Little bites, big flavor! These parmesan-packed baked chicken meatballs are perfect for dipping, tossing in sauce, or eating straight from the pan.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: These meatballs are savory and cheesy with a subtle garlic and Italian herb aroma, perfectly balanced with a hint of nutty almond flour.
- Prep note: The mixture is wonderfully soft, keeping the meatballs juicy. Using a small cookie scoop, or lightly oiled hands, makes rolling them effortless and mess-free.
- Serving suggestions: My family loves these baked chicken meatballs served over zucchini noodles, tossed with spaghetti squash, or packed into lunch containers. I love testing these meatballs with different sauces such as marinara, Alfredo, or pesto – which at our house is the first to disappear.
- Freezing: My favorite trick is to double the recipe on busy sports nights and freeze half so we always have a quick, protein-packed meal ready to go.
What You’ll Need
- Ground Chicken: Use regular ground chicken for juicy meatballs. If using lean chicken, add a little olive oil or extra parmesan. Ground turkey works well as a substitute.
- Binder: Finely grated parmesan and almond flour act as the binder, adding salty, nutty flavor and helping the meatballs brown while keeping them low-carb and gluten-free. Dairy-free or nut-free swaps like nutritional yeast, crushed pork rinds, or ground sunflower seeds work just as well.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning adds a quick, blended herb flavor, or you can mix dried oregano, basil, and a pinch of thyme or rosemary if needed.
How To Make Baked Chicken Balls
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl and shape them into meatballs.
- Bake (full recipe below).
- Let them rest about 5 minutes before serving.
Holly’s Tried and True Tips
- Stir the mixture just until combined to keep the meatballs tender, not dense.
- Bake until the center reaches 165°F for perfectly cooked, juicy meatballs. Use a meat thermometer for an accurate temperature reading.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- For extra browning, move the pan to the top rack or briefly broil, watching closely.
- Double the batch, freeze half, and reheat from frozen with sauce for a quick dinner.
- Mix up the flavors by trying taco, curry, or buffalo seasonings with complementary low-carb sides.
Save Them for Later
Leftovers: Refrigerate cooled chicken meatballs in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven in a covered dish at 325°F with a splash of broth or sauce until hot in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes. Or reheat in the microwave in short bursts with a little sauce or water so they do not dry out.
To Freeze: Cooked or uncooked meatballs can be frozen on a parchment lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a zippered bag or airtight container. Use uncooked meatballs within about 2 months, while cooked meatballs will store up to 4 months.
To Reheat: Cooked meatballs, refrigerated or frozen, can be reheated in the oven in a covered dish at 325°F with a splash of broth or sauce until hot in the center. Refrigerated will take about 10-15 minutes to heat, while frozen will take 5-10 minutes longer.
To Bake Frozen Uncooked Meatballs: Bake directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time (below), or simmer frozen cooked meatballs in sauce until hot.
Friendly Low Carb Chicken Dinners
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Baked Chicken Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons almond flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and roll into 24 small meatballs.
- Place on an unlined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through
- Serve with marinara sauce if desired.
Notes
- Be sure all chicken based products are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F at the center.
- Freeze uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a zippered bag or a sealed container. Use up frozen meatballs within 2 months.
- Freeze cooked and cooled meatballs in the same manner as above for up to 4 months.
- Refrigerate cooked leftover meatballs in a covered container for up to 4 days
- Reheat meatballs covered in the oven or in the microwave. Or use in a variety of recipes, thawed or frozen.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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