a shake every few minutes after halfway through cooking so they air fry evenly on all sides.
It's best to toss the meatballs in buffalo sauce after air frying, while they are still warm.
Coating them before cooking can cause the meatballs to burn in the air fryer. Also, the sauce will wind up dripping off of the chicken and make a mess in the basket.
Leftovers and reheating
Store chicken meatballs leftovers in the air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to reheat it in the microwave but it also can be reheated back in the air fryer for about 1 minute. Add more buffalo sauce on top for leftovers!
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Hope you will like this air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs or panko
- salt
- garlic and onions powder
- paprika
- buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Mix chicken, egg, breadcrumbs and seasonings in the bowl. Form about 10-12 meatballs.
- Air fryer 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
- While hot transfer to the bowl and mix with buffalo sauce.
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