Crispy Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs Recipe for Dinner

Crispy and bursting with flavor, these air fryer bang bang chicken meatballs pack a delightful punch that’ll make your taste buds dance.

Spicy meets creamy in a perfect culinary harmony that transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal.

Tender chicken blends seamlessly with zesty seasonings, creating irresistible bite-sized morsels.

Crunchy exterior gives way to a juicy interior that promises pure satisfaction.

Minimal effort yields maximum deliciousness when you whip up this crowd-pleasing recipe.

Quick preparation meets restaurant-quality results in an effortless cooking experience.

Each meatball delivers a knockout combination of textures and bold flavors that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.

Dive into this mouthwatering adventure and watch these meatballs become your new dinner obsession.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs Highlights

• Craft Flavor-Packed Protein Bites: These chicken meatballs burst with zesty teriyaki and bang bang sauce, delivering restaurant-quality taste right in your kitchen.
• Simplify Cooking Process: Air fryer technology transforms meal preparation into a quick, mess-free experience that produces perfectly crispy exteriors without excessive oil.
• Customize Your Meal: Versatile meatballs work wonderfully as appetizers, protein-rich main courses, or party snacks that appeal to both adults and kids with their crowd-pleasing flavor profile.
• Nutrition Meets Deliciousness: Lean ground chicken provides high-protein goodness while the creative sauce adds exciting taste dimensions, making healthy eating genuinely enjoyable.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs

• Ground Chicken: Fresh meat that serves as the primary protein for creating flavorful meatballs.

• Egg: Helps bind the meatball ingredients together and adds moisture.
• Ritz Crackers: Provides a crispy texture and helps hold the meatballs together.
• Teriyaki Sauce: Adds a sweet and savory flavor to the meatball mixture.

• Garlic Salt, Seasoned Pepper, Parsley: Provide essential seasoning and herbs for depth of flavor.
• Onion, Garlic: Add aromatic complexity and savory notes to the meatballs.

• Greek Yogurt, Sweet Chili Sauce: Creates a creamy and tangy bang bang sauce for coating the meatballs.

• Olive Oil: Helps prevent sticking and promotes even browning in the air fryer.

• Chopped Parsley: Adds a fresh, green garnish to the finished meatballs.

How to Cook Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs

Step 1: Prepare Flavor Base

Grab a spacious mixing bowl and crumble ground chicken using your fingers. Sprinkle in garlic salt, seasoned pepper, and chopped parsley.

Gently mix ingredients until evenly distributed.

Step 2: Build Meatball Mixture

• Finely diced onion
• Minced garlic
• Beaten egg
• Crushed Ritz crackers
• Teriyaki sauce

Blend everything thoroughly until ingredients are completely integrated.

Step 3: Shape Delightful Morsels

Using clean hands or a cookie scoop, roll mixture into compact balls approximately 1.5 inches wide. Ensure consistent sizing for even cooking.

Step 4: Air Fry to Perfection

Lightly spray air fryer basket with olive oil. Arrange meatballs in single layer without touching.

Mist tops with additional olive oil.

• Temperature: 400°F
• Initial Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Midway Flip: Rotate meatballs at 6-minute mark
• Additional Spray: Reapply olive oil
• Final Check: Ensure golden brown and fully cooked

Step 5: Whip Up Bang Bang Sauce

• Greek yogurt
• Sweet chili sauce

Stir until silky smooth and well combined.

Step 6: Coat with Tangy Goodness

Transfer hot meatballs into sauce. Gently toss until evenly glazed.

Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top.

Step 7: Serve and Savor

Present immediately as appetizer, atop fluffy rice, or alongside crisp salad.

Enjoy your flavor-packed creation!

Pro Tips for Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs

• Pat ground chicken dry with paper towels before mixing to remove excess moisture, ensuring crispy exterior in the air fryer.
• Crush Ritz crackers finely for better binding and texture, creating a more uniform meatball that holds together perfectly.
• Lightly spray meatballs with olive oil before and during cooking to promote even browning and prevent sticking in the air fryer basket.
• Use a meat thermometer to confirm internal temperature reaches 165°F, guaranteeing fully cooked chicken meatballs with no pink centers.
• Adjust bang bang sauce sweetness by adding more Greek yogurt for tanginess or sweet chili sauce for extra kick, tailoring to personal taste preferences.

Variations to Try with Bang Bang Meatballs

• Spicy Turkey Meatballs: Replace ground chicken with ground turkey and add red pepper flakes for extra heat.
• Vegetarian Cauliflower Bites: Swap ground chicken for riced cauliflower and breadcrumbs, binding with flax egg for a plant-based version.
• Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free crackers instead of Ritz and substitute teriyaki sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
• Low-Carb Keto Meatballs: Replace Ritz crackers with almond flour, use a sugar-free chili sauce, and serve over cauliflower rice.

Pairing Ideas with Air Fryer Bang Bang Meatballs

• Zesty Slaw Companion – Whip up a tangy coleslaw with red cabbage, green onions, and a splash of rice vinegar to complement the meatballs' rich flavors and cut through their creamy sauce.
• Refreshing Sake Spritzer – Mix chilled sake with sparkling water, a hint of lime, and a few mint leaves to balance the bang bang sauce's sweet and spicy profile.
• Coconut Lime Jasmine Rice – Cook jasmine rice with coconut milk, fresh lime zest, and a pinch of salt to create a fragrant base that elevates the meatballs' teriyaki undertones.

Storage Tips for Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs

• Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep the bang bang sauce separate to prevent soggy texture.
• Place meatballs in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag, removing excess air. Freeze for up to 2 months. Separate sauce before freezing to maintain quality.
• Preheat air fryer to 350F. Warm meatballs for 3-4 minutes until heated through. Spray lightly with oil to prevent drying out.
• Place meatballs on a microwave-safe plate. Heat in 30-second intervals, checking temperature to avoid overcooking. Add a splash of water to retain moisture.

FAQs

• What type of ground meat works best for these meatballs?

Ground chicken is ideal, but you can also use ground turkey or a mix of ground chicken and turkey for similar results.

• Can I make these meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the meatball mixture and shape them in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.

• How do I know the meatballs are fully cooked?

Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring they’re completely cooked through with no pink center.

• Is there a substitute for Ritz crackers in the recipe?

Breadcrumbs work perfectly as an alternative if you don’t have Ritz crackers on hand. Use the same measurement in the recipe.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken Meatballs Recipe

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4.8 from 19 reviews

• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Sizzling bang bang chicken meatballs dance with zesty flavor straight from the air fryer. Crispy exterior and juicy interior promise a delightful meal that will satisfy spice lovers and comfort food enthusiasts in one easy, irresistible bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat and Protein:

• 1 pound (454 grams) ground organic chicken
• 1 egg

Seasonings and Aromatics:

• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Binding and Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• Spray olive oil

Bang Bang Sauce:

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1/8 cup parsley, finely chopped

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Instructions

1. Prepare a spacious mixing bowl and combine ground chicken, breaking it apart with a fork to create a loose texture.
2. Season the chicken with aromatic garlic salt, seasoned pepper, and fragrant parsley, gently blending the spices throughout the meat.
3. Introduce finely chopped onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, crushed Ritz crackers, and teriyaki sauce into the mixture, thoroughly incorporating all components until uniformly distributed.
4. Craft uniformly sized meatballs approximately 1½ inches in diameter using clean hands or a portioning scoop, ensuring consistent shape and size.
5. Prepare the air fryer by lightly misting the basket with olive oil spray to prevent sticking.
6. Arrange meatballs in a single layer within the basket, maintaining space between each piece, and delicately spray the tops with additional olive oil.
7. Program the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 12 minutes, turning the meatballs halfway through cooking at the 6-minute mark and applying another light olive oil spritz.
8. Verify doneness by checking internal color – meatballs should exhibit a golden-brown exterior and no pink center, extending cooking time if necessary.
9. While meatballs cook, whisk together Greek yogurt and sweet chili sauce in a separate bowl until achieving a smooth, creamy consistency.
10. Once fully cooked, gently toss meatballs in the prepared bang bang sauce, ensuring complete and even coating.
11. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately as an appetizer, rice accompaniment, or alongside a crisp salad.

Notes

• Swap Ritz crackers with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs for a celiac-friendly version.
• Reduce cooking time by 2-3 minutes if using smaller meatballs to prevent overcooking and maintain juicy texture.
• Use low-fat Greek yogurt and sugar-free sweet chili sauce for a lighter, healthier bang bang chicken meatball recipe.
• Marinate ground chicken with additional teriyaki sauce for 15-30 minutes before mixing to enhance flavor depth and tenderness.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Air Frying
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 220 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg