Air Fryer Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Serves 2415 mins prep20 mins cook
Air Fryer Firecracker Chicken Meatballs - Lightly crisped on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, these homemade meatballs are air fried and then coated in a sweet-with-tangy-heat firecracker sauce with the perfect amount of heat! Serve these as an appetizer or as the main course. They're perfect for parties and events, too! Oven baking instructions provided as well as for how to make them using frozen meatballs.
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What you need
Instructions
-1 Meatballs - To a large bowl, add the eggs, olive oil, garlic, optional chives, onion powder, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. -1 Add the ground chicken, panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, and stir to combine. Tips - Do not overmix or your meatballs will be tougher and drier. A light mixing with clean hands or a wooden spoon is all you need. -1 I recommend using a large cookie scoop and making 3-tablespoon sized meatballs, rolling them lightly in your palms to smooth them. Tip - Don't overly compact or squish them. -1 Preheat an XL air fryer or similar to 400F, spray the basket with olive oil cooking spray or another favorite cooking oil, add the meatballs to the basket, and lightly spray them with oil as well. Tips - They need some oil in order to actually "fry". When adding them to the air fryer, they can be close and touching but don't pack or cram them in. They will reduce in size as they cook. -1 Air fry the meatballs for 10 minutes. Tip - Make the firecracker sauce while you're waiting.** (See Notes for oven baking instructions) -1 Turn the meatballs over, spray them again lightly with cooking spray, and fry for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. -1 Firecracker Sauce - To a small saucepan, add the brown sugar, hot sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. -1 Cook until the sauce thickens and gets sticky, less than 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools so don't over thicken it. -1 After the sauce has cooled, stir in the red pepper flakes. Use less or more than I call for, depending on how spicy you want your sauce. -1 Meatballs - After the second round in the air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes, remove the meatballs one-by-one and dip them in the firecracker sauce making sure they are well coated. Place them back in the air fryer after dipping. -1 Fry the sauced up meatballs for 2 minutes. -1 Remove the meatballs, optionally garnish them with fresh parsley, and serve with any remaining firecracker sauce if desired. Extra meatballs with keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Extra sauce will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Store the meatballs and sauce separately.View original recipe