Chicken meatballs are delicious and juicy, perfect as an appetizer or served with pasta.

Ground chicken is mixed with bread crumbs and seasonings rolled into meatballs and baked until tender.

Prep ahead and freeze them in batches for quick weeknight meals.

Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs

Serve these meatballs with marinara sauce over pasta or on game day with grape jelly sauce!

  • They’re so versatile! Use these chicken meatballs in any recipe calling for meatballs.
  • Prep a double batch – they can be frozen either before or after baking.
  • Add chicken meatballs to soups, pasta, or over rice.
  • Chicken meatballs have fewer calories and less fat than beef/pork meatballs.
ingredients to make Chicken Meatballs in a bowl

Ingredients in Chicken Meatballs

Chicken – I use lean ground chicken to make juicy meatballs. Extra-lean is made with chicken breast, and while it will work, ensure that you don’t overcook them. You can replace the meat with ground turkey.

Breadcrumbs – Seasoned breadcrumbs have a finer texture and add extra flavor, but Panko breadcrumbs work as well. They’re added to bind the ingredients together and make them juicy as they soak up some of the juices while they bake.

Flavor – Parmesan cheese gives these chicken meatballs some extra flavor. Feel free to add a little Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes if you’d like.

How to Make Chicken Meatballs

  1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl according to the recipe below.
  2. Roll mixture into meatballs and place on a prepared baking sheet.
  3. Bake until they are just cooked through.

KITCHEN TIP: Ensure meatballs are the same size so they cook evenly. A cookie scoop makes this quick and easy!

How to Freeze Chicken Meatballs

Prepare the meatballs as directed and freeze on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the meatballs to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months.

  • To bake raw meatballs from frozen: Cook for 25 to 28 minutes
  • To bake cooked meatballs from frozen: Cook for 18 to 20 minutes.
plated Chicken Meatballs
  • Leftover meatballs can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Meatball Recipes We Love

Did you make these Chicken Meatballs? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

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plated Chicken Meatballs
4.94 from 46 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Chicken Meatballs

These ground chicken meatballs are moist & juicy. Serve with pasta, as an appetizer, or in soup!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 24 meatballs
Author Holly Nilsson

Equipment

a rimmed baking pan
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper with white background
Parchment Paper
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Ingredients  

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together. Mix until just combined.
  • Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs (you should have 24 total) and place them on the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the meatballs are just cooked through. Do not overbake.

Notes

Avoid overbaking meatballs so they stay juicy when added to other dishes. Internal temperature should read 165°F.
To Freeze:
Freeze meatballs either before or after cooking and bake from frozen.
  • To bake raw meatballs from frozen: Cook for 25 to 28 minutes
  • To bake cooked meatballs from frozen: Cook for 18 to 20 minutes.
4.94 from 46 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 44 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Chicken, Dinner, Main Course, Party Food
Cuisine American
Chicken Meatballs on a plate with a title
easy Chicken Meatballs with dip and writing
juicy Chicken Meatballs with a title
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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Better than my ground-beef meatballs!

    Okay, that’s not saying much. But really, they’re very good. 4 1/2 star4 stars

  2. Better than my ground-beef meatballs!

    Okay, that’s not saying much. But really, they’re very good. 4 1/2 stars.4 stars

  3. First time making these and they came out pretty good, well seasoned. I used plain bread crumbs, increased salt to 1/2 tsp. And used dried parsley because I didn’t have fresh on hand. My only issue was adding some milk which made bread crumbs clump into hard pellets. But I feel milk was necessary for moisture. Maybe next time I’ll add more, 1/2 cup or so. I would also like to try these with fresh onions and garlic (sautéed in butter) for enhanced texture and flavor. Otherwise this recipe is good as it is, with simple ingredients. Thank you.4 stars

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! You can increase the milk if you’d like however, I don’t mix the milk with the crumbs first. I place it all in a bowl with the chicken and mix it together. The crumbs will soften further as they absorb juices from the chicken.

  4. Wonderful. I made these meatballs, but I also included a mozzarella stuffed pepper in the interior. Wow, delicious.

  5. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY cannot wait to try this
    but is it possible to use **panko instead of
    bread crumbs?
    **beats oats, bread crumbs etc. for my turkey meatloaf which
    is to die for.

  6. Delicious. Used gluten-free bread crumbs & dairy-free cheese. Easy to make.
    Served with marinara & gluten-free pasta.5 stars

  7. Great. Recipe! One question, nutrition information does noot say how many meatballs per serving. Is it 4 servings of 6?5 stars

  8. I’m realizing I’ve made this great recipe a few times and never left a review. These are so flavorful. I don’t miss beef and the whole family loves them, kids included. I have used both ground turkey and chicken. Worked great with both. No changes except a bit more salt.

    I finally paid better attention this time and used parchment paper, as the recipe states, instead of aluminum foil. No more sticking to the foil. ;) Thank you for another great recipe!! Husband says “They’re amazing.”5 stars

  9. Great recipe, Holly. I love that they’re nice & healthy, so I’m looking forward to making them. They sound scrumptious! I will however, make them larger, to yield 1 doz. Thanks

  10. This looks yummy! Are they suitable for the airfryer? Would you know time and temp?
    Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, Holly!

    1. You’re welcome Judith! While I haven’t made these in the air fryer, I’d suggest that you follow the method in this recipe for cooking in the air fryer.