Chicken · American
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Juicy ground chicken meatballs with Buffalo sauce inside and a buttery Buffalo glaze outside. Serve them as party bites, bowls, or wraps.
These Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs turn the flavour of Buffalo wings into tidy, saucy bites without the fuss of bones or deep frying. A little Buffalo sauce seasons the meatball mixture, while a quick butter-hot-sauce glaze gives the outside that classic spicy tang.
Ingredients
Instructions
Air fryer:190°C / 374°F
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes. Lightly mist or brush the basket with a little oil if your model tends to stick.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko, egg, 45 ml Buffalo sauce, celery, spring onions, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix gently just until combined; overmixing can make the meatballs firm.
Lightly oil your hands and roll the mixture into 20 small meatballs, about 25 g each. Keep them similar in size so they cook evenly.
Arrange the meatballs in a single layer with a little space between each one. Cook in batches if needed; crowded meatballs steam instead of browning.
Air fry for 9–11 minutes, turning or shaking gently halfway through, until lightly browned and the centre of the largest meatball reaches 74°C/165°F on a food thermometer.
While the meatballs cook, stir together the 45 ml Buffalo sauce, melted butter, and honey in a bowl large enough for tossing.
Add the cooked meatballs to the Buffalo glaze and toss gently to coat. Return them to the air fryer for 1 minute if you want the glaze slightly tackier.
Serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dip and extra spring onions.
Tips & tricks
- Ground chicken can be sticky; lightly oiled hands make shaping much easier.
- For a stronger ranch-style flavour, replace the onion powder with 1 tsp dry ranch seasoning and reduce the salt if the seasoning is salty.
- If adding cheese, fold in 30 g finely shredded cheddar or crumbled blue cheese, but keep the pieces small so the meatballs hold together.
- Do not rely on colour alone for ground poultry. Check that the thickest meatball reaches 74°C/165°F internally.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and reheat until steaming hot.
Air fryer cooking guides
Exact times & temperatures for the ingredients in this recipe.
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