Add the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, parsley, and parmesan cheese; combine but do NOT overmix.
2 pounds ground chicken, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons parsley
Make meatballs using 3 tablespoons per meatball. Place in the air fryer basket. The meatballs can be placed pretty close together, but not squished in. They will shrink slightly when cooked. Cook in batches if needed.
Spray the meatballs with nonstick cooking spray and place the basket into the Air Fryer.
Set the Air Fryer for 400℉ for 10 minutes. Turn the meatballs and spray again. Fry for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Check one for doneness.
Remove one meatball at a time and dip in the Firecracker sauce, making sure to coat all sides well. Place back in the basket. Repeat until all have been coated. Fry for 2 more minutes.
Remove and serve with the sauce.
For the Firecracker Sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt.
½ cup hot sauce, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sauce thickens and gets sticky.
The sauce will thicken more as it cools, so don’t over thicken. If sauce gets too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.
Add the red pepper flakes when sauce has thickened and stir in to combine.
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Notes
Storage: Store firecracker chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.