Go for something healthier and make easy 30-minute Cheesy Baked Chicken Meatballs. They cook up tender and juicy, and everyone in the family will devour them! Perfect for meal prep or freezer cooking.
Seriously, this ground chicken meatball recipe is a winner. We eat them all year long—rain or shine.
Here’s why we love them so much:
- They’re easy to make in one bowl.
- They’re healthier than ground beef.
- They’re freezer-friendly.
- They’re meal-prep friendly.
- They’re low-carb
- EVERYONE loves them. Toddlers to adults!
Oh, did we mention they’re moist and flavorful? Yep, they have it all.
If you need more easy 30-minute meals, we have some delicious options!
Ingredients
With these pantry staples, you can whip together dinner in 30 minutes.
1 pound raw ground chicken - breast or thigh meat
¼ cup onion, finely diced - or grated for smaller pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese - or your favorite cheese, parmesan cheese is also good
¼ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs - we like wholewheat
½ teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
You'll need a mixing bowl and sheet pan to make the recipe.
How to Make - Step By Step Instructions
- PREP - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- MAKE MEAT MIXTURE - In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with your hands until just combined.
- MAKE MEATBALLS - Roll the meatball mixture into small balls with your hands or use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop. Place them on your prepared baking sheet.
- BAKE - Place in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned.
Enjoy over pasta or with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Tips & Tricks for the Best Chicken Meatballs
- Yes, you can substitute ground turkey for ground chicken.
- We get it. Not everybody loves onions. You can omit them or use onion powder, so there are no chunky onion bits in your meatballs.
- You can use low-fat cheese in the recipe.
- You can form the chicken meatballs with your hands or a small ice cream or cookie scoop. If using your hands, lightly coat the meat with olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your meatballs, but generally, it’s between 20 and 22 minutes.
Pro Tip: to serve your baked meatballs as an appetizer, place your meatballs in a bowl with toothpicks next to them and watch them disappear.
How to Serve Your Meatballs
You can enjoy these Baked Chicken Meatballs in so many ways. They’re constantly on our meal plan one delicious way or another. Here are some of our favorites.
- In marinara sauce - they’re perfect with spaghetti
- Over pasta
- On a stick as an appetizer
- With roasted veggies
- To top a pizza
- On slider buns
- With brown rice
- Atop a salad - a healthy way to eat them!
- Dipped in BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, ranch, or Ketchup
How Do You Keep Meatball Moist?
- First, use ground chicken that is 93% - 95% lean. Your meatballs need a little fat to remain juicy.
- Don’t overcook your meatballs. Bake them until they are cooked through and lightly brown on top. Also, note that they will continue to cook a little while on the hot pan right out of the oven, so plan accordingly.
- Use a meat thermometer to tell you when they’re perfectly cooked. The USDA says 165 degress F for poultry. We usually take it out at 160 degrees F because they keep cooking on the hot pan.
Why Are My Meatballs Tough?
Some kind of moisture, like eggs or a binder made from bread crumbs, is essential when making meatballs. This recipe uses both and cheese.
Another common reason meatballs get tough is overcooking them. Use a meat thermometer, and you’ll always know when they’re done.
And finally, if meatballs are packed too tightly in a ball or overhandled, they’ll turn out tough, rubbery, and chewy.
Can You Freeze These Meatballs?
One of the best things about chicken meatballs is that they freeze so well. You have two choices for freezing.
- FREEZE BEFORE COOKING - follow the recipe and make your raw ground chicken into balls. Then, flash freeze them, which means place your meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer until frozen through. About 1-2 hours. Then, transfer them in a freezer-safe container until ready to use. Don’t forget to label and date them.
- FREEZE AFTER COOKING - this is our favorite method. Cool your chicken meatballs thoroughly, and then place in a freezer-safe, airtight container and store in the freezer until you’d like to reheat and eat.
If stored properly to prevent freezer burn, these ground chicken meatballs will last in the freezer for 3-4 months.
To Reheat Your Cheesy Chicken Meatballs
If you defrost your meatballs overnight in the refrigerator, you can reheat them in the microwave for a minute.
Alternatively, you can preheat your oven to 350 degrees F for pre-cooked meatballs, 400 degrees F for uncooked meatballs.
Arrange the meatballs in an oven-safe baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Then, bake from frozen until hot for 20 to 30 minutes for pre-cooked meatballs or 25 to 30 minutes for uncooked meatballs.
More Meatball Recipes
Meatballs are great for weeknight dinners, get-togethers, or game-day, so try one of these fan-favorite recipes.
Crockpot 3-Ingredients Meatballs - THE best meatballs and so easy too. Great for entertaining or just feeding your family.
Crockpot Teriyaki Meatballs - Yum! The perfect way to serve meatballs for dinner or when feeding a crowd.
Turkey Stuffing Meatballs - An easy recipe to enjoy the turkey and stuffing combo year-round.
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Printable Recipe
Cheesy Baked Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw ground chicken (breast or thigh meat)
- ¼ cup onion (finely diced (or grated for smaller pieces))
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
- ¼ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs (we like wholewheat)
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with your hands until just combined.
- Roll the meat mixture into small balls with your hands or use an ice cream or cookie scoop. Place them on your prepared baking sheet.
- Put in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned. Enjoy over pasta or with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- FREEZE BEFORE COOKING - follow the recipe and make your raw ground chicken into balls. Then, flash freeze them, which means place your meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer until frozen through. About 1-2 hours. Then, transfer them in a freezer-safe container until ready to use. Don’t forget to label and date them.
- FREEZE AFTER COOKING - this is our favorite method. Cool your chicken meatballs thoroughly, and then place in a freezer-safe, airtight container and store in the freezer until you’d like to reheat and eat.
D. Hinkle says
What are some good dipping sauces?
Erin Henry says
All of these chicken tender dipping sauces would be wonderful with these meatballs. https://www.suburbansimplicity.com/chicken-tenders-dipping-sauce-recipes/
Natasha says
The recipe is easy to follow, it turned out very delicious! It is freezer-friendly too which makes it more awesome.
Sara Welch says
I had never made meatballs with chicken until now, and I have been missing out! What a knock-out recipe! Easily, a new family favorite recipe!
Lily says
These meatballs were awesome, so moist and delicious. I will be using this recipe for my weekly meal prep!