Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(51)
Ingredients
about 35 meatballs
- 2 pounds (907g) ground chicken (I usually use 94% lean)
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup (84g) breadcrumbs*
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated parmesan cheese*
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup (56g; 4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
- pinch of salt
- optional for serving: crushed red pepper flakes
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Step 2
With a large spoon or spatula, mix together all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3
Scoop a portion of the mixture, about 2 Tablespoons (30–35g) in size, roll into a ball with your hands, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should have around 35 meatballs.
Step 4
Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Insert an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness; the meatballs are fully cooked when an instant-read thermometer reads the internal temperature as 165°F (74°C).
Step 5
Make the sauce: Place the butter and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is fully melted. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (about 1 minute—don’t let the garlic brown). Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh herbs. Brush or spoon the buttery sauce onto the meatballs when they come out of the oven. You will have some extra for serving. If desired, sprinkle meatballs with crushed red pepper flakes.
Step 6
Serve warm meatballs with remaining herb butter sauce, over your choice of pasta or zucchini noodles.
Step 7
Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Step 8
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
Make Ahead Instructions:
To make ahead, you can complete steps 2 & 3, then cover the unbaked chicken meatballs tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking.
Freezing & Reheating Instructions:
You have 2 choices here
Special Tools (affiliate links):
Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula | Instant-Read Thermometer | Basting Brush | Spiralizer (to make zucchini noodles)
Ground Turkey or Beef:
You can substitute ground turkey or beef for the chicken.
Breadcrumbs:
You can use panko, regular, whole wheat, Italian seasoned, or gluten free.
Parmesan Cheese:
Feel free to skip the cheese (it does give a lot of flavor, though!), or replace with another shredded or crumbled cheese of your choice. Give the shredded or crumbled cheese a quick chop before using.
Herbs:
You can replace any of the fresh herbs with dried, if desired. General rule of thumb is to cut the amount in half; so 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano = 1/2 teaspoon dried.
Zucchini Noodles:
If you’d like to make the zucchini noodles as pictured, here is how I cook them
