Description
This Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Poppers recipe features flavorful ground chicken meatballs coated in a seasoned almond flour mix and cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Tossed in tangy BBQ sauce and served with ranch dressing, these poppers offer a delicious, low-carb appetizer or snack option that’s crispy, juicy, and quick to make.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Mixture
- 2 lbs ground chicken or ground turkey
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp diced jalapenos (optional)
Coating
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Additional
- 3/4 cup compliant BBQ sauce
- Ranch dressing for dipping
- Cooking spray
- Fresh vegetables like celery and carrots for serving
Instructions
- Mix the Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, diced onions, and diced jalapenos if using. Thoroughly mix to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the beaten egg and 1/3 cup almond flour to the mixture. Stir well until the mixture is evenly combined and slightly sticky to help form balls.
- Form the Poppers: Using your hands, roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Make sure they are compact for even cooking.
- Prepare the Coating: In a separate bowl, mix together 3/4 cup almond flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to create the dry coating mixture.
- Coat the Meatballs: Roll each chicken ball carefully into the almond flour coating mixture until fully covered on all sides. This creates a crispy crust when air fried.
- Preheat Air Fryer and Arrange: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place the coated chicken balls in a single layer inside the basket, leaving space between each ball to allow air circulation.
- Air Fry: Cook the chicken poppers for 13 minutes at 400°F. Halfway through cooking (around 6-7 minutes), flip the poppers and lightly spray them again with cooking spray to ensure a crisp surface.
- Toss in BBQ Sauce: Once cooked and golden brown, remove the chicken poppers from the air fryer and immediately toss them in 3/4 cup of compliant BBQ sauce for a tangy coating.
- Serve: Serve the BBQ chicken poppers hot with ranch dressing for dipping and fresh vegetables like celery and carrots for a complete snack or appetizer.
Notes
- Using ground turkey instead of chicken works equally well with this recipe.
- If you prefer a spicier flavor, add extra diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the meat mixture.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow even cooking and crisping.
- You can prepare the coated meatballs ahead of time and refrigerate before air frying for added convenience.
- Use gluten-free BBQ sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free and compliant with dietary restrictions.
