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Chicken Meatballs with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
This chicken meatball recipe is kid-friendly, full of fresh flavors, and dipped in the perfect sauce. Dairy-free, freezer-friendly, and easy to adapt for gluten-free, too.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground chicken (or lean ground turkey)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs (see Cooking Notes for GF option)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (sub: fresh basil or thyme leaves)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 batch Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Prep: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (for easy clean up). Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Make Chicken Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, beaten egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Use a fork or your clean hands to gently combine.
- Form Meatballs: Scoop one heaping tablespoon of the mixture at a time and shape into 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs. Place meatballs in rows on the baking sheet, making sure to leave a little room between each one.
- Bake: Bake for about 15 minutes. The meatballs are done when there is no more pink in the middle when cut open or the internal temperature is 160-165°F*. (Tip: If you want the meatballs to have a crispier exterior, remove the meatballs after 11 minutes of baking. Turn on the broiler and place the pan on the top oven rack. Broil for 2-4 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through.)
- Serve: Serve warm with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. These would pair well with Creamy Lemon Pasta or Butter Noodles.
*The internal temp will rise about 5 more degrees after you remove from oven.
Freeze For Later: Label and open a gallon-sized freezer bag and lay it on the counter. Follow Steps 2 and 3. Place rolled meatballs in a single layer in the freezer bag. Seal, squeezing out excess air, and freeze flat. Freeze the Dipping Sauce in a small freezer bag or container along with the meatballs, if desired, but you may want to leave out the cayenne since it will get spicier in the freezer.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the meatballs and sauce. Follow Step 1 and then Steps 4-5 to cook the meatballs.
Notes/Tips
- Can I use dried herbs? Yes, you can but the fresh will taste better. If subbing dried herbs, use about 2 tablespoons dried parsley, crushed in hand. Use about 1 teaspoon dried chives.
- Updated recipe: I updated this recipe on 10/25/23. While I kept the same ingredients, the previous iteration involved rolling the meatballs in extra bread crumbs and used the pan fry method, which was messy. I am in love with this faster, easier version and think you’ll like it better too.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use GF bread crumbs. To make 1 cup of homemade ones, toast and cool about 5 slices of gluten free bread (like Canyon Bakehouse or Udi brand) or let it get stale on the counter for a few days. Tear into pieces and add to a food processor or blender. Process/blend until bread crumbs are fine.