Chicken Meatballs
These juicy chicken meatballs are always a hit! Easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for serving over spaghetti, they're a simple weeknight meal everyone loves. The recipe freezes perfectly, making it idea for meal prep and busy evenings.
Ingredients
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 bouillon cube beef, chicken or vegetable (Note 1)
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1½ pound ground chicken
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon cooking salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel (Note 2)
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano (Note 3)
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped (Note 4)
- 1¼ cup breadcrumbs (Note 5)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Dissolve the bouillon cube in the hot water and set aside to cool.½ cup hot water1 bouillon cube beef, chicken or vegetable (Note 1)
- Add the extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet, add the chopped onions and salt, then cook over medium meat for about 6 minutes until they are soft but not coloured. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the onions to a large bowl to cool.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 large onion finely chopped½ teaspoon salt1 clove garlic minced
- Once the onions are cool add the chicken, eggs, salt, pepper, ground fennel, parmigiana, chopped parsley, breadcrumbs and cooled bouillon mixture. Use your hands to squish and mix the ingredients together until just combined. You don't want to overwork the mixture or the meatballs can be tough. Also don't worry the mixture will be quite wet. 1½ pound ground chicken2 large eggs1 teaspoon cooking salt½ teaspoon black pepper½ teaspoon ground fennel (Note 2)1 cup grated Parmigiano (Note 3)¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped (Note 4)1¼ cup breadcrumbs (Note 5)
- Once combined, cover the bowl and let the mixture firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a cookie scoop or ¼ cup measure to portion out your meatball mixture. Then pour the olive oil into a small bowl, coat your hands well and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Redcoat your hands as needed.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Pour any remaining oil into the skillet and cook the meatballs for 10 minutes until just cooked through. (Internal temperature 160ºF/71ºC).
- Add the meatballs to a sauce and serve.
Notes
- You can use a chicken, beef or vegetable cube. You can also replace it with a bouillon concentrate like Better Than Bouillon or stock powder. Each concentrate is different, you want to use however much it recommends for 1 cup of water. (Usually this is 1 teaspoon, but check your brand.)
- Also known as fennel powder, this adds a wonderful Italian taste to your meatballs. Think Italian sausage kind of flavor. You can find it in larger grocery stores quite easily. It is well worth searching for it as it adds so much flavor. But if you haven't got any you can leave it out.
- The grated parmesan in the mixture adds flavor and also seasoning. Grating it yourself will give you the best results. Parmigiano reggiano will give you the best flavor.
- I know it can be a hassle to buy fresh herbs, but they really do make a difference to the taste of these meatballs. The ¼ cup is measured after it is chopped.
- I have tested this recipe with homemade breadcrumbs, regular store-bought breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. If using store-bought ones, you will need slight less as they are finer and more densely packed (use 1 cup).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition is per serving
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