There’s nothing like a bowl of traditional spaghetti and meatballs, right? Most of us grew up thinking that was the best meal ever created. These Easy Homemade Chicken Meatballs fall in that category.
How would you feel about lightening up those meatballs? Just a bit. Let’s try some chicken instead of beef. It really is pretty darn good.
List of ingredients for your Easy Homemade Chicken Meatballs –
- Ground chicken – Ground chicken breast was used here.
- Mild Italian chicken sausage – The sausage is removed from the casing before adding to mixture. If you can’t find the chicken variety, you can use your favorite pork version. The flavor will be similar …you’ll just have to rename them chicken & pork meatballs!
- Fresh white bread crumbs – Fresh bread crumbs are preferred over the dried variety as they help to make a more tender meatball. They can be made by whizzing slices of bread in a food processor.
- Fresh garlic cloves – Minced or grated to avoid large chunks.
- Fresh parsley – Finely chopped.
- Pecorino Romano cheese – Freshly grated.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated.
- Milk – Low fat or whole milk can be used.
- Eggs – Lightly beaten. Extra-large eggs (chilled or at room temperature) will work in this recipe.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the ground chicken and sausage in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining meatball ingredients.
- Combine gently with a large fork.
- Form meatballs, with your hands, to measure about 1 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter.
I find it helpful to use my 2-tablespoon scoop to measure and form the meatballs. Less mess and they’re all uniform in size.
- Place them, with a small space between each meatball, on the prepared baking sheet.
- You should have a total of 28 to 30 meatballs.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.
Meatballs can be served with your favorite dipping sauce or simmered in tomato sauce.
What you need if you want to try our homemade marinara –
- Extra-virgin olive oil – My go-to oil is always EVOO. Any neutral oil would work such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
- Medium onion – Finely chopped or grated.
- Several garlic cloves – Minced or grated.
- Celery stalk – Finely chopped.
- Carrot – Peeled and shredded.
- Fresh thyme – Finely chopped. Fresh thyme has a bright, peppery flavor, while dried thyme is more earthy and has a deeper, more seasoned flavor. If necessary, you can use a ratio of 1 teaspoon dried to 1 tablespoon fresh.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Canned plum tomatoes – My first choice is always organic San Marzano.
- Fresh bay leaves – Can substitute with dried bay leaves.
- Fresh celery leaves – Optional.
- Pecorino Romano cheese – Freshly grated.
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the onions and garlic.
- Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the celery, carrots, thyme, salt & pepper.
- Sauté until all vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Break up the tomatoes with your hand or roughly chop them.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the liquid.
- Add the bay leaves (plus optional celery leaves) and meatballs.
- Simmer for 40 minutes.
Try to find San Marzano tomatoes for this one. They really are superior in texture and flavor. I use the whole plum tomatoes and break them up with my hand. My family likes the texture of the finished sauce to be rustic.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can choose crushed tomatoes.
- Or use an immersion blender before adding the meatballs to the pot.
- Remove the bay leaves and celery leaves; discard.
- Add grated romano cheese and mix well.
- Continue to simmer for additional 20 minutes.
Now you just have to decide which way to enjoy your Easy Homemade Chicken Meatballs.
- Will it be spaghetti & meatballs?
- Or maybe you’re in the mood for a meatball sandwich.
- They can be offered with some crusty bread & fresh ricotta as an appetizer.
- That will be up to you.
easy homemade chicken meatballs
Lighter version of traditional meatballs. Just as delicious.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage (casing removed)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
MARINARA SAUCE
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (5 ounces / 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped (2 ounces / 1/2 cup)
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded (4 ounces / 1 cup)
- pinch of chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 - 28 ounce cans plum tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- handful of celery leaves (optional)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Instructions
MEATBALLS
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Place the ground chicken and sausage in a large mixing bowl, along with the remaining meatball ingredients. Combine gently with a large fork.
Form meatballs, with your hands, to measure about 1 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter. Place them, with a small space between each meatball, on the prepared baking sheet. You should have a total of 28 to 30 meatballs.
-
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Meatballs can be served with your favorite dipping sauce or simmered in tomato sauce.
MARINARA SAUCE
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In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic. Saute' until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, salt & pepper. Saute' until all vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
-
Break up the tomatoes with your hand or roughly chop them. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the juice. Add the bay leaves (plus optional celery leaves) and meatballs. Simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove bay leaves and celery leaves; discard. Add grated romano cheese and mix well. Continue to simmer for additional 20 minutes.
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