Baked Chicken Meatballs: a family-table method

Chicken meatballs in a skillet of garlic butter.

The finest chicken meatballs baked until golden brown and flavored with garlic, herbs and spices. These meatballs are great served as an appetizer, or over a big plate of spaghetti.

My family loves meatballs, I often make their go-to versions including meatball soup, grape jelly meatballs, Italian meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, sweet and sour meatballs, and this lighter chicken version.

My family loves dinner recipes that involve meatballs, and these tender and juicy chicken meatballs are their all-time go-to. Chicken meatballs are a little lighter than their beef counterparts, but they’re still plenty flavorful and are super straightforward to prepare.

Chicken Meatball Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need ground chicken, an egg, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning and fresh parsley.

How Do You Make Chicken Meatballs?

To make chicken meatballs, place ground chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix everything thoroughly, then roll 1 inch balls out of the mixture.

Place the uncooked meatballs on a foil lined baking sheet pan and they are ready to bake. Put them in the oven until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Ground chicken, herbs, breadcrumbs and cheese in a mixing bowl.

Tips For Chicken Meatballs

You can use ground turkey instead of ground chicken with great results.
When you select your ground chicken, pick 93-96% lean ground chicken. Avoid 99% lean ground chicken breast.
I like to serve these chicken balls in garlic butter sauce. To make garlic butter sauce, simply cook in a pan 4 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley and a little salt and pepper to taste. You can also serve these meatballs in kitchen-made marinara sauce or with tomato sauce for dipping.
Be sure to offer some great side dishes such as Hasselback sweet potatoes, sauteed broccolini or fennel salad.
Try putting a little cooking oil on your hands when you form the meatballs. That helps keep the meat from sticking to you and gives you smoother balls.
You can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or put them in the freezer for 2 months.
No parsley on hand? Try a different herb such as oregano or basil.

Quick Tip

Be careful not to pack the meatballs too tightly in your hands, or they can become tough.

Ground chicken with herbs and spices, rolled into balls.

Recipe FAQs

How do you keep meatballs tender?

There are a few tricks to keep your meatballs tender. Be sure to use ground chicken that is 93-96% lean, that extra fat along with the olive oil in the recipe will keep the meat from getting dry. In addition, be careful not to over bake the meatballs. They are ready as soon as they are done and the tops are brown.

What are chicken meatballs made of?

Chicken meatballs are made with ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, cheese, olive oil, herbs and spices.

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Chicken Meatball Variations

These chicken meatballs are fantastic in so many different ways. Here are some changes you can try.

Greek style: Add 1/2 cup chopped cooked spinach and use feta cheese for the parmesan cheese. You can also add a tablespoon of minced onions.
Cheese lovers: Add 1/2 cup each of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese to the meatballs.
Mexican: Omit the Italian seasoning, instead use 1 tablespoon of chili powder. Use cheddar cheese instead of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle a little cilantro over the top of the meatballs when serving them instead of parsley.
Bacon: Try adding 1/2 cup of cooked crumbled bacon to the meatballs.
Stuffed meatballs: Put a 1/2 inch cube of mozzarella cheese inside each meatball, then bake.

A serving plate of chicken meatballs served with marinara sauce.

These baked chicken meatballs bake up browned on the outside and tender on the inside. They work perfectly in pasta, as a pizza topping, in a sandwich, or as a party snack. The possibilities are endless!

More Meatball Recipes You’ll Love

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This recipe for asian turkey meatballs involves light and tender meatballs that are seasoned with asian flavors, tossed in a honey garlic sauce and served over a colorful carrot rice. It's a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen Chicken meatballs in a skillet of garlic butter.

The finest chicken meatballs baked until golden brown and flavored with garlic, herbs and spices. These meatballs are great served as an appetizer, or over a big plate of spaghetti. Time Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chicken 96% lean
1 egg
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil, and coat the foil with cooking spray.
Place the ground chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Roll 1 inch sized meatballs, and place the meatballs in a single layer on the baking pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are browned and cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Notes

You can use ground turkey instead of ground chicken with great results.
When you select your ground chicken, pick 93-96% lean ground chicken. Avoid 99% lean ground chicken breast.
I like to serve these meatballs in garlic butter sauce. To make garlic butter sauce, simply cook in a pan 4 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley and a little salt and pepper to taste. You can also serve these meatballs in marinara sauce or with marinara sauce for dipping.