Description

These Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs are a flavorful, lighter alternative to traditional meatballs. Made with ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and a medley of herbs and spices, they are baked to perfection and then brushed with a zesty lemon garlic herb butter sauce for an extra burst of flavor. Perfect served over pasta or zucchini noodles, they are simple to prepare, freezer-friendly, and packed with protein.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

2 pounds (907g) ground chicken (94% lean)
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup (84g) breadcrumbs*
1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese*
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Lemon Garlic Herb Butter Sauce

1/4 cup (56g; 4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
Pinch of salt
Optional for serving: crushed red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, and chopped fresh parsley. Use a large spoon or spatula to mix everything thoroughly until evenly combined.
Form Meatballs: Scoop about 2 tablespoons (30–35g) of the mixture at a time and roll it into balls with your hands. Arrange the formed meatballs evenly on the prepared baking sheet. You should have around 35 meatballs in total.
Bake Meatballs: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes or until fully cooked. Check doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into a meatball; it should read 165°F (74°C).
Prepare Herb Butter Sauce: While the meatballs bake, melt the unsalted butter with fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh chopped parsley, thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt.
Glaze Meatballs: Once the meatballs are out of the oven, brush or spoon the lemon garlic herb butter sauce over them generously. You can reserve some sauce for serving. Optionally, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top for extra heat.
Serve: Serve the warm meatballs alongside pasta, zucchini noodles, or enjoy them on their own with any remaining herb butter sauce.
Store Leftovers: Store leftover meatballs in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

These meatballs are packed with flavor and are a lighter alternative to traditional recipes because they are baked instead of fried.
No need to pre-cook the meat mixture; simply bake them directly for convenience.
They freeze well both before and after baking, making meal prep easy.
Enjoy these meatballs with your favorite pasta, zucchini noodles, or as a standalone protein-packed snack or meal.
Use fresh herbs in the sauce to maximize the bright lemon garlic flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 5 meatballs with sauce
Calories: 333
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 585 mg
Fat: 16.9 g
Saturated Fat: 6.8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 9.8 g
Fiber: 0.8 g
Protein: 34 g
Cholesterol: 143 mg