These chicken and broccoli meatballs are great served on their own or dipped into your favorite marinara sauce. Packed with a serving of broccoli, they are a great source of protein and veggies!
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Everything comes together in one bowl for these easy-to-make meatballs! These oven-baked meatballs are freezer-friendly and can be customized to serve with marinara sauce, a sweet and spicy sauce, or in a meatball sub!
Table of Contents
WATCH RECIPE VIDEO
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Here is what you’ll need to make these chicken and broccoli meatballs:
- Chicken: I used ground chicken in this recipe, but you can also use the same method with ground turkey.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Absorbs the juices from the meat as it cooks so that the meatballs are not dry.
- Parmesan Cheese: For added flavor to the meatballs.
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold all of the ingredients together.
- Onion Powder/Black Pepper: For added flavor and an extra kick to the meatballs.
- Salt: Optional ingredient for a little added taste.
- Marinara Sauce (Optional): To dip the meatballs into. I love using the Rao’s brand marinara sauce, but these are great to snack on as is!
- Oil Spray: To spray the meatballs before baking.
PROCESS
- Add the broccoli to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on high heat for 2 minutes, or until tender. Drain all of the liquid.
- Use kitchen scissors to finely chop the broccoli into small pieces. You may also quickly pulse the broccoli in a blender if you prefer a more fine texture.
- Add the chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, broccoli, and seasonings to a bowl and mix until combined. Be sure not to overmix as overmixing can cause the meat to be tough when baked.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them into small balls. Place the balls on a parchment paper-lined pan.
- Spray the meatballs with some cooking oil spray and bake them at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes.
- If you choose to add them to a sauce, simmer the marinara sauce in a pan on low heat. Add in the meatballs and simmer for a few minutes.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, arrange meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Chicken: You may substitute the ground chicken with ground turkey. I love using the Butcher Box subscription service for high-quality meats. If you would like to try out Butcher Box, you can click here for a special offer (affiliate link).
- Breadcrumbs: Almond flour usually serves as a good alternative to breadcrumbs for these meatballs.
- Egg: The egg may be replaced with 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. A flax egg may also be a good alternative, but I have not tried this myself.
RECIPE NOTES
- Do not overmix the meat mixture. If you overwork the meat mixture, your meatballs may come out tough, so try not to overmix them.
- Keep your hands moist with a bit of water as you form and roll the balls so that your hands don’t get too sticky.
- This recipe makes around 30 small meatballs. If you would like to make larger meatballs, add a few minutes to the total bake time.
- I like to add in an extra ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the mixture for an extra kick, but you can leave this out if your little ones are not a fan of spicy foods.
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Chicken And Broccoli Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped broccoli florets
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Add the broccoli to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on high heat for 2 minutes, or until tender. Drain all of the liquid.
- Use kitchen scissors to finely chop the broccoli into small pieces. You may also quickly pulse the broccoli in a blender if you prefer a more fine texture. You should have about 1 ½ cups of the finely chopped broccoli mixture.
- Add the chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, broccoli, and seasonings to a bowl and mix until combined. Be sure not to overmix as overmixing can cause the meat to be tough when baked.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them into small balls. Place the balls on a parchment paper-lined pan.
- Spray the meatballs with some cooking oil spray and bake them at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes.
- Optional: If you choose to add them to a sauce, simmer the marinara sauce in a pan on low heat. Add in the meatballs and simmer for a few minutes.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meat mixture. If you overwork the meat mixture, your meatballs may come out tough, so try not to overmix them.
- Keep your hands moist with a bit of water as you form and roll the balls so that your hands don’t get too sticky.
- This recipe makes around 30 small meatballs. If you would like to make larger meatballs, add a few minutes to the total bake time.
- I like to add in an extra ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the mixture for an extra kick, but you can leave this out if your little ones are not a fan of spicy foods.
These turned out amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing – my 18 month old is gobbling them up as we speak 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing your great review, Kelly!😊
What are storage instructions?
Hi Aditi! The storage instructions for each recipe are listed in the blog post if you scroll up a bit titled “storage instructions” 😊
Is the broccoli measurement before or after chopping?
Hi Jenae! The broccoli measurement is after chopping, so you would measure out 1.5 cups after chopping.
Absolutely delicious and easy! Perfect recipe for dinner or snacking throughout the day. Thank you!
My 13 month old loved these and she typically doesn’t like to eat meat!
I’m so glad to hear that your little one enjoys these meatballs!😊