These wonderfully flavorful and well-seasoned chicken meatballs are ready in less than 30 minutes.
You can enjoy them just as they are or dip them in a dipping sauce. They're especially good when freshly prepared, but the leftovers are excellent, too.
My mother-in-law introduced me to these meatballs. With the exception of turkey meatballs, I almost always make mine with beef (these spicy meatballs are wonderful). But when I tasted her recipe, I was hooked!
Chicken meatballs have a milder flavor than beef ones, but they make up for it with their wonderfully tender and fluffy texture. Making them is as easy as can be - they're ready in less than 30 minutes.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these meatballs. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Ground chicken: I highly recommend using ground chicken thighs and not chicken breast. Chicken breast is too dry.
- Mayonnaise: Adds creaminess to the meatballs and helps prevent them from becoming too dry.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika.
- Olive oil: Used for frying the meatballs.
Variations
- You can replace the mayonnaise with Dijon mustard.
- Use a tablespoon of minced garlic instead of garlic powder. I tend to use powder because that's what I always have on hand.
- Add ¼ cup of minced fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro.
- Use chili powder instead of smoked paprika.
- Add a teaspoon of dried oregano or dried thyme.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to make them spicy.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
You start by mixing all the ingredients except for the oil. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs in olive oil on all sides for about 5 minutes.
Add water to the pan, cover it, and finish cooking the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take about 3 more minutes.
Serve immediately with a dipping sauce, if desired.
Expert Tip
- The ground chicken mixture will be fairly sticky, so it's helpful to use moistened hands when forming the meatballs.
- When portioning the meatballs out, I use a cookie scoop to ensure they are all about the same size.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need for that. The meatballs do not come apart at all, so there's no need for fillers and binders.
Yes. You can arrange them on a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet (ensure the parchment can withstand a high oven temperature or use nonstick foil), spray them with olive oil, and bake them for about 20 minutes in a 400°F oven or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
They won't brown much in the oven, so while they'll be tasty, they won't look as good as pan-fried meatballs.
Meatballs turn out tough when you overwork the mixture. It's best to handle them as lightly as you can, both when mixing the ingredients and when forming the meatballs.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve these chicken meatballs on a bed of cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower and add a vegetable such as roasted asparagus, roasted mini peppers, or roasted frozen cauliflower.
Sometimes, I serve these meatballs as a party appetizer with a dipping sauce, as shown in the pictures. You can use any store-bought sauce you like. The sauce pictured is Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce.
You can also make your own dipping sauce: Mix ½ cup of sour cream with 1 tablespoon of hot pepper sauce and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative).
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 4 days. They keep well and taste great. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can freeze these metaballs for up to three months.
More Meatball Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
JUicy Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken thighs - 93% lean; ground chicken breast is too lean
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin, for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ground chicken, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out even portions of the mixture onto a plate. I usually end up with 16 meatballs.
- With wet hands for easier handling, shape each portion into a round meatball.
- Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) lidded skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and becomes fragrant, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook them uncovered, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium if needed.
- Add ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the skillet. Cover it with the lid and cook until the meatballs are cooked through (their internal temperature should be 165°F), about 3 more minutes.
- Remove the meatballs from the skillet to a serving plate using a slotted spoon. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- When the meatballs are done, about half of the oil will remain in the skillet, and the nutrition info reflects that. But all of it is needed to properly cook the meatballs.Â
- I highly recommend using ground chicken thighs and not chicken breast. Chicken breast is too dry.
- The mixture will be fairly sticky, so it's helpful to use moistened hands when forming the meatballs.
- I use a cookie scoop to ensure they are all about the same size.
- To ensure light and fluffy meatballs rather than tough and dense ones, try not to overwork the mixture when mixing the ingredients together and forming the meatballs.Â
- The nutrition info is for the meatballs only and does not include a dipping sauce.Â
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 4 days. They keep well and taste great. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can freeze these metaballs for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
zodwa
These were excellent.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed these meatballs! Thank you for the review.
Mark
Could these be baked instead of fried?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Mark,
Yes. You can arrange them on a rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet (ensure the parchment can withstand a high oven temperature or use nonstick foil), spray them with olive oil, and bake them for about 20 minutes in a 400°F oven or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. They won't brown much in the oven, so while they'll be tasty, they won't look as good as pan-fried meatballs.
Laura
Added cayenne because the husband and I love spicy food. Served with hot mustard. These were really good! Very juicy.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed these meatballs, Laura!