Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs are a fast and easy way to get delicious homemade meatballs with less fat. In less than 15 minutes, you’ll be enjoying this simple meatball recipe and gearing up for more! These gluten-free chicken meatballs are also keto and low carb! 

In our house, one thing is for certain. Meatballs are a must a few times a month. The air fryer is a simple way to create tender texture and flavorful meatballs in a short amount of time.

You can serve this as an appetizer at a party or as a side dish, too. We tend to add a little bit of marinara sauce and let the flavor be the star. Did I mention that there is minimal meal prep for this easy meatball recipe? Even if you’ve never used ground chicken before I’m sure once you make some gluten-free chicken meatballs you’ll be a fan.

Be sure to check out my Keto Swedish Meatballs and my Italian Sausage Meatballs for more great flavors and meal ideas! You can never have too many recipes for meatballs. 

Ingredients

• Ground chicken – You can find this at the store with the rest of the chicken meat. Ground chicken is a great way to cut down on the fat content while still getting a great protein. Ground chicken breast is very lean. I prefer using chicken with more fat.
• Parmesan cheese – Parmesan cheese replaces breadcrumbs when making gluten-free chicken meatballs.
• Egg – The egg is the binding agent that holds all the ingredients together. 
• Dried minced onion – Easy to use and adds a ton of great flavor. 
• Dried minced garlic – Adding minced garlic really makes the taste pop! 
• Salt – Any meatball recipe needs some salt to bring out the other flavors. I normally use kosher salt in my recipes but any variety will work.
• Pepper – Just a pinch is all you need to boost the flavor without making it peppery.

See quantities in the recipe card.

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs

1️⃣ Prep

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Grease the air fryer basket with olive oil spray or line it with parchment paper.

2️⃣ Make the Meatballs

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Form 12 meatballs with the chicken mixture. It helps to use a cookie scoop to measure the meatball mixture evenly.

3️⃣ Add Meatballs to the Air Fryer

Add the raw meatballs to the prepared air fryer basket.

4️⃣ Cook the Meatballs

Cook for 10-12 minutes.

👉 Tip: Make sure that the meatballs are cooked all the way by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at least 160 degrees. 

Storage

Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze them raw OR cooked – which is great. To add them to the freezer raw, just mix together all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and then scoop them into the meatball shape. You can then put them in a container to freeze them until you’re ready to cool them. 

To freeze cooked meatballs, let them cool. Then store them in a container or an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 2-3 months of time. 

Reheat frozen meatballs by simmering in sauce, baking in sauce or in a covered dish, or even in the microwave.

Variations

• Meat – Change up the type of meat that you use for the meatballs. You can use ground turkey, ground pork, ground beef, or a combination if you’d like. 
• Italian seasoning – If you want to add Italian seasoning to boost the Italian vibe, feel free! I make my own Italian Seasoning Substitute Recipe with parsley, basil, and more herbs and spices.
• Add Panko breadcrumbs – Give the meatballs a bit of crunch by mixing in some panko breadcrumbs. Once they cook in the air fryer, the breadcrumbs will become more of a binding agent than anything. 
• Spices – Garlic powder and onion powder are both great seasonings to use as well. Or add some crushed red pepper flakes for heat. 
• Cheese – If you want to add mozzarella cheese, feel free! I love added cubes of mozzarella for a gooey, cheesy center like in my Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs.

Love this recipe? Try my Buffalo Chicken Meatballs next!

Common Questions

How many meatballs can I air fry at one time? 

It’s important that you have the chicken meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. The air needs to be able to circulate in a way that will cook them all entirely. Overcrowding will result in them taking longer to cook. It also helps to rotate them halfway through the cooking time because the meatballs on the edge cook faster than the ones in the center.

You’ll have to cook them in batches to get them all cooked. Make sure that you use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature so that you know that they’re cooked all the way. 

What side dishes pair well with chicken meatballs?

Since this is a low carb meal, why not pair it with some other great low carb side dishes? Anything cauliflower is always a good idea. You can also pair the air fryer chicken meatballs up with some yummy zucchini noodles, too.  

Serve these with Eggplant Gratin or Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash and Keto Marinara Sauce for a complete Italian meal without the need for pasta or rice.

If you’re serving this dish as an appetizer, don’t stress about adding anything to it. A little bit of marinara to dip is all that you need. (or you can serve plain as well!) Put some toothpicks in them so that people can pick them up easily and pop them right into their mouths! 

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Originally Published March 29, 2022. Revised and Republished January 30, 2026.