Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

These air fryer teriyaki chicken meatballs are one of my favorite things to make for a quick dinner or meal prep. They come out juicy on the inside with a sticky, sweet glaze on the outside.

The meatball mix comes together in just a few minutes. Ground chicken, some breadcrumbs, green onions, and a couple of seasonings – that’s really all you need.

Once they’re shaped, the air fryer does most of the work. You get that nice golden outside without having to stand over a hot pan or heat up the whole oven.

Then you toss them in teriyaki sauce and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. It honestly feels like something you’d order from a restaurant, but it’s way simpler than it looks.

They go great over rice, in a bowl with veggies, or even just on their own as a snack. However you serve them, they disappear fast.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The Air Fryer Does the Hard Work – No need to stand over a hot stove flipping meatballs in oil. Your air fryer gives them a beautiful golden exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy, and you barely have to babysit them.

Lighter Than Traditional Meatballs – Ground chicken is leaner than beef or pork, and air frying means you skip all that extra oil from pan frying or deep frying. You still get that juicy, flavorful meatball without the heavy feeling afterwards.

That Teriyaki Glaze is Irresistible – The sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce coats each meatball perfectly and the sesame seeds add a nice little crunch. It is the kind of glaze that makes you want to lick the plate clean.

Great as an Appetizer or Main Dish – Serve them on toothpicks at a party and they disappear in minutes, or pile them over a bowl of steamed rice with veggies for a full dinner. They work perfectly either way.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 lb Ground Chicken
• 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Chopped Green Onions
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tsp Minced Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Salt

For the Glaze

• 1/3 cup Thick Teriyaki Sauce
• 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

How to Make

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, Panko breadcrumbs, green onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, and salt.

Step 2

Mix gently until just combined, then roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs.

Step 3

Place the meatballs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they do not touch.

Step 4

Air fry at 380F for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned on the outside.

Step 5

Transfer the warm meatballs to a bowl, pour the thick teriyaki sauce over them, and toss until perfectly glazed.

Step 6

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Tips

Don’t Overmix the Meat

When you combine the ground chicken with the breadcrumbs, green onions, garlic, ginger, and salt, mix it just enough so everything is evenly distributed. Use your hands or a fork and stop as soon as you don’t see any dry breadcrumb patches.

Overmixing ground chicken makes the meatballs dense and rubbery once they cook. You want them to be tender and juicy on the inside, and the only way to get that is by keeping a light hand during mixing.

If the mixture looks like it’s holding together when you squeeze a small amount in your palm, you’re good to go.

Keep Your Hands Damp When Rolling

Ground chicken is sticky, and it will cling to your hands like crazy when you try to roll it into balls. Before you start, wet your hands with a little cold water. Re-wet them every few meatballs to keep things moving smoothly.

This small step makes a big difference. You’ll get rounder, more uniform meatballs instead of lumpy ones with chunks stuck to your fingers.

Get the Size Right

The recipe calls for 1.5-inch meatballs for a reason. That size cooks evenly in the air fryer at 380F within the 10 to 12 minute window. If you make them bigger, the outside will brown before the inside is fully cooked.

If you want them all the same size, use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure. You should get roughly 16 to 18 meatballs from 1 lb of ground chicken.

Keeping them uniform also means they’ll all finish cooking at the same time, so you won’t have some that are overdone and others that are still raw in the center.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Air Fryer Sweet Chili Glazed Meatballs
• Air Fryer Crispy Sesame Chicken
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
• Air Fryer Korean BBQ Beef Bowls

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground turkey or ground pork instead of ground chicken?

Yes, ground turkey works as a perfect 1:1 swap since it has a very similar texture and flavor to ground chicken. Ground pork will also work, though it will make the meatballs a bit richer and slightly more dense.

Just keep in mind that leaner meats can dry out faster in the air fryer, so avoid ground turkey breast if possible and go for regular ground turkey instead.