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These ground chicken meatballs are tender and juicy and cook up in less than 20 minutes. Stovetop and air fryer instructions included.
Love cooking with ground chicken? Try my ground chicken burgers, air fryer chicken patties, chicken crust pizza, and chicken sausage.
As much as I love traditional beef meatballs, my family loves it when I change things up and make my ground chicken meatball recipe. While chicken is leaner than beef, my special combination of ingredients guarantees extra juicy meatballs every single time.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- So juicy and tender. As the meatballs are oven-baked, they avoid the unnecessary grease dragging them down!
- Packed with flavor. A simple seasoning mix and spices make these meatballs extra delicious.
- Quick and easy. I love to whip these up for a quick weeknight dinner, and the leftovers freeze REALLY well! Also, I love to make these as part of my weekly meal prep.
- Lean and protein-packed. Chicken has less saturated fat and more protein than other kinds of ground meat.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“These are such a hit in my house- my family requests it at least once a week!” – Brittany
Ingredients needed
- Ground Chicken. I use lean ground chicken because the other ingredients add enough moisture without drying the meat. If you can’t find ground chicken, you can easily make your own by grinding down chicken breasts in a food processor.
- Eggs. Helps bind everything together.
- Milk. Adds moisture to the meatballs. If you are dairy-free, use your favorite dairy alternative instead.
- Fresh garlic AND garlic powder. You can never have too much garlic.
- Fresh onion AND onion powder. Optional, but add even more flavor.
- Bread crumbs. Help to bind the meatballs together and prevent them from falling apart. I like to use panko breadcrumbs as they have a lighter texture, but standard breadcrumbs also work.
- Italian seasoning. Gives the meatballs hints of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
How to make ground chicken meatballs
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients together. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix everything together to ensure the seasoning is well distributed.
Step 2: Shape. With wet hands, roll out the meatballs into small balls, about one tablespoon in size. Place them on the prepared tray as you roll them out.
Step 3: Bake. Place the tray of meatballs in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. Serve over pasta, spaghetti, or a salad.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Keep your hands wet. Wet hands make forming the meatballs much easier and prevent the meat from sticking to them.
- You’ll know the meatballs are fully cooked once they reach an internal temperature of 165F. Use a meat thermometer to double-check.
- Don’t overmix the meat, as it can result in tough and dry meatballs. Mix the ingredients together just until they are evenly combined.
- Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes before shaping and cooking can help the meatballs hold their shape better.
- To make this stove top, add olive oil to a large skillet or pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the meatballs for 12-15 minutes, rotating them regularly.
- To make air fryer chicken meatballs, place the prepped meatballs in a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Variations
- Use different spices, like cumin, red pepper flakes, or garlic powder to change the flavor.
- Use different ground meat. Ground turkey, ground pork, and even ground beef will all work.
- Add some cheese. A sprinkling of parmesan cheese into the mixture will completely transform the flavor.
- Experiment with different sauces. Try something different by dousing the meatballs in a katsu sauce, bulgogi sauce, or eel sauce. This would work well as a fun appetizer!
Storage instructions
To store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
To freeze: Transfer the cooked meatballs to an airtight container or plastic bag and place them in the freezer. The meatballs will last in the freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheating: I actually prefer to microwave the meatballs for 15-20 seconds as they trap in the heat better and maintain the juiciness. If you don’t want to do that, heat them up in the oven covered in aluminum foil until hot.
Frequently asked questions
Tough and gummy meatballs are a result of overmixing. When making the meatball mixture, you want everything to be just incorporated.
Yes, you can make chicken meatballs in advance. Prepare the meatballs and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also batch-freeze the uncooked meatballs for later use. I recommend no more than 3 months in advance.
More delicious meatball recipes
- Lamb meatballs
- Air fryer meatballs
- Keto meatballs
- Vegan meatballs
- Firecracker meatballs
- Eggplant meatballs
- Air fryer turkey meatballs
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Meatballs and gravy
Ground Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup bread crumbs I used panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, milk, garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything until just combined.
- Using lightly wet hands, roll out 20 meatballs. Place them a wire rimmed baking sheet or baking tray lined with aluminum foil.
- Bake the meatballs for 15-17 minutes, or until fully cooked. Use a meat thermometer to check that they have reached an internal temperature of 165F.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published April 2023, updated and republished May 2024
Can I also use minced chicken meat? I have those in my shops.
Yes that is the same as ground chicken.
Hi Arman.. what else can you use for breadcrumbs if you’re type 2 diabetes? I’m not supposed to have anything with added sugar.. thank you so much I just found out I have this and I’m trying to navigate my life 😊⭐
Hi Joan! Almond flour could work!
These are such a hit in my house- my family request it at least once a week!
Thanks, Brittany!
Do you start with raw chicken or chicken that has already been cooked
Raw chicken.
Hi Arman.. what else can you use for breadcrumbs if you’re type 2 diabetes? I’m not supposed to have anything with added sugar.. thank you so much I just found out I have this and I’m trying to navigate my life 😊⭐
Hello Arman, I just ran across your nice recipe website the other day. I am still exploring it. I am planning on making your chicken meatball recipe this evening. Thank you. They look good. I was wondering what you have the cooked meatballs sitting in in the bowl? Is it melted 🧈 butter?
Hi Kathy, it’s a lemon butter sauce from my lemon chicken recipe 🙂
Moist and delicious. Add some stewed tomatoes over top.
It looks like you added chopped parsley to your meatballs. Am I correct?
You can if you like!
Hi Arman, so right after I sent the first post I found your recipe for Keto Meatballs for which the recipe calls for ‘keto bread crumbs’ made with pork rinds. I don’t care for pork rinds–is there another way to get keto bread crumbs? Thanks again.
Almond flour should work!
I don’t have panko or bread crumbs. What I do have is some GF matzo cracker crumbs. They are very dry. Would these work as well? Thank you.
Yes should be fine! 🙂
these were yummy. i added tomato paste to the mixture for extra flavour
I’m allergic to eggs but would love to try these. Do any of the egg substitutes work in this recipe?