the most flavorful ground chicken meatballs ever

“Most flavorful” is a pretty bold statement but I’m stickin’ to it!

I used to think ground chicken meatballs would be dry and boring. How could I have been so wrong? This chicken meatball recipe is anything but!

I’m a meatball lover and to be honest, a little picky when it comes to meatballs.

I didn’t think I could deviate from my best meatballs ever recipe until these little bundles of flavor goodness came into my life.

These ground chicken meatballs have a crispy outside, soft, moist (sorry, had to say it) center, and a flavor combination to die for. There’s a little heat, a little tang, and a whole lotta Italian flavor!

how to make ground chicken meatballs

These meatballs take minutes to prepare. Go ahead and dump the ground chicken (or turkey) in a bowl and lightly mix together. Go ahead and use your hands (just remember to take your rings off)!

Scoop with a cookie scoop if you have one— it will make your life easier! I scoop them all out and then go back and roll each of the balls.

Once you’ve formed the meatballs, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When the bottom half of the meatball is brown (approx. 3-4 mins.), turn and cook the other half. Their golden outsides are a thing of beauty, I promise!

Remove them from the heat and place them on paper towels to drain the oil.

At this point, I have to be vigilant. Anyone walking by these crispy balls of joy tries to sneak one. As much as I want to guard them with my life, I secretly delight in the family’s efforts to steal them before dinner. Doesn’t it get you excited when the whole fam loves something—and it’s healthy?

chicken meatballs, no breadcrumbs

I decided to go the non-traditional route with these chicken meatballs and went without breadcrumbs (gasp!). I substituted with almond flour, thinking the extra fat from the almonds would keep the chicken moist (sorry, I said it AGAIN!). Of course, you’re welcome to use breadcrumbs or a different flour. I’m confident they’d be just as delicious.

meatballs with pecorino cheese

Another change in this chicken meatball recipe is to use Pecorino cheese vs. Parmesan. Pecorino, a cheese made from sheep’s milk vs. cow, has become my go-to because it’s more easily digested.

The taste of Pecorino is stronger than Parmesan so the cheese flavor really comes through, even with all of the other flavors. However, if you have Parmesan on-hand, feel free to use that.

what to serve with chicken meatballs

Traditional pasta works well with these meatballs. To keep the dish on the healthier, more nutrient-dense side, I like to use brown rice or wheat spaghetti noodles. I’m a huge fan of Jovial’s brown rice pasta which has become my staple.

If you want to go completely grain & gluten-free, make these meatballs with roasted butternut squash. To make spaghetti squash, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the inside of the squash. Place on a sheet tray, inside side down, and bake for 30-40 minutes on 400. It should have a really nice brown on the inside and soft when it’s done. Use a fork to easily pull the squash noodles from the squash.

A third option is to add the meatballs to a pot of sauce and pair them with a nice loaf of bread.

Whatever you pair it with, make sure you save some extra cheese to grate on top!

other pasta recipes you’ll love:

• amazing chicken sausage pasta in easy tomato sauce
• healthy vegetable lasagna with white sauce: guilt-free comfort
• cozy butternut squash noodles with chicken and stunning cream sauce
• delicious gluten-free turkey bolognese
• easy zucchini shrimp scampi

the most flavorful ground chicken meatballs ever

4 from 5 votes

Recipe by Karen Lachman Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Meatballs

40

meatballs

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

These ground chicken meatballs have a crispy outside, soft center, and a spice combination that’s insane. There’s a little heat, a little tang, and a whole lotta Italian flavor!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground chicken

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

• zest from 1 lemon

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp. good quality olive oil

• 2 tsp. dried oregano

• 2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

• 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Directions

• Add ground chicken to a large bowl. Add the eggs, cheese, almond flour, parsley, 2 tbsp. olive oil, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Using your hands, blend ingredients together. Shape into 1 1/2-2 inch balls (a cookie scoop is handy here!)
• Heat oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When the bottom half of the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, turn and cook top half. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Lower cooked meatballs into simmering marinara sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve alone, with pasta or roasted butternut squash noodles (see post for instructions).

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