These Baked Chicken Meatballs are so quick to make, and they bake up juicy, flavorful, and so delicious! I love serving these alongside tomato sauce and pasta for a simple weeknight dinner!
Looking for more easy chicken dinners? Try my Baked Chicken Breasts next!
About This Recipe
If you love meatballs, but are trying to reduce your red meat intake, you're going to love these chicken meatballs! They're so tender and juicy, full of flavor, and bake up super quickly in the oven.
I have had my fair share of dry chicken meatballs, but these ones will not disappoint you! The reason most chicken meatballs are dry is because chicken is naturally leaner than beef or pork. To fix that, I add a bit of olive oil to the meat to keep it extra moist. And since olive oil is an unsaturated fat, it's not too unhealthy either!
Even better, these meatballs are baked in the oven, so no need to babysit a pan on the stovetop for 10s of minutes. Also, pan-frying meatballs can create quite a bit of oil splatter, so baking means less mess to clean up later.
Key Ingredients
Ground chicken: For this recipe, I actually ground my own chicken meat, but you can use store-bought if you prefer. If you decide to grind your own meat, try to use at least half dark meat so the meatballs are not too lean.
Breadcrumbs: I used panko breadcrumbs because that's what I had at home, but any type of breadcrumb will work. If you have seasoned breadcrumbs, you can probably omit some of the spices in the recipe. Breadcrumbs are important because they help break up the meat so the meatballs come out more tender.
Parmesan: Adds a bit of saltiness and flavor without adding salt.
Eggs: Acts as a binder so the meatballs don't fall apart while baking.
Olive oil: Just a tablespoon or two adds much-needed moisture to the chicken meatballs.
Parsley: Some fresh herbs really livens up the meatballs. I used parsley today, but sometimes I use cilantro as well.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and salt.
Instructions
STEP 1: To a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
STEP 2: Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. For getting uniform balls, a small ice cream scoop or cookie dough scoop works great!
STEP 3: Bake for 14-18 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom and cooked through (they should reach an internal temperature of 165ยฐF). Be careful you don't overcook these, as they will get drier and chewier the longer they stay in the oven. Start checking the temperature around 14 minutes.
๐ Recipe
Baked Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ยฝ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ยฐF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Roll the mixture into small balls (about the size of a golf ball) and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom and cooked through.
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