Chicken Meatballs
Looking for an easy weeknight meal? Baked chicken meatballs are a quick main dish you can make in just half an hour. Serve them up on pasta, rice or salad, plus your favorite side dishes!
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Baked Chicken Meatballs Recipe
If you've followed along for a while, you may remember that I often have a fear of trying to cook new things. There is a strange category of foods that to me seem impossible to make at home.
Homemade pesto, steaks and homemade ice cream are just a few of the recipes that I've conquered fear in order to try at home. Meatballs was at the top of the list. I truly have no idea why I was so convinced meatballs couldn't be made well at home.
Now I make them all the time. This chicken meatball recipe is one of our favorite meals around here. Typically I go traditional and end up serving these baked chicken meatballs over a bed of spaghetti, but there are so many ways you could enjoy these!
If you've ever wondered what to make for a big crowd you may have considered pasta as a good option. Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic comfort dish that most people will love, subbing these juicy chicken meatballs can make it a unique dinner that your guests will love!
Ready to learn how to make your own baked chicken meatballs? Scroll down to find out how!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
You'll love this easy chicken meatball recipe, for a few reasons:
- Ground chicken meatballs are a wonderful meal prep item since they store and reheat very well.
- Clean-up after making this recipe is very simple and quick. Make a wonderful meal without all the mess!
- They are so versatile. You cans serve them for dinner or pair them with dipping sauces for a party appetizer.
Ingredients
These simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy recipe:
- ground chicken
- bread crumbs
- egg
- parmesan or Italian blend cheese
- salt
- black pepper
Substitutions and Variations
Make homemade Italian bread crumbs or buy some panko breadcrumbs from the grocery store. To make this great recipe keto-friendly, use almond flour instead of bread crumbs to bind the ingredients.
Feel free to substitute the lean ground chicken for ground turkey. The flavor will be slightly different but still very tasty!
You can add extra seasonings to these healthy baked chicken meatballs to give them even more flavor. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder would all taste delicious. Add kick with red pepper flakes!
Totally optional, but you can add cheese to these meatballs. Parmesan cheese, Italian blend cheese, and mozzarella cheese are all great options to add to these delicious meatballs.
If you want to experiment with other flavors, give these French onion meatballs a try!
How to Make Baked Chicken Meatballs
Here's how to make this easy recipe for chicken meatballs in the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large pan with parchment paper. Then combine ground meat, bread crumbs, large egg, shredded cheese, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Form chicken mixture into golf ball sized meatballs. Then, place the raw meatballs onto the lined baking sheet, a few inches apart.
Hot Tip: If you are having trouble combining the ingredients, don't be afraid to use your hands to mix. The more messy your hands, the more tasty the dish!
Place meatballs into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Once fully cooked, serve with your favorite pasta, over a salad, with rice, or on bread as a meatball sub.
How to Store Leftover Meatballs
Place leftovers into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can also freeze baked chicken meatballs.
Store in a freezer bag or airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow frozen meatballs to thaw and then heat them in the oven or on the stove top until they reach a safe internal temperature.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Meatballs
The best thing about meatballs is they are so versatile!
Pasta: Serve on bed of pasta with marinara sauce. Chicken meatballs are great for a lighter spaghetti & meatballs! Top with some fresh herbs like fresh parsley for a gorgeous presentation. Make some fluffy breadsticks with it!
Grain bowls: You can try them with grains too, like a serving of brown rice. Use them with stir fry sauce or honey sriracha sauce.
Soups: Meatballs are so great in soup! Add noodles and meatballs to chicken broth make a delicious chicken noodle soup. Mexican meatball soup is a favorite.
Sandwiches and salads: You can also serve them on a fluffy hoagie roll to make a delicious meatball sub. They'd be a great topping for a crunchy spinach salad. You could serve them with lemon orzo pasta salad too!
However you decide to serve it, serve some oven roasted broccoli, grilled squash, or roasted rosemary potatoes. Garlic green beans with brown butter are a tasty dish too.
Tips for Success
- Use an instant-read thermometer to get an accurate read on the internal temperature of the chicken meatballs.
- You can cook these meatballs on the stove top, but be sure you don't overcook them. It's a faster method but you can easily dry them out!
- If you don't have parchment paper, line your sheet pan with aluminum foil instead.
FAQ
Either way works, but baking meatballs is less messy. It also tends to cook out more fat making the meatballs a bit more healthy. Baking meatballs helps keep them from drying out quickly too!
Lean ground chicken is far less fat and calories than ground beef. Put it with your favorite tomato sauce and a low carb pasta and you've got a healthier meal than traditional spaghetti and meatballs!
More Chicken Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Grilled Chicken Burgers
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Did you make this recipe?
If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Baked Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs store bought or homemade
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup parmesan or Italian blend cheese (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula to make sure the chicken is well blended and no longer looks stringy like it comes in the package.
- Form into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until meat is thoroughly cooked, to 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
- Serve over a salad, bed of rice or pasta, or as an appetizer with marinara sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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