Easy air fryer chicken meatballs for dogs make a tasty grain-free and keto dog food recipe or homemade dog treats. With just 5 ingredients, this is an easy recipe that is quick to make too.
These homemade dog meatballs are a meaty treat but you could add vegetables to them such as grated zucchini or chopped broccoli.
We make meatballs for the dogs as a treat or make a dinner of meatballs, vegetables, eggs and a sprinkle of blueberries. It gives our dogs a bit of variety.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
Jump to:
CAN DOGS EAT GROUND FLAXSEED?
We use ground flaxseed to help bind the ground chicken as it's a low carb and grain-free ingredient. Not only is ground flaxseed safe for dogs it's high in omega fatty acids, making it a good ingredient for your dog's skin and coat. Flaxseed is great for inflammation and joint health.
However, ground flaxseed is not an ingredient that should be given in large portions with 1 teaspoon being enough for a medium sized dog.
Remember to go slowly when introducing new foods. And we recommend checking with your veterinarian first if your dog has any digestive issues or other health concerns.
INGREDIENTS
Just 5 ingredients are used to make these easy homemade grain-free dog meatballs.
- Ground chicken - this could be replaced with ground turkey.
- Eggs - a great source of protein for dogs
- Ground flaxseed - this is used to bind the meat mixture for a low carb and grain-free recipe.
- Sea kelp - we add this for a source of iodine and is entirely optional.
- Turmeric - added for it's inflammatory properties.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MEATBALLS FOR DOGS
Meatballs are an easy recipe to make and quicker in the air fryer too. They can be baked and there are instructions for this in the recipe card below.
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly
Using a cookie scooper, form balls from the chicken mixture
Place the chicken meatballs into a pre-heated air fryer.
Cool and serve.
SUBSTITUTIONS
If you don't want to use ground flaxseed to bind the meatballs any dog friendly flour can be used such as coconut flour, almond flour, rice flour or wholewheat flour.
STORAGE
- To Store. Once the meatballs are cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze. Place the cooled meatballs into a zip lock bag and remove as much air as possible and seal. They will store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
HOW TO SERVE MEATBALLS FOR DOGS
The size of the meatballs will depend upon the cookie scooper you use. We used a medium one so the photographs of the meatballs look quite large, especially next to Pixie. Smaller air fryer chicken meatballs can be given as a snack or served as a side to vegetables, rice, quinoa or even as a topper treat.
MORE MEATBALLS FOR DOGS RECIPES
We have a few variations of meatballs for dogs with different ground meat and vegetables that your dog might enjoy.
Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs for Dogs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 medium egg
- 1 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon sea kelp
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturers instructions.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well. If it is too wet, add more ground flaxseed to bind.
- Using a cookie scooper to make the meatballs and place them on a parchment lined tray or plate.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with non-stick spray and lay the meatballs in a single layer.
- Air fry the meatballs at 200C/400F degrees for 9 - 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs.
- Allow to cool before serving.
TO BAKE IN THE OVEN
- If you don't have an air fryer, bake these in the oven at 200C/400F degrees for 18 to 22 minutes.
Notes
Any nutritional analysis on the website is based on an estimate, calculated by Spoonacular from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Wendy says
I was really excited about making this, as my dog had already tried a beef and zucchini recipe and loved it. I have a feeling that the ingredients list, is incorrect. My dog did not like these though, when going by your recipe. It says one cup of chicken mince and I believe that must be incorrect. Please rectify your recipe, if this is a factor. Thank you for the chance to try your recipe. I look forward to seeing any rectifications of this recipe. Thank you.
AngelaC says
It should have been 1lb not a cup. The recipe card has now been corrected.
Kerry says
Hello Angela, Can this recipe be made with beef or lamb instead of chicken? My foster is allergic to chicken and fish. I saw the beef zucchini meatball recipe that you posted but I like that there are no 'fillers' like rice in this meatball recipe. I'd love to know if you have tried this with lamb or beef. Given that beef cooks very different than chicken I worry that it won't work and I'll be wasting expensive meat...
AngelaC says
Hi Kerry, yes you could swap the meat but I could increase the cooking time to 12-15 minutes for a longer cooking time. This may vary between air fryers so check them after 10-12 minutes. Hope your dog enjoys them!