These air fryer buffalo chicken meatballs are one of my favorite things to make when I want something flavorful but still easy. They come out perfectly cooked in the air fryer with a nice outside texture and juicy center.
The buffalo sauce mixed right into the meat gives them a solid kick without being too spicy. And once you coat them with a little extra sauce after cooking, they get even better.
I also love that there’s blue cheese crumbles right inside each meatball. It adds a creamy, tangy flavor that goes so well with the buffalo heat.
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these – ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, celery, egg, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and blue cheese. Simple stuff that comes together fast.
They work great as an appetizer, game day snack, or even a main dish with some rice or a salad on the side. Let me show you how to make them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Buffalo Flavor Without the Mess – You get all that spicy, tangy buffalo chicken wing flavor packed into a neat little meatball. No messy bones, no pile of napkins, just pop one in your mouth and enjoy.
The Air Fryer Makes Them Perfectly Crispy – These meatballs come out of the air fryer with a lightly crispy outside and a juicy, tender inside. You honestly won’t believe how good the texture is compared to baking them in a regular oven.
Ground Chicken Keeps Them Light – Using ground chicken instead of beef or pork makes these meatballs feel lighter and less heavy in your stomach. They have that satisfying buffalo kick without weighing you down.
Blue Cheese Crumbles Mixed Right In – Instead of just dipping your food in blue cheese on the side, these meatballs have blue cheese crumbles baked right into the mix. Every single bite has that creamy, tangy flavor built in.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Ground Chicken
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Celery, finely diced
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce, plus extra for coating
- 2 tbsp Ranch Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Cooking Spray
How to Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, celery, egg, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until just combined.
Step 2
Form mixture into 20-24 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each, and place on a plate.
Step 3
Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray and arrange meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
Step 4
Air fry at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking basket halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through and golden.
Step 5
Toss cooked meatballs with extra buffalo sauce and top with blue cheese crumbles before serving.
Tips
Don’t Overmix the Meat
When you combine the ground chicken with the breadcrumbs, celery, egg, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and garlic powder, mix it just enough so everything is evenly distributed. You can use your hands or a fork, but stop as soon as you don’t see any dry patches of breadcrumbs or pockets of seasoning.
Overworking ground chicken makes the meatballs dense and rubbery instead of tender. Think of it like gently folding everything together rather than kneading it like dough.
If you notice the mixture looks a little wet and loose, that’s totally normal for ground chicken. It will firm up once it hits the air fryer.
Get Your Meatballs the Same Size
Try to make all your meatballs roughly the same size, around 1.5 inches each. If some are big and some are small, the small ones will dry out before the big ones are fully cooked through.
A cookie scoop works really well for this. A medium-sized scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) will give you perfectly even meatballs every time without any guessing.
If you don’t have a scoop, just eyeball them and adjust as you go. Lay them all out on a plate first before air frying so you can compare and reshape any that look off.
Wet Your Hands Before Rolling
Ground chicken is sticky, and rolling meatballs with dry hands turns into a frustrating mess real quick. Before you start shaping, wet your hands with a little cold water. This keeps the meat from clinging to your palms and makes rolling way easier.
You’ll probably need to re-wet your hands every few meatballs as they dry off. Keep a small bowl of water nearby so you’re not running back and forth to the sink.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Crispy Avocado Fries
- Air Fryer Loaded Hasselback Potatoes
- Air Fryer Pizza Dough Knots with Garlic Butter
- Air Fryer Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cakes
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I cook buffalo chicken meatballs in the air fryer?
Cook them at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through so they brown evenly on all sides. They’re done when the internal temperature hits 165°F.
Every air fryer is a little different, so keep an eye on them the first time you make these. If they look golden and feel firm to the touch, they’re good to go.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- 1.5 lb Ground Chicken
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Celery, finely diced
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce, plus extra for coating
- 2 tbsp Ranch Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Cooking Spray
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, celery, egg, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until just combined.
- Form mixture into 20-24 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each, and place on a plate.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray and arrange meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
- Air fry at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking basket halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through and golden.
- Toss cooked meatballs with extra buffalo sauce and top with blue cheese crumbles before serving.