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Home > Chicken > Juicy Baked Chicken Meatballs

Juicy Baked Chicken Meatballs

Modified: Dec 8, 2023 · Published: Feb 5, 2021

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easy baked chicken meatballs stacked in plate served with ketchup with text
baked chicken meatballs with sauce

Baked chicken meatballs are juicy, super easy to make, and super tasty! These are healthy compared to meatballs cooked on a skillet with loads of oil. You can serve it with anything!

easy baked chicken meatballs stacked in plate served with ketchup
Jump to:
  • Juicy baked chicken meatballs is a keeper
  • Ingredients
  • How to make ground chicken meatballs
  • Ways to serve
  • Tips to make juicy chicken meatballs
  • Common questions
  • Storing info
  • 📋Juicy Baked Chicken Meatballs

Juicy baked chicken meatballs is a keeper

  1. It’s BAKED! Much healthier than fried meatballs.
  2. Made with lean protein, chicken. You can also use ground turkey as a substitute.
  3. These are super easy to make.
  4. All you’ll need is ONE BOWL to mix everything and one baking tray to bake them using basic pantry ingredients.
  5. No more standing near the stove to cook splattery meatballs. No cleaning messy greasy stove.
  6. Meatballs are juicy and tasty, I bet you can’t stop popping them in your mouth.
  7. Great make-ahead recipe. Make meatballs and store them for later. Works great for weekly meal preps. It can be served with anything!
  8. It’s freezer-friendly, make and store in the freezer for later.
  9. Plenty flavorful.
  10. A definite crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need-

  • Ground chicken
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Parsley
  • Egg
  • Italian seasoning
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Salt & pepper
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

All the ingredient’s exact measurements are mentioned in the recipe card below.

all ingredients for baked chicken meatballs on white board

Ingredients notes:

  1. Ground chicken: lean meat is better. Best to use 93-95% lean meat instead of 99% lean meat. A bit of fat is required to help meatballs stay juicy. Use ground turkey as a substitute for ground chicken. Ground pork works too.
  2. Onion: adds flavor to meatballs and helps keep it moist. do not chop the onion, grate the onion directly into the bowl.
  3. Garlic: the aromats, help add flavor and taste. Fresh garlic can be substituted with garlic powder.
  4. Parsley: fresh flatleaf parsley minced fine, adds freshness to the meatballs. Curly leaf parsley or cilantro leaves can be used as a substitute.
  5. Egg: helps bind everything together.
  6. Italian seasoning: helps pack more flavors.
  7. Cayenne pepper: adds mild heat.
  8. Panko breadcrumbs: keep the meatballs light and air along with acting as a binding agent. Regular breadcrumbs will dry out meatballs. Highly recommend you use panko breadcrumbs. If you don’t get panko breadcrumbs use regular sandwich bread, tear into pieces and pulse it a few times to turn into crumbs. Sandwich bread is far more effective than regular breadcrumbs.
  9. Salt & pepper: add to taste, use freshly ground pepper.
  10. Parmesan cheese: use freshly grated cheese. Always buy a Parmesan cheese block and grate it yourself whenever needed. Pre-grated cheese is usually filled with fillers and chemicals that prevent it from melting properly and also may alter the taste.
  11. Olive oil: to spray on the meatballs before baking. Helps prevent the meatballs from drying and sticking to the tray.

Ingredients additions & substitutions

You can substitute ground chicken with ground turkey. Ground pork can be used.

For an extra kick add more cayenne pepper or use red chili flakes in the recipe. Use smoked paprika along with cayenne pepper for a smoky spicy kick.

If you want to make it gluten-free meatballs you can use crushed rice Chex cereal as a substitute for panko breadcrumbs.

How to make ground chicken meatballs

Below is a step-by-step picture to help me make meatballs.

grating onion into bowl to make baked chicken meatballs

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F.

Grate onion into the bowl.

all ingredients for baked chicken meatballs in mixing bowl

Step 2: Add ground chicken, minced garlic, parsley, egg, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste, panko breadcrumbs, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

mixing all ingredients for baked chicken meatballs

Step 3: Use hands or a spatula to mix everything. Mix until ingredients just get blended.

ground chicken with all seasoning for meatballs

Step 4: DO NOT OVERWORK MEAT. It will make meatballs dry.

shaping meatballs to make baked chicken meatballs

Step 5: Using a small scoop or tablespoon portion out meatballs. Gently roll or shape meatballs.

grease baking tray with olive oil

Step 6: Spray the baking tray with olive oil. Place meatballs directly on a greased baking tray or use a wire rack (greased well) to arrange meatballs.

spray olive oil on meatballs

Step 7: Place meatballs ½ to 1 inch apart. Generously spray olive oil on top of all meatballs.

baked chicken meatballs on baking tray with wire rack

Step 8: Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until meatballs are browned and cooked.

Tip: don’t overcook meatballs. Remove from oven as soon as you see meatballs are beginning to brown. You want meatballs to be juicy and soft. Leaving it for 2 to 3 extra minutes in the oven will tend to dry meatballs.

Allow meatballs to rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese powder. Serve immediately.

Ways to serve

These can be served with anything! As an appetizer with a sauce on the side, as main stirred with spaghetti or any of your favorite pasta.

  • As an appetizer – serve an appetizer with your favorite sauce. My kids love it with ketchup, but for me I like to pair it with other sensational sauce like vodka sauce, spicy marinara sauce, and smoky BBQ sauce.
  • As main – serve as main with creamy mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, and sautéed green beans or roasted broccoli as a side.
  • Stirred with spaghetti and marinara sauce.
  • Stirred with pesto sauce mixed with pasta like bucatini.

Tips to make juicy chicken meatballs

  1. Use fresh grated onion in the recipe. Grated onion helps keep meatballs soft and juicy. Grating onion releases its juicy which helps soak breadcrumbs. Saturating breadcrumbs in liquids (like milk, or juices) in this recipe extra juice from onion to avoid having them dry out the meatballs.
  2. Use panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs will dry out the meatballs. If you can’t get panko breadcrumbs use regular sandwich bread and pulse it a few times to turn into crumbs.  Sandwich bread is far more effective than regular breadcrumbs.
  3. DO NOT OVER WORK MEAT. It will result in dry meatballs. Mix until ingredients just get blended.
  4. Remove from oven as soon as you see meatballs are beginning to brown. You want meatballs to be juicy and soft. Leaving it for 2 to 3 extra minutes in the oven will tend to dry meatballs.

Common questions

Why is it important to grate onion directly to the bowl?

Grating onion releases its juice which helps soak breadcrumbs. Saturating breadcrumbs in liquids (like milk, or onion juice) is crucial to make juicy meatballs. As breadcrumbs soak in onion juice, it will puff up when baked in the oven and prevent meatballs from drying out.

What to look for when selecting ground chicken?

Best to use 93-95% lean meat instead of 99% lean meat. A bit of fat is required to help meatballs stay juicy. Use ground turkey as a substitute for ground chicken. Ground pork works too.

What can you substitute for ground chicken?

Use ground turkey as a substitute for ground chicken. Ground pork works too.

Why did meatballs turn dry?

There are a few reasons why meatballs turned out dry. Make sure you don’t skip any of the following –
1. Grate onion, not dice. Grating onion directly into the bowl is crucial.
2. Use panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs will dry out the meatballs.
3. Do not overwork meat.
4. Remove from oven as soon as you see meatballs are beginning to brown.

chicken meatballs baked in baking tray

Storing info

You can make the meatball mixture and store the mix in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can also freezer the meatball mixture.

After baking it can be frozen and stored for 3 months.

Store in refrigerator – mix all ingredients for meatballs. Cover in an air-tight container and store refrigerated for up to 2-3 days. Note: fresh ingredients like parsley will tend to lose their freshness as they sit in the fridge.

Freeze raw meatballs mix – mix all ingredients. Shape into balls and arrange it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover a baking tray with plastic wrap. Freezer for 2 hours. Once frozen remove from the baking tray and store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

Freeze baked meatballs – bake chicken meatballs as per recipe. Let it cool completely. Transfer meatballs to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat – thaw meatballs in the fridge overnight. And then bake in the oven at 325°F until warmed.

Note– reheating meatballs will turn to make meatballs a bit drier.

Other meatball recipes:

  • buffalo chicken meatballs stacked up on plate with blue cheese dressing on side

    Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

  • chicken meatballs in cream sauce is decadent chicken meatballs smothered with rich and delicious cream sauce

    Chicken Meatballs In Creamy Sauce

  • instant pot chicken Parmesan meatballs served on spaghetti in 2 white plates

    Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

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oven baked chicken meatballs served in plate with ketchup
oven baked chicken meatballs served in plate with ketchup
4.97 from 31 votes

📋Juicy Baked Chicken Meatballs

Jyothi Rajesh
Baked chicken meatballs are juicy, super easy to make, and super tasty! These are healthy compared to meatballs cooked on a skillet with loads of oil. You can serve it with anything!
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 30 cocktail meatballs
Calories 40

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 medium yellow onion grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon parsley fine chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cracked pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • Olive oil to spray

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Into a bowl add ground chicken, and grated onion directly into the bowl.
    grating onion into bowl to make baked chicken meatballs
  • Add the rest of the ingredients minced garlic, parsley, egg, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste, panko breadcrumbs, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
    all ingredients for baked chicken meatballs in mixing bowl
  • Use your hands or a spatula to mix everything.
    mixing all ingredients for baked chicken meatballs
  • Do not over work meat. It will result in dry meatballs. Mix until ingredients just get blended.
    ground chicken with all seasoning for meatballs
  • Using a small scoop or tablespoon portion out meatballs. Gently roll or shape meatballs.
    shaping meatballs to make baked chicken meatballs
  • Spray the baking tray with olive oil. Place meatballs directly on a greased baking tray or use a wire rack (greased well) to arrange meatballs.
    grease baking tray with olive oil
  • Place meatballs ½ to 1 inch apart. Generously spray olive oil on top of all meatballs.
    meatballs ready to go into the oven to make baked chicken meatballs
  • Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until meatballs are browned and cooked.
    Tip: Remove from oven as soon as you see meatballs are beginning to brown. You want meatballs to be juicy and soft. Overcooking or even leaving it for 2 to 3 minutes in the oven once cooked will tend to dry meatballs.
    baked chicken meatballs on baking tray with wire rack
  • Allow meatballs to rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese powder. Serve immediately.
  • Baked chicken meatballs can be served with anything! As an appetizer with a sauce on the side, as main stirred with spaghetti or any of your favorite pasta.

Video

Notes

    • Use fresh grated onion in the recipe. Grated onion helps keep meatballs soft and juicy. Grating onion releases its juice which helps soak breadcrumbs. Saturating breadcrumbs in liquids (like milk, or juices) in this recipe extra juice from onion to avoid having them dry out the meatballs.
    • Use panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs will dry out the meatballs. If you can’t get panko breadcrumbs use regular sandwich bread and pulse it a few times to turn into crumbs.  Sandwich bread is far more effective than regular breadcrumbs.
    • Do not overwork meatballs. It will result in dry meatballs. Mix until ingredients just get blended.
    • Remove from oven as soon as you see meatballs are beginning to brown. You want meatballs to be juicy and soft. Leaving it for 2 to 3 extra minutes in the oven will tend to dry meatballs.
 
The nutrition values mentioned are for 1 cocktail-sized meatball. I used a small Oxo scoop and got 30 cocktail meatballs.
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 130mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 61IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Thank you for stopping by.

I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

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    4.97 from 31 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Cathy says

    April 07, 2025 at 10:51 pm

    5 stars
    These came out great! Covered with sauce and mozzarella and served with pasta and salad, the perfect dinner. They also make a tasty chicken parm grinder. This one’s a keeper!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      April 11, 2025 at 12:12 pm

      Thank you Cathy! Glad to know you loved the recipe

      Reply
  2. Allie says

    October 09, 2024 at 3:24 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Just made these to accompany a spinach pasta and they were a hit, even with the picky little ones (skipped the cayenne in case it’d be too spicy for little mouths)! Such an incredibly quick and easy recipe :).

    I’ll be adding this one to the dinner rotation.

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      October 14, 2024 at 9:30 am

      Yay, so glad to hear you loved the recipe Allie. Thank you very much for sharing your feedback.

      Reply
  3. Ilnur says

    September 10, 2024 at 8:25 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe very easy and very tasty, perfect with a salad

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      September 12, 2024 at 2:18 pm

      Yay, so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

      Reply
  4. Diane Wonders says

    July 10, 2024 at 11:48 pm

    5 stars
    First time using ground chicken. These meatballs are delicious! Followed recipe except I added parsley to the meat mixture instead of sprinkling on top of meatballs. This is my new go-to meatball recipe!
    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      July 11, 2024 at 11:34 am

      Yay, so glad to hear you love the recipe Diane! Thank you very much for sharing your feedback.

      Reply
  5. Teri says

    June 18, 2024 at 6:06 am

    Just made these meatballs and they were so flavorful! I made the mistake of using a regular sized scoop so I got 14 large meatballs instead of 30 cocktail size ones, but I just baked them an extra 7 minutes and they were perfect. Next time I will put them directly on the baking sheet rather than a rack. Even though I used a lot of oil spray, they stuck to the rack a bit.
    Overall, they were great and I’m going to make them again. Served them with brown rice and a little tzatziki sauce on the side. Yummy! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      June 18, 2024 at 6:50 pm

      Super glad to hear you loved the recipe Teri. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

      Reply
  6. Deb says

    May 18, 2024 at 12:31 am

    Any suggestions on a dipping sauce? The cayenne is a bit too much in the batch I just made.

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      May 20, 2024 at 7:19 am

      I love to serve meatballs with vodka sauce, spicy marinara sauce, and smoky BBQ sauce. I have the recipe for spicy marinara sauce on the blog, you can look it up.

      Reply
  7. Elena Maria Dieppa says

    March 31, 2024 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    The meatballs are exquisite! Very tasty. I air fried them in the interest of time 40o degrees for ten minutes. Very happy!!!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      April 03, 2024 at 7:21 pm

      So glad to hear you loved the recipe! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback, Elena.

      Reply
  8. Skyler says

    March 28, 2024 at 7:25 am

    5 stars
    Best meat balls I have ever made!
    Amazing recipe. I make these all the time now. Thank you for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      March 28, 2024 at 9:45 am

      I’m so glad you love the recipe, Skyler! Thank you very much for sharing your feedback!

      Reply
  9. Kara says

    March 14, 2024 at 4:16 am

    5 stars
    So freaking good!!!!!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      March 14, 2024 at 12:15 pm

      Yay, I’m so glad to hear you loved the recipe Kara! Appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

      Reply
  10. Maria says

    February 13, 2024 at 11:53 pm

    What would the baking time be if you made larger meatballs?

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      February 14, 2024 at 1:15 pm

      Sorry, I can’t tell you the exact time because it will depend on the size. Please note the bigger the size of the meatballs, the longer it has to cook and they might be the same juicy as small or medium sized meatballs. I would recommend you check the doneness of the meatballs during the baking process.

      Reply
    • Tina says

      May 15, 2024 at 10:56 pm

      I make a triple batch and use scoop #24, makes about 36/40 meatballs. I bake for 16 minutes at 350 and they’re perfect.

      Reply
      • Jyothi Rajesh says

        May 16, 2024 at 11:40 am

        So glad you hear your feedback Tina. Thank you for sharing!

« Older Comments

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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