These Baked Chicken Meatballs are savory, healthy, and completely satisfying. They're lighter than beef yet missing nothing in the way of flavor. And thanks to a quick mix of fresh ingredients and Parmesan cheese, these little guys bake up tender and juicy every single time.
Coming in hot at only 20 minutes of prep time, these meatballs are already feeling like a dinner-time win. But add the fact that the whole thing comes together in one bowl and you don't have to do any stove work, and this recipe is bound to become a new regular on your weekly meal plan.
You would not expect this much flavor from a Chicken Meatball recipe. Especially not one that you just pop into the oven! But here it is, in all its flavorful glory, ready for your next family dinner, protein-packed lunch, or grab-and-go snack. Not to mention they're great for meal-prepping!
Serve these with our favorite signature Swedish meatball sauce and quick-fix mashed potatoes for a comforting (and super balanced) dinnertime victory! These are also delicious served with spaghetti and marinara. Or for a lighter option, try them with zucchini noodles or mashed cauliflower.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Before you begin whipping up your meatballs, make sure you get your oven preheating to 400°F, and you'll also want to line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil. If you happen to have 2 rimmed baking sheets, this may be ideal. We are going to be using 2 pounds of ground chicken, so you'll have plenty for meal prep, dinner time, or easy on-the-go lunches!
Any leftover Chicken Meatballs will keep great in the refrigerator or even the freezer, but we'll touch more on that later!
Once you've got your oven preheating and your pans ready, you can begin with your meatball mixture! You'll start with Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and milk. Moistening the breadcrumbs will help to keep your chicken meatballs tender and moist throughout the baking process. Place these ingredients in a large bowl, and stir the crumbs until they have absorbed the milk, and then your add in minced onion, garlic, and parsley.
Make sure you chop up your onion really fine. The smaller the onion, the more it will soften as the meatballs bake in the oven!
If you aren't feeling the shopping today, feel free to sub in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for the minced garlic and a half teaspoon of onion powder for the minced onion.
You will also add one slightly beaten egg (the egg serves as the binder for your meatballs), kosher salt, and pepper. If you like your meatballs on the spicy side feel free to add up to 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes in place of the black pepper. Mix all of these ingredients together, and then you'll add in 2 pounds of ground chicken. You can easily sub in ground turkey for these Chicken Meatballs if you'd like.
Ground chicken is exactly what it sounds like! It is chicken that has been ground up into a consistency similar to that of ground beef. Both dark and white meat are used in ground chicken and sometimes some skin is included in the mixture. It is a light pink color when raw, but changes to white once it's cooked.
Ground chicken is easy on the bank account as well as the calorie count! It is both a budget-friendly option, and a great substitute for heavier, more fatty meats.
Use either a fork or your hands to mix and combine gently. Do not overwork the mixture, or your meatballs will be tough.
When it comes to rolling Chicken Meatballs, things can get a bit sticky! The easiest way to roll ground poultry into meatball form is by using damp hands. If you'd prefer for your meatballs to be perfectly uniform in size, you will find a large cookie scoop an excellent tool for the job.
Scoop out about 2 tablespoons worth of the chicken meatball mixture, and then, with damp, cupped hands, Roll the meatball until it is perfectly round! Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart.
Making sure there is room between each meatball is important when it comes to browning. If your meatballs are too close together, heat cannot circulate around them, and therefore, they cannot brown. One little extra step we will take to ensure your Chicken Meatballs come out with a beautiful brown exterior is spritzing them with an olive oil cooking spray before they go into the oven.
Bake the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatball has registered 165°F. The temperature is best determined using an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the Chicken Meatball.
Hot tip! This recipe also works great as chicken burger patties. Toss them in the air fryer and and cook them just like you would our beef air fryer burgers.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN MEATBALLS
Chicken Meatballs should maintain their freshness and flavor for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
PERFECT FOR THE FREEZER!
To freeze your chicken meatballs for later, allow them to cool completely, place them in a freezer-safe airtight container with little headspace and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also use a freezer-safe, ziptop bag.
To thaw, place the meatballs in the fridge overnight, or reheat frozen meatballs in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
6 MORE MEATBALL RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Baked Meatballs
- Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs
- Meatball Casserole
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Halloween Meatballs
Baked Meatballs
Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
Meatball Casserole
Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Halloween Meatballs | Appetizer Recipe
Whether you need an appetizer, dinner idea, high-protein snack, or you're meal prepping for later, these Chicken Meatballs have you covered!
- ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ yellow onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
- 1 large egg slightly beaten
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- Cooking spray (avocado, canola, or olive oil)
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Preheat the oven to 400° and have ready 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs and milk. Stir until the crumbs have absorbed the milk. Add the minced onion, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, egg, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir once more to thoroughly combine. Add the ground chicken and gently mix to combine.
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With damp hands, roll about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture into a ball and place it on the baking sheet, placing each meatball at least 1" apart from the others. Lightly spritz the meatballs with cooking oil.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes, until properly cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, serve and enjoy!
Sources: Ground Turkey Vs. Ground Chicken: What's The Difference?
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