Chicken Meatballs
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
24 meatballs
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Calories
88 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Chicken Meatballs
Description
The recipe combines ground chicken and pork with panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, finely minced onion and garlic, egg, half and half, and seasoning for the meatball mixture. Small meatballs are shaped and briefly refrigerated before baking to firm them up. Baking ensures the meat stays tender and does not fall apart, especially important given the leanness of chicken.
The sauce is a gravy-style combination of butter, flour, chicken broth, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, half and half, and multiple dried herbs and spices including garlic powder, parsley, mustard powder, onion powder, sage, black pepper, and rosemary, with optional Gravy Master for color. The meatballs finish cooking in this rich sauce, which binds the flavors.
The finished dish offers tender, moist meatballs with a creamy, well-seasoned sauce that pairs well with mashed potatoes or pasta. The recipe yields approximately 24 meatballs and includes make-ahead storage tips, allowing meatballs and sauce to be prepared in advance, frozen, or refrigerated, and reheated gently without loss of texture.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ cup parsley roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup half and half
- 1 egg whisked, large
- 1/3 cup yellow onion very finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- ½ lb. ground pork see notes
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ beef bouillon cube see notes
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon half and half
- ½ teaspoon onion powder each
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon rosemary each, dried rosemary, ground sage
- ¼ teaspoon sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 drops Gravy Master optional
Instructions
Make the Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Pro Tip: Make sure the onions are very finely minced. This way you don’t have to soften/cook them first and it’ll ensure the meatballs stay together.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper in a large bowl. Add the half and half, egg, onions, and garlic and mix until well combined.
- Add the meat and gently mix with your hands or a silicone spatula until just combined. Don't overwork the meat, or the meatballs will be tough. If the mixture feels too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons breadcrumbs.
- Roll into 24 meatballs, each about 1 ½ inches wide. Place on a light colored, lightly greased baking sheet.
- Pro Tip: Refrigerate the meatballs for up to 5 minutes and then give them one more roll to smooth them out a little more.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove and set aside.
Make the Sauce
- While the meatballs bake, set the butter/flour aside and combine all remaining sauce ingredients in a medium measuring cup with a spout.
- Melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour. Stir continuously for 2 minutes, until the flour turns a light brown and the raw flour smell is cooked off.
- Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Adding it slowly will ensure the sauce is thick and that the roux doesn’t break.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Pro Tip: A few drops of gravy master will add a darker color to the sauce, this is totally optional.
- Add the meatballs back and spoon the sauce on top. Heat through for 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 degrees.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted green beans.
Notes
- Use very finely minced onions to avoid needing to pre-cook them and help meatballs hold together.
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Refrigerate meatballs before baking for firmer shapes and roll again to smooth.
- Meatballs can be baked ahead, cooled, stored airtight and refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Make sauce up to 2 days in advance minus butter and flour; cook sauce with butter and flour, add baked meatballs, and simmer to finish.
- Ground pork rounds out flavor but can substitute with chicken or turkey sausage or all ground chicken.
- Reheat meatballs covered at 300°F for 15 minutes; thaw frozen meatballs in fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 88 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 88kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 229mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 154mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugar | 0.4g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 129IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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