Air Fryer Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls

My Air Fryer recipe for Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls is inspired by one of my favorite indulgent creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious.

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle.

Instead of heavy sauces, super carby-carbs, and cooking methods I shy from (like traditional deep frying of rice balls), Air Fryer Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls keep all the decadent flavor served up in fun, nourishing “two-bite” morsels. For me, one Chicken and Quinoa appetizer or dinner is easy to portion – one makes a snack and three quinoa balls make a dinner (especially yummy on the sauce of your choice or on a spinach salad).  A three-piece serving has 364 calories, 16g fat, 28g net carb, 27g protein.

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle. -- The Instant Pot Duo Crisp  (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.

This air fryer quinoa arancini recipe is surprisingly simple to make, especially if you already have cooked, shredded chicken breast on hand. I always make a big batch in Instant Pot® Duo Crisp™ + Air Fryer and shred up when cooled, and keep portioned in various serving sizes in the freezer – for recipes like this Chicken Quinoa Balls in Air Fryer. Or, just to thaw and throw on a salad. While this post is all about Quinoa Balls, and not so much how to cook chicken in an Instant Pot – there are several ways. I prefer the slow-cooking function, and really don’t use an official recipe – just about ½ cup of chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of my favorite freeze-dried herb poultry seasoning per every 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast. I just throw it all in there and let it cook low and slow for 8 hours before shredding up.

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle. 

The Instant Pot Duo Crisp  (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.
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The rest of the air fryer chicken quinoa meal recipe is a snap. First, cook quinoa according to package directions (takes about 15 minutes) and let cool down to room temperature – another 10 to 15 minutes (faster if you spread out on a baking sheet). You can also use pre-cooked, frozen and defrosted quinoa – check out this quinoa meal prep post.

The it’s just a matter of mixing the seasonings into the softened cream cheese, followed by the shredded chicken and quinoa (btw, I used tri-color quinoa, but any type will do).

Rolling Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls in panko.

Next grab a handful of the mixture, and roll into golf ball-sized portions, making about a dozen. Then roll each ball in panko bread crumbs (or if needed gluten free bread crumbs) until nice and coated, no longer sticky to picky up.

- The Instant Pot Duo Crisp  (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.
Love the convenience of this “shelf” that can be added to Air Fryer basket to
double the cooking capacity!

Stick in the Air Fryer basked of the Instant Pot® Duo Crisp™+ Air Fryer, layering half on the bottom of the basket and using the metal, circular insert to make a shelf to hold the remaining half-dozen. Air fry on 400F degrees for approximately 8 to 10 minutes. They will be done when crunchy and golden brown on the outside, and heated through and a bit, soft and gooey on the inside.

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle. -- The Instant Pot Duo Crisp  (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.

Serving suggestion:  Make a creamy tomato sauce by mixing in a splash of heavy cream into warmed tomato pasta sauce. Place three Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls in the center and garnish with fresh basil.

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle. -- The Instant Pot Duo Crisp  (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.

Also, don’t forget to check out the Instant Pot® Duo Crisp™ + Air Fryer, an 11-in-1 pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer, sous vide, air fryer, roaster, mini oven, broiler, and dehydrator. It comes with two lids so you can instantly transform it into an Air Fryer with proprietary air flow technology that gives the crunch and tenderness of deep-frying with 95% less oil! Plus, I personally LOVE having just ONE countertop appliance that does it all, instead of a whole closet full! Stay tuned for more Instant Pot Duo Crisp recipes from The Fit Fork!

By the way, this recipe is my own, but was inspired by The Complete Quinoa Cookbook by Catherine Gill, that was recently sent to me by the publisher. Check it out, fabulous stuff in there.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on products purchased, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operation expense for The Fit Fork. Thank you!

4.8 from 5 votes
Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle.
Air Fryer Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Chicken Alfredo Quinoa Balls are inspired by one of my favorite indulgent Italian meals, creamy Chicken Alfredo and hot, crispy Arancini (those delicious little balls of deep-fried rice or risotto) – but made more nutritious. So quick and simple to make, and definitely kid-friendly, these delicious morsels can be served as an appetizer or served on sauce as a meal. Visit thefitfork.com for more Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes with great nutrition to fuel a busy and active lifestyle. — The Instant Pot Duo Crisp (that's also an air fryer) is the perfect appliance to make this simple recipe even more quick and convenient.

Course: Appetizer, dinner, dinner, entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: air fryer, alfredo, chicken, quinoa
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces Neufchatel cheese
  • 1 ½ cups COOKED quinoa
  • 8 ounces shredded chicken breast already cooked
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup panko
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley if desired
  • Optional: pasta sauce for serving.
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa and chicken breast beforehand, if needed.
  2. Soften Neufchatel cheese and stir in garlic power, onion powder, ground black pepper and salt.
  3. Next stir in cooked quinoa and shredded chicken until mixed thoroughly into the cheese.
  4. Use hands to form golf ball-sized balls (about ¼ cup) of mixture, before rolling each into panko crumbs, patting crumbs on to create a thick coating.
  5. Should make about 12 balls.
  6. Set Air Fryer to 400F degrees and set 6 balls on bottom of basket, and 6 balls on top of tray or 2nd tier metal insert. Or, if smaller capacity air fryer, then do in two batches.
  7. Air fry for 8 – 10 minutes or until turning golden grown and heated well throughout.
  8. Serve as appetizer, or set three in a bowl of pasta sauce for a meal.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition for THREE balls:

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake

Love a hearty, hot meal in the morning, like one of my favorite make-ahead breakfast casseroles – Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake. Wholesome goodness baked up in a 9”x13” dish, ready to cut into satisfying, satiating, super scrumptious squares.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Lots of protein (21g per serving) and enough carbs to give me some get-up and go, but not be “over the top.” I rely on (thawed) frozen hash brown potatoes to give me that delicious energy I need for my runs and workouts. Eggs and cheese (boosted by some blended cottage cheese) add extra protein power along with the ground chicken breast. Plus, SO MUCH flavor from roasted Hatch green chilies – I just love them!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO TUTORIAL ON PINTEREST HERE!

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
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No surprise, I love these mild to medium (some varieties hot) peppers from the hallowed grounds of New Mexico. I’ve written a lot of blog posts on Hatch Green Chile recipes and tips (here’s a useful post) – and I’ve also been the champion of a Hatch Green Chile Cookoff here in Austin, Texas. A recent Hatch Green Chile recipe is 15 minute Baked Shrimp in Hatch Green Chile Sauce.

These green chiles are definitely a fan favorite for their earthy bite that doesn’t burn too much (really some are quite mild, which I think works well to compliment the flavors of both chicken and eggs). When hatch peppers aren’t in season (August – September), I rely on the Hatch Green Chile Store to quell my cravings!

Beef Egg Potato Bake Breakfast Casserole - TheFitFork.com
  • This chicken green chile casserole recipe was inspired by one of my most popular and best breakfast casserole recipes – Barn-raiser Beef & Egg Bake, a real winner that has been featured in Taste of Home and also on the Hallmark Home & Family Show.

Of course, I changed this Hatch Green Chicken Egg Bake up a bit to be a super star in its own right, but recipe concept is very similar – create a base of thawed frozen hash browns in casserole dish, pour over a mixture of cooked ground meat, veggies, etc., and then pour over an egg-milk-cheese mixture that soaks down through all the layers to create a tender but firm casserole that cuts nicely into squares that hold their shape.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Layer up in a 9″x 13″ casserole dish and bake 60 minutes.

Big enough to serve a crowd at brunch, but this breakfast egg bake with green chiles can also be cooled and frozen in single-serving portions. Then, either defrost overnight in the fridge (or on “defrost” in the microwave) before re-heating for about 60 seconds on high in microwave.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Per serving: 304 calories, 16g carbs, 16g fat, 21g protein!!! It will keep you filled up for a while without busting your calorie budget.

5 from 3 votes
Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
cool
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb — 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: chicken, egg, make ahead, meal prep
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 304 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 lb. ground chicken breast
  • 1 oz. packet chicken taco season mix like McCormick’s
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped roasted green chiles Hatch Green Chili Store
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro divided
  • 14 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or blended cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
  • 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
  • ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Heat large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil and onions, sauté for 1 minute. Add ground chicken breast and brown, crumbling into small pieces, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through well. The chicken is low-fat, so there will be nothing to drain.
  3. Stir in water and taco seasoning, stir over heat to combine.
  4. Add, chopped green chiles, chopped spinach and 3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro to skillet, stir over heat until spinach wilted.
  5. Whisk together eggs, milk and ricotta cheese (or blended cottage cheese).
  6. Stir 2/3 of shredded Monterey Jack cheese into egg mixture (reserve remainder)
  7. Place shredded hash browns in bottom of 9” x 13” casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
  8. Spoon chicken taco mixture evenly over hash browns.
  9. Pour egg mixture over taco mixture.
  10. Top with remaining cheese.
  11. Bake for 50 minutes or until center set.
  12. Let cook 5 minutes before slicing into 12 squares.
  13. For meal prep, portions may be frozen in airtight container and then defrosted and reheated, as needed.
Recipe Notes

This post contains affiliate links.

Chicken Apple Kale Power Bowl

Chicken Apple Kale Power Bowl is a great fuel for your lunch hour (or dinner for that matter)! Wholesome, nutrient-dense ingredients like kale, apple, chicken, dates, almonds and whole grains are tossed together into one mega-nutritious, mega-satisfying salad.   

Plus, it’s mega-crunch and fun to eat, crunch-crunch-crunch! Read on to get this easy kale salad bowl recipe:

One-Skillet Teriyaki Chicken-Quinoa Meatballs with Sweet Potato Noodles

This post is sponsored by Kevin’s Natural Foods as part of a blogger’s recipe contest. However, all content, comments and enthusiasm remain my own.

Who doesn’t love meatballs?! My One-Skillet Teriyaki Chicken-Quinoa Meatballs with Sweet Potato Noodles is an easy, meal-in-one dish that the family loves. And, I love to too because it’s a flavorful and creative change from traditional meatballs and spaghetti (or zoodles) with tomato sauce.Teriyaki Chicken-Quinoa Meatballs with Sweet Potato Noodles -- a one-skillet supper!

These Asian-inspired meatballs are served with spiralized sweet potatoes, mushrooms and a bit of baby bok choy – all dressed in a Paleo/Keto-certified Teriyaki Sauce from Kevin’s Natural Foods. In addition to all these healthy, wholesome foods that are tied together with a fabulous sauce, another perk of this chicken meatball recipe is that it is all made in a single skillet. So, there is little to clean up! Continue reading

Easy Chicken Coconut Lime Soup with Rice

Whoohoo, I created a delicious dinner during this social isolation period (and actually a freakishly rainy and cold spring day) out of what I had on hand! I can’t really call it traditional Tom Kha Gai but it is INSPIRED by my favorite Thai soup.  It’s super comforting and I’m calling it Quarantine Chicken Coconut Lime Soup with Rice.

Chicken Coconut Lime Soup with rice

Read on to get this easy soup recipe that uses many ingredients you are likely to already have on hand. Continue reading