Can you put ground chicken in air fryer? Yes, you can! Learn how long to cook ground chicken in air fryer to make it perfectly moist and juicy. Nearly everyone loves this healthy air fryer ground chicken that’s low carb, keto, Paleo, and gluten free. You can use this chicken mince for tacos, burritos, or a variety of soups, stews, and casseroles!
I covered air fryer ground beef in the past, but did you know you can also air fry ground chicken? The process is very similar (and you can use it for ground pork or ground turkey too).
Ground chicken is a great alternative for folks who want a lower calorie alternative to red meat. It’s widely available at major supermarkets and stores such as Walmart, Costco, and Aldi. I really love the versatility of ground chicken crumbles, it’s good in so many dishes!
I’ve got a really fabulous way to use ground chicken down in the recipe card below. We’re going to mix the ground chicken with Buffalo sauce, add some aromatics, and stuff it into a spaghetti squash. With a little drizzle of ranch, and you’ve got a wonderful meal on your hands.
Of course, you’re welcome to use this simple ground chicken recipe however you’d wish. But I’ve got to say, one of my favorite ways to enjoy chicken is as Buffalo chicken. (Psst... if you’re the same, you’ll probably like these keto Buffalo wings too!)
Jump to:
- ⭐ Ground Chicken in Air Fryer Benefits
- 🥘 Air Fryer Ground Chicken Ingredients
- 🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Ground Chicken
- ️⏲️ Cooking Time and Temperature
- ️🌡️ Leftover Ground Chicken
- 😋 What to do with ground chicken?
- 📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- FAQs
- 👨🏾🍳 Other Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
- Recipe Using Ground Chicken
- 💬 Comments
⭐ Ground Chicken in Air Fryer Benefits
Why make air fryer ground chicken? Here are a few reasons for ya:
- Fast: After a quick air fryer preheat, you can make air fryer ground chicken in a mere 5 minutes. So quick!
- High quality lean protein: Chicken is pretty much the quintessential lean protein mentioned in most nutrition and fitness meal plans. While you don’t HAVE to eat chicken to be healthy, it’s a great option for most diets.
- Low calorie: We’re using lean ground chicken for this recipe. If you have a weight loss goal, protein-dense lean chicken is a super choice.
- Low carb, keto, gluten free: Ground chicken is also a good fit for most of the major special diets. If you’re cutting carbs for diabetes, or on a gluten free diet, you can eat ground chicken.
- Meal prep: Cooked ground chicken freezes well and is perfect for meal prepping.
- Delicious: Honestly, plain ground chicken tastes pretty bland by itself. That said, it works well as a blank canvas for all your favorite flavors, so be sure to spice things up! There are many delish things you can make with ground chicken.
🥘 Air Fryer Ground Chicken Ingredients
All you need for this recipe is:
- 8 ounces ground chicken (227 grams)
- ¼ tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper (or use red pepper flakes for spicy heat)
You can use 92% lean ground chicken for this recipe, but I do not recommend using 99% fat free ground chicken. You need a little fat to help keep the chicken from drying out from cooking with dry heat. We’re also going to add a small amount of cooking oil to help keep things moist.
You’ll also need an air fryer and a spatula to flip the chicken. I developed this recipe using a 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven.
The Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, and other air fryers can air fry ground chicken. Note that cooking times vary between air fryer brands. Keep a close eye on the food whenever you try a new air fryer recipe for perfect results every time.
🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Ground Chicken
Preheat the air fryer to 375F (190C) for 5 minutes. Crumble the raw ground chicken in your hot air fryer basket or on an air fryer tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
If you have an air fryer oven, place the tray in the top rack position.
️⏲️ Cooking Time and Temperature
How long to cook ground chicken in the air fryer? What temperature to air fry ground chicken? Air fry ground chicken for a total of 5 minutes in an air fryer preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190C).
First, let the ground chicken air fry for 4 minutes. Then flip and stir the chicken and crumble the ground chicken even smaller. Air fry 1 additional minute.
You could check the chicken mince to make sure it reached a minimum safe temp of 165F (74C). However, the chicken bits are really too small to be checked with a meat thermometer.
Hot tip! Using more or less chicken than I am using will impact the cooking time.
️🌡️ Leftover Ground Chicken
You can keep leftover air fried ground chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Cooked ground chicken also freezes well.
😋 What to do with ground chicken?
I have a really delicious recipe using ground chicken below! You won’t believe how good my Buffalo chicken stuffed spaghetti squash is. As mentioned earlier, you can also use ground chicken in tacos, burritos, soups, and casseroles.
📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
One serving of air fryer ground chicken has 170 calories, 0 grams net carbs, and 19.8 grams protein. This is for 4 ounces of 92/8 lean ground chicken cooked with oil.
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Chicken (particularly skinless chicken) counts as a lean protein, meaning it's a relatively low fat protein source. You get a lot of protein per calorie with chicken, more than a lot of other sources (such as many beans).
So why is protein from chicken (and other sources) important for weight loss? Protein is (in general) the most filling macronutrient. Aside from its role in preserving lean muscle mass, protein can help our meals to feel more satisfying.
To create a meal with ground chicken for weight loss, I would add a lot of non-starchy vegetables. The veggies will add filling fiber and fluid volume that is lacking in the chicken. An example of what this could look like is a broth-based chicken and veggie soup.
Ground chicken isn’t just for losing weight, however. You can make moderate or high calorie meals with ground chicken depending on what other ingredients you add. For example, you could make a high calorie meal easily by using your chicken in a creamy pasta dish.
Below, I have one of my favorite recipes using ground chicken. I know you’re going to love it!
FAQs
Yes, I would consider ground chicken to be a healthy (i.e., nutritious) and minimally processed food choice. If you’re looking for a lean protein option or a less pricey alternative to beef, chicken is a good choice.
Is ground chicken the same as chicken breast? Ground chicken can be made of chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or both. Sometimes the ground chicken packaging will provide information on which types of chicken is used. Other times, the information will not be provided.
No, fresh ground chicken should not be slimy. If your ground chicken is slimy or has developed an off odor, it has likely gone bad. Throw out ground chicken that you suspect may have spoiled to help prevent food poisoning.
The USDA recommends keeping uncooked ground chicken in the fridge for no more than 1-2 days. Cooked ground poultry may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
👨🏾🍳 Other Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Looking for more air fryer recipes using chicken? Here you go:
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
- Frozen Chicken Patties in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers (or make chicken burgers)
- Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs (or make chicken meatballs)
You may also enjoy the entire collection of Air Fryer Recipes!
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The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Ground Chicken Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ground chicken (227 grams)
- ¼ tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Note: Use 92% lean ground chicken for this recipe, the fat helps keep the chicken from drying out.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F (190C) for 5 minutes. Crumble the raw ground chicken in your hot air fryer basket or on an air fryer tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the tray in the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven.
- Air fry the ground chicken for 4 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Then flip and stir the chicken and crumble the ground chicken even smaller. Air fry an 1 additional minute.
Video
Notes
Recipe Using Ground Chicken
Serves: 2- 2 batches air fryer ground chicken (1 lb. or 454 grams)
- 1 air fryer spaghetti squash (2 squash halves weighing a total of 2 lb. 4.5 oz or 1035 grams)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ shallot, chopped
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 6 tablespoons Frank's RedHot sauce
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing with no added sugar
- 1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled (28 grams)
Chop the shallot into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm) and the carrots and celery into ¼-inch dice (0.6 cm). Mix with the olive oil.
Preheat the air fryer to 375F (190C) for 5 minutes. Put the prepared veggies on a hot air fryer tray and air fry for 8-10 minutes. Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven.
While the veggies cook, melt the butter together with the Frank's RedHot in a small saucepan on the stovetop to make the Buffalo sauce. Stir the sauce into the cooked ground chicken. Add the cooked veggies.
Fluff the squash strands in your cooked spaghetti squash halves. Fill each spaghetti squash boat with half the Buffalo chicken mixture. Drizzle with ranch dressing and sprinkle with blue cheese. Enjoy!
Nutrition information is for one 4-ounce serving of 92/8 lean ground chicken air fried in oil. Each ground chicken stuffed spaghetti squash has 764 calories, 54.8g fat (16.4g saturated fat), 21.8g total carbohydrates, 5.1g fiber, 49.1g protein, 83.3% DV calcium, 13.5% DV iron, 146.3% DV vitamin A, 9.7% DV vitamin C.
Terrified Amateur says
Summer, what an innovative way to enjoy spaghetti squash. I had tried it by itself before, but I never did much with the interiors, other than salt, pepper, minced garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. All added after cooking too.
All the flavorful additions you make, which are cooked alongside (within, actually) the squash, are fantastic. When I was younger, my parents often grew spaghetti squash, but nowadays they're sourced via one of the farmers' markets. As those haven't been active this year, amidst the pandemic, off to the local supermarket's well-stocked produce department I'll go.
Summer Yule says
Thank you! We love spaghetti squash. I ordered another one this week because I had yet another idea for it. haha I should consider growing it at some point because it's not always available.
Terrified Amateur says
Good idea, Summer (yet one more). Around here, spaghettis are available at the grocers about a third of the time, at the farmers' market (when they're about, that is) two-thirds of the time, and from the garden, all the time. Much more work up front, of course, but gardening confers rewards all year, both in fresh produce, and in the masterpieces you create and freeze afterwards.
Summer Yule says
Absolutely! Home garden produce is always my top pick, if possible.